Back to books: Sweden’s Digital Backlash

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Sweden, once a global poster child for digital education, is changing course. The Nordic nation previously championed a screen-first approach; laptops and tablets have been the norm in classrooms since the 2010s. Now, the country is pivoting back to basics, reintroducing physical textbooks, limiting screen time, and investing heavily in school libraries. Stockholm-based reporter Maddy Savage explores why one of the world’s most tech-savvy countries is embracing analog learning once again. Driving the shift are falling international test scores and growing anxiety over the potential impact of heavy screen use on pupils' concentration, and how children process information. While the move broadly has political support and backing from the OECD, it has sparked a debate over future-proofing the next generation. In an era of rapid AI integration, critics worry that reducing classroom technology could dent digital literacy and widen the inequality gap. The concern is that children with parents who lack the digital skills to support them will be left behind. We hear from the teachers, parents, pupils and researchers at the heart of this transition. (Photo: Swedish high school students opening their books. Credit: Maddy Savage)