The increased presence of screens in today’s classrooms has prompted educators to reassess the role of traditional print materials in student learning. As concerns about digital burnout, comprehension challenges, and digital platform security grow, schools find that print-based resources offer numerous advantages. These include improved comprehension, reduced screen fatigue, and a more focused, secure learning environment. With recent shifts toward print in media and education, schools recognize the need to balance digital and print resources to create a more effective, well-rounded learning experience.
The Importance of Print-Based Learning
Research continues to show that students retain and understand information better when reading from paper as opposed to digital screens.
In May educational neuroscientists at Teachers College, Columbia University published a study that conducted brain imaging of 59 middle-schoolers from New York City after reading text on paper and text on a screen.
Following the reading of printed text, brain activations revealed that children had more effectively elaborated their representations of text meanings, and were therefore more able to draw connections with new concepts. Following reading on-screen, the imaging showed the children’s brains had to work harder to build meaningful connections. In other words, medium matters for depth of processing at the level of the brain.
A recent University of Valencia analysis of more than two dozen studies on reading comprehension that involved more than 470,000 participants shows that reading for leisure on paper increased reading comprehension by 25 to 35% over reading for leisure online or on a digital device.
Lidia Altamura, a PhD student who co-authored the paper, said, “…Based on what we have found, digital reading habits do not pay off as much as print reading. That is why, when recommending reading activities, schools and school leaders should emphasize print reading more than digital reading, especially for younger readers.”
As we reported recently, students often engage more deeply with print materials, leading to higher comprehension rates and better focus. This is largely because print allows for tactile interaction—students can annotate, highlight, and manipulate the pages, leading to more active engagement with the material. In contrast, digital screens tend to promote more superficial reading behaviors, such as skimming and multitasking, which can hinder long-term retention and critical thinking skills.
The physical aspect of print materials provides students with a spatial map of the information they are learning. This ability to interact with the material on a tangible level, combined with the slower pace that print encourages, helps foster creativity, deeper reflection, and critical analysis.
Addressing Digital Burnout
With the proliferation of technology in classrooms, many students are now facing digital burnout—with symptoms including fatigue, headaches, and decreased attention spans. The constant use of screens for assignments, research, and collaboration can lead to overstimulation, making it difficult for students to focus and retain information. Digital stress is a documented growing concern, particularly among younger generations who are more prone to prolonged screen exposure from both education and entertainment.
Print-based materials offer a critical counterbalance to this digital fatigue. Studies have shown that incorporating more paper-based assignments and textbooks into students’ learning schedules can help alleviate some of the cognitive strain caused by excessive screen time. Print provides a sensory break, allowing students to reset mentally and physically, which improves their ability to concentrate and absorb information.