Should schools ditch screens? episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 30, 2026 · 8 MIN

Should schools ditch screens?

from What in the World · host BBC World Service

After literacy levels started to fall in Sweden, the country’s government is cutting down on tablets and laptops…and bringing back good old pens and paper. Not everyone thinks this is the right approach though. Some tech bosses say limiting technology in classrooms will leave pupils less prepared for an increasingly digital world - and make it harder for them to find jobs in the age of AI.So - should more schools around the world follow suit and move away from screens? In this episode, we unpack this education strategy and the research behind it with journalist Maddy Savage, who’s based in Stockholm. And we also hear from students across the globe, to get their take on whether going (more) analogue improves how we learn. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Chelsea Coates Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

After literacy levels started to fall in Sweden, the country’s government is cutting down on tablets and laptops…and bringing back good old pens and paper. Not everyone thinks this is the right approach though. Some tech bosses say limiting technology in classrooms will leave pupils less prepared for an increasingly digital world - and make it harder for them to find jobs in the age of AI.So - should more schools around the world follow suit and move away from screens? In this episode, we unpack this education strategy and the research behind it with journalist Maddy Savage, who’s based in Stockholm. And we also hear from students across the globe, to get their take on whether going (more) analogue improves how we learn. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Emily Horler, Benita Barden and Chelsea Coates Video producer: Baldeep Chahal Editor: Verity Wilde

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Should schools ditch screens?

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This episode was published on April 30, 2026.

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After literacy levels started to fall in Sweden, the country’s government is cutting down on tablets and laptops…and bringing back good old pens and paper. Not everyone thinks this is the right approach though. Some tech bosses say limiting...

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