[OPINION] Reassessing EdTech for children: Why hands-on learning still matters

They try not to expose their kids to iPads and other learning platforms despite the big coverage given to edtech.

Those who were born in the '70s would remember how physical materials such as textbooks, paper, and pens were used in their days.

Crayons for example, were a staple in the classroom, serving as more than just colorful tools for drawing.

Their use goes beyond art, assisting various aspects of a child's development. For the kids, it was one of the happiest moments in the classroom where crayons were used to create creative expression.

Children used crayons to draw and color freely, letting them express thoughts, emotions, and experiences visually.

Coloring with crayons can also strengthen the small muscles in the hands and fingers of a child plus eye coordination, which is essential for writing and other tasks.

Teachers used coloring activities to teach shapes, letters, numbers, and colors, making abstract concepts more tangible.

In the past, children were also taught cursive handwriting not only as a writing skill but as a key part of their overall development.

Beyond academics, it prepared them for practical tasks like signing their names and reading historical documents, making it a meaningful and lasting educational practice.

Research in cognitive science shows that handwriting enhances understanding and long-term memory more effectively than typing.

Those who have grandchildren at present, we also can compare our handwriting (which is more refined) to our messy and illegible grandchild’s writing.

In short, this old classroom environment/method is a place where teachers guided students (in this focus the children) through lessons, facilitated discussions, and provided immediate feedback.

It also nurtured vital social and emotional skills through real-time interaction with teachers and pupils, something technology cannot fully replicate.

On the contrary, kids today become more introverted as they spend more time on gadgets. Excessive use of gadgets can contribute to increased introversion or social withdrawal among them.

A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found overreliance on digital devices can affect the way children develop emotionally, socially, and behaviorally.

The vast arrays of hi-tech introduced in the classroom somehow, cannot beat some learning features of the traditional ways.

Executive function skills like focus, time management, and self-discipline are among the fundamental elements of effective education in the traditional classroom, which cannot be replaced.

The psychomotor skills of weaving and throwing objects in Art and PE lessons can only be acquired in a traditional classroom.

Here, children would be taught how to develop their hands-on skill: measuring and cutting strips of paper or natural materials, planning their layout before weaving begins.

As they follow the over-under pattern, they practice focus, sequencing, and working memory, while learning to manage frustration if mistakes occur.

The process demands patience and self-discipline, as rushing leads to errors, and precision improves the final outcome. Through this slow and deliberate activity, children connect with traditional cultural practices.

Such lessons encourage task persistence, careful motor coordination, and pride in completing a tangible product, which is rarely achieved through digital tasks that offer instant results.

These are the skills that technology alone cannot nurture.

Another material of traditional classroom is a textbook which gives a rich sensory experience that supports deeper learning.

The physical act of turning pages, highlighting key points, underlining important sections, and flipping back to revisit content engages multiple senses, reinforcing memory and understanding.

This tactile interaction creates a stronger cognitive connection to the material, especially for younger children who learn best through hands-on activities.

In contrast, e-books are usually passive. Children just tap, swipe, and scroll the pages, which limit the sensory engagement that is important for younger children.

The Karolinska Institute in Sweden recently, released compelling research showing clear scientific evidence that digital tools often impair, rather than enhance, learning.

Sweden has taken this evidence seriously, becoming the first country to remove technology from classrooms and reinvest in traditional materials. Students are having fun engaging themselves with books, paper and pens.

The teachers in British state schools revealed that classroom tech has hampered the progress of many pupils.

The overuse of digital devices in the classroom has reduced opportunities for face-to-face interaction, collaboration, and meaningful teacher-student engagement.

In the elite Shanghainesse parents for example, the private tutoring boom especially among students in private schools. It points to a worrying trend: children are not learning effectively in school, despite all the technology.

Even Bill Gates has acknowledged that devices have a poor track record in the classroom. Mark Zuckerberg chose to send his children to a tech-free school and Steve Jobs famously didn’t let his own children use iPads.

One renowned example is the North Bennet Street School (NBSS), located in Boston, is renowned for its dedication to teaching traditional trades through immersive, hands-on instruction.

The school offers programs in carpentry, bookbinding, jewelry making, piano technology, and more, focusing on craftsmanship and manual skills without the use of digital devices.

This method permits students to create certain skills, attention to detail, and patience, the qualities often cultured through haptic learning experiences.

Another public school in the same area, limit cellphone use to decrease distractions and boost more direct social interactions among students.

Reports from UNESCO have emphasized that moderation should be the guiding principle for technology in schools.

The OECD Digital Education Outlook 2023 and 2022 PISA study found that most edtech has failed to deliver the academic benefits it once promised, and students who use computers very frequently at school actually perform worse in most learning outcomes.

The findings wrap this article that while edtech has the prospect to enhance learning, its effectiveness is uncertain upon thoughtful integration into the educational process, with careful condition of the amount and manner of its use.

At the same time, we can conclude that in our race to digitize education, we may have unnoticed the timeless value of traditional classroom into practices.

While educational technology offers convenience and engagement, it cannot replace the rich, tactile, and emotionally grounding experiences that physical materials and real-time human interactions provide.

It is time now to reassess, and make room once again for crayons, textbooks and craft in the classroom.

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Dr Abdul Mutalib Embong and Mohammad Aizat bin Basir are from Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT).