Tablet vs. Book learning: association with memory, attention, and learning abilities among lebanese children

ABSTRACT In Lebanon, the methods of teaching employed are mostly conventional. Teachers spend a lot of time giving lessons and homework to students, as well as reading assignments and correcting exercises completed in class. Students usually play a passive role in the education process; they listen calmly, occasionally question what is presented, and copy texts and information dictated by the teacher. Textbooks are the major source of instruction, yet many Lebanese schools have partially introduced electronic devices, and have discreetly started to rely on them. Given the reported discrepancies between textbooks and tablets learning, it was essential to conduct a Lebanese study that compares both entities. To assess the influence of textbooks and tablets on cognition and attention, it was also necessary to consider the schooling age that is critical for understanding the human brain and cognition. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the association between of tablet vs. book learning on memory, attention, and learning abilities among Lebanese children. This cross-sectional study, conducted between January-May 2019, enrolled 566 students aged of 11–13 years. Two schools were chosen conveniently for this study, one of them uses the Tablet and text books for students’ learning whereas the second one uses text books exclusively. Students were randomly chosen from the list given by the school administration. Textbook learning was significantly associated with better episodic and visual memory, better attention, processing speed and mathematic skills compared to tablets and textbook learning. Learning is evolving to another level and forever changing. Many studies should be conducted in order to understand the importance of merging new and old techniques to ensure that the next generations are receiving what can positively affect their cognitive skills and their performance.