New research from Epson shows that most teachers and parents want a greater focus on physical learning materials such as worksheets in the classroom – which means the printer will retain its importance to this sector.
The education channel remains a valuable route for resellers, although in recent years, there has been a focus on laptops and similar devices for students, rather than the more traditional emphasis on print and physical resources.
But there are signs that this trend may start to reverse a little, as there is evidence emerging that too much focus on learning through laptops and tablets can be detrimental to children’s education.
New research, commissioned by Epson, shows 67% of UK teachers and 63% of UK parents want a greater focus on hard copy materials such as textbooks and worksheets in classrooms.
But 42% of teachers polled said they believed laptops and tablets can have a detrimental effect on learning. Conversely, 85% of teachers and parents have seen positive impacts from the use of traditional hard copy textbooks and worksheets in classrooms.
The statistics support growing academic evidence that children learn better on paper than on screens. Some European governments are now acting. In February 2024, Lotta Edholm, Sweden’s Minister for Schools, said: “One gets the best conditions for developing basic skills in reading and writing in analogue environments using analogue tools.” At the same time, the minister announced an investment in textbooks of about €44 million a year from 2024.
When asked to reflect on the impact tablets and laptops can have in the classroom, 85% of teachers noted one or more challenges, with 34% saying they’ve seen a decline in reading skills, 24% say it’s reduced knowledge retention, 31% noted a reduction in engagement, while 8% say they’ve seen a correlation with reduced attainment.
But 63% of teachers say traditional hard copy textbooks and worksheets improve reading skills, while 38% of teachers and 43% of parents say they allow greater knowledge retention. In addition, 49% of teachers and 53% of parents say these materials better support differing learning styles.
Alice Ramdsen de Gomez, product manager from Epson, agrees that hard copies can help accommodate different learning styles. “I have a niece with special educational needs, and when it comes to that interactive engagement with her, you get more out of her when you’re doing something on paper or where she’s able to use her hands and draw and explain,” she says. “It’s using all your senses to get information into the child and to teach as well, because everyone has different ways of learning.
“In addition, everyone still needs to be able to write clearly, you can’t just be dependent upon a keyboard. Also, you’re not necessarily going to learn spelling as effectively if you’re using a keyboard because it can autocorrect for you.”
Education solutions
So with potentially more emphasis on physical materials, it could mean teachers will be looking to print more resources in future. Alice says that in schools, large floor-standing copiers are often used for large volumes of printing, such as letters to parents. However, smaller printers could also be effectively used in classrooms to help personalise learning.
“Schools tend to focus on larger units,” she says. “They don’t always realise that smaller printers are a resource that might be something to invest in too.
“For teachers to have that resource so they can quickly print off that worksheet would be important. In addition, they can adapt a worksheet and reprint quickly. Maybe one child needs it in a slightly different format or perhaps printing on different colour paper if they have dyslexia or dyscalculia, they might need to have a different colour background paper so they can absorb the information from the page more easily.
“You’ve got flexible options when you’ve got a printer there, because it might just change the dynamic of how that teacher relates to the children in the classroom as they can make it more unique, more pupil-focused, rather than a generic approach.”
But sometimes it is worries about costs – initial investment and how much to run them – that hold educational establishments back from investing in such printers, Alice adds. “Epson’s EcoTank solution means that you have an initial purchase price, but then the total cost of ownership is tiny in comparison to some of the more traditional inkjet models that use cartridges,” she says.
“Epson’s EcoTank printers use bottles of ink instead of cartridges, so the volume is much bigger in them. That means potentially you’ve got a great solution for environments like that where you’re not having to pay a lot of money for cartridges because you’ve already got a lot of ink included. Also, replacement bottles are a fraction of the price of traditional cartridges. You’ve got reduced waste as well.”
Sustainable solutions
The sustainability aspect is also important. “Being able to reduce energy costs and the amount of plastic waste and be more sustainable is something that a lot of public sector organisations are looking at, but in particular schools,” says Alice.
“Schools are looking to consult with resellers and see how sustainable their offer is in the round. So not just the printer, it might be the printer, the PCs and the projectors or whatever it is they’re looking at for their estate. They want to understand if the shipping is sustainable? Are the ongoing running costs sustainable? They’re looking at that whole piece far more carefully now than ever before because it is such an important part of what they do.”
Again, Epson has a solution with its inkjet printer range. “Laser printers use an awful lot of energy, but inkjet uses a lot less as there isn’t the energy needed to warm components up, for instance.”
Striking a balance
With various print options available, it means schools can strike a balance between online and physical learning methods. In Epson’s research, 62% of parents and 67% of teachers said they want to see a more balanced use of technology in schools, where it’s used to enhance teaching and learning rather than for the sake of it.
“We use digital screens for lots of different things, but print has its place in how we absorb information effectively,” says Alice. “There are different ways our brains process information than just having everything coming at you from a screen or a smartphone.
“With print, you’re more in control because you can choose what you want to print, whether you need that whole article or just one page. You can choose how you want to interact with that article.”
