Jared Cooney Horvath

Are we making kids less capable in the name of innovation?

In a recent conversation on Family Policy Matters podcast, I was asked a simple—but uncomfortable—question:

What if classroom technology isn’t improving learning… but quietly undermining it?

For decades, every generation outperformed the one before it across literacy, numeracy, memory, and attention.

That trend has now reversed.

And the shift aligns closely with one major change:
the rapid expansion of screen-based technology in schools.

But here’s the deeper issue:

We’re preparing students for an unknown future…
by training them on tools that will quickly become obsolete.

Instead of asking:
👉 “How do we get more tech into classrooms?”

We should be asking:
👉 “Are we still teaching students how to think, learn, and adapt?”

Because those are the skills that actually last.

—

📘 If you want to explore the research behind this, it’s all in The Digital Delusion.

1 month ago | [YT] | 2

Jared Cooney Horvath

Something strange is happening.

For the first time in modern history, cognitive capacity may be declining.

We’re seeing drops in working memory…
Lower conceptual thinking…
And no shift toward practical thinking to replace it.

I recently sat down with Paul Chek to talk through what’s going on—and why it matters.

👉 Full episode here: https://youtu.be/vKdcwACY2_Q

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

Jared Cooney Horvath

Hi all — quick note:

Tomorrow I’m hosting two live AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions on Zoom. Both are open to everyone — no cost.

I’ve been doing a lot of talking at people lately (Senate hearings, podcasts, interviews, etc.). Tomorrow I want to do the opposite — just show up, take questions, and have a real conversation.

Bring whatever’s on your mind: EdTech, classroom challenges, learning science, or things you’ve heard that don’t quite add up.

This will be informal and interactive — not a polished lecture.

📅 Session 1: March 18 | 11am ET
📅 Session 2: March 18 | 4pm ET

Can’t make it live? Register anyway — we’ll send a post-event summary and I’ll try to get to submitted questions.

👉 survey07.typeform.com/to/of7qX9YX

Feel free to pass this along to anyone who might want in.

#Education #EdTech #LearningScience #AMA #LMEGlobal

2 months ago | [YT] | 1

Jared Cooney Horvath

I recently joined Conversation Balloons to unpack a concept most people overlook in education:

Transfer.

Learning isn’t just what you can do in one context.
It’s what you can carry into another.

We discussed:
• Why screens create narrow learning contexts
• The difference between additive vs. subtractive transfer
• Why handwriting changes note-taking quality
• The “illusion of fluency” (easy ≠ learned)

If you're navigating tech in classrooms — this conversation matters.

Watch here:
https://youtu.be/Ih57j95CURE

3 months ago | [YT] | 0

Jared Cooney Horvath

New conversation: Are schools caught in a digital delusion?

I joined Ray Kess (AEI) to unpack what the research actually says about classroom tech, learning, and what happens when “engagement” gets confused with “learning.”

A few themes we dig into:

• Why reading on screens changes comprehension (and what “deep reading” actually requires)
• The “reverse Flynn effect” and what may be driving it
• Why AI tools are built for production, not learning
• The two areas where tech can help (with a big transfer caveat)

🎥 Watch here: youtube.com/live/5Jj83WDR6oI?si=atiWf5KS13AQSFxb

Question for you: What’s one tech change your school (or home) could make this month that would most improve learning?

3 months ago | [YT] | 0

Jared Cooney Horvath

I recently gave a talk for The Brainwaves Video Anthology on a topic that continues to spark debate:

Are screens compatible with how humans actually learn?

In this presentation, I unpack:

• Why teaching is a craft
• Why learning is a biological process
• Why digital tools often conflict with that biology
• And why this isn’t anti-technology — it’s pro-learning

If schools promise learning, then every decision we make should align with that goal.

Watch the full talk here:
https://youtu.be/Y1TQP1woWSs

Let me know your thoughts after watching.

3 months ago | [YT] | 2

Jared Cooney Horvath

📍 Live now from Washington, D.C.

I’m testifying before the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee in today’s full hearing:
“Plugged Out: Examining the Impact of Technology on America’s Youth.”

With tweens now averaging 5 hours of screen time per day—and teens over 8—this conversation is long overdue.

We’re discussing how early, excessive exposure to smartphones, tablets, and laptops affects:
• Learning
• Attention
• Memory
• Mental health
• Social development

I’m honored to join Dr. Jean Twenge, Emily Cherkin, and Dr. Jenny Radesky in presenting what the research actually shows—and what parents, schools, and policymakers can do differently.

This isn’t about being anti-tech.
It’s about being pro-child development and pro-evidence.

📺 Watch the hearing live now.

4 months ago | [YT] | 4

Jared Cooney Horvath

🎧 I recently sat down to talk about The Digital Delusion—why more classroom technology hasn’t led to better learning, and what decades of neuroscience actually tell us about attention, memory, and instruction.

If you’re an educator, school leader, or parent trying to make sense of today’s tech-saturated learning environment, this conversation is for you.

4 months ago | [YT] | 1

Jared Cooney Horvath

🎙️ New Podcast Conversation

I recently joined Anna for a deep, research-informed discussion on classroom technology, attention, memory, and what decades of cognitive science actually tell us about how students learn.

We explore why more technology often leads to less learning, how offloading thinking to devices can undermine higher-order cognition, and why human teachers, practice, and expertise remain central to meaningful education.

If you’re an educator, parent, or school leader navigating a tech-saturated system, this episode is for you.

📘 Order The Digital Delusion: www.lmeglobal.net/digital-del
...
⏱️ Timestamps below so you can jump to the topics that matter most.

#DigitalDelusion #EdTech #LearningScience #CognitiveNeuroscience #Education #Attention #Memory

4 months ago | [YT] | 1

Jared Cooney Horvath

I recently sat down with the team at Magnify Matters to explore one of the biggest questions in education today:

How is classroom technology shaping the way our kids think and learn?

We dig into attention, memory, digital testing, and what the research really shows about EdTech’s impact on student learning.

🎧 Watch the full Magnify Matters episode here: https://youtu.be/u3b2ethM2Ko

This conversation connects directly to my new book The Digital Delusion, where I outline how technology is changing learning — and what parents, teachers, and schools can do to push back.

5 months ago | [YT] | 0