A growing body of evidence suggests that gamifying education through digital devices has harmed student learning. Since 2012, math and reading scores among 13-year-olds in the United States have declined, coinciding with aggressive adoption of 1-to-1 laptop policies in 88 percent of public schools. Teachers like Paige Drygas reject the notion that making learning fun through screens improves outcomes.

Researchers argue that the digital native myth has driven misguided classroom policies. Studies show that comprehension collapses when students read on screens, and attention spans shrink dramatically. College students working on laptops during lectures spend 38 minutes of every hour off task. Even memorization—long dismissed as outdated—remains crucial for creative thinking, as knowledge stored in brains, not clouds, forms the foundation for innovation.

The widespread use of video-game-style apps like Kahoot! and iReady may be particularly damaging. These platforms encourage students to chase points and badges rather than engage in the struggle that real learning demands. Speech pathologist Denise Champney reports that neurodivergent learners often master pattern recognition without developing essential skills like reading and writing. The evidence suggests that technology should return to being a supplemental tool rather than the core of education.