Key Facts
• Japan plans to implement digital textbooks in schools by 2030.
• South Korea introduced digital textbooks in 2015, with AI-integrated versions in 2023.
• 80% of South Korean teachers negatively evaluated AI digital textbooks in a 2023 survey.
• South Korea downgraded AI digital textbooks to “educational materials” in August 2023.
• Norway’s PISA rankings dropped from 9th in 2015 to 25th in 2022 for reading.
• OECD 2021 report: Students reading paper books scored higher in reading comprehension.
• Research by Dr. Masaaki Yamada (2022): Paper learning aids memory and focus better than digital.
• Norway plans to limit digital device use for grades 1–4 in its curriculum.
• South Korean schools like Samjeong Middle School prioritize paper-based learning for better retention.
• Japan’s hybrid textbook model will allow schools to choose between paper, hybrid, or fully digital formats.
Summary
Japan is set to adopt digital textbooks by 2030, following South Korea’s lead, which introduced them in 2015 and AI-integrated versions in 2023. However, South Korea is now scaling back digital education due to high costs, teacher resistance, and concerns over its impact on learning and development. Research highlights paper’s superiority in aiding memory and focus, with OECD findings and Norway’s declining PISA scores reinforcing this. Norway is revising its curriculum to limit digital device use for younger students. South Korean schools like Samjeong Middle School emphasize paper-based learning for better comprehension. Japan’s hybrid model will offer schools flexibility in choosing between paper, hybrid, or fully digital textbooks.
