I discovered this interesting article in Michelle Miller’s (Minds Online & Remembering and Forgetting in the Age of Technology—check them out from the CTL library) Research. Resources. Reflection. R3 Newsletter. Each month she highlights a new research article that has implications for digital teaching and learning.
In this meta-analysis, researchers found that use of digital technologies was associated with a reduced risk of cognitive impairment and reduced rates of cognitive decline, even when controlling for demographics, SES, and health. Of course, correlation is not causation, so there may be other underlying factors. However, the good news is that technology does not rot your brain! Those that had the best outcomes used technology for more cognitively demanding tasks versus scrolling through social media. It’s not the tool; it’s how you use it.
Access the full article here:
Benge, J. F., & Scullin, M. K. (2025). A meta-analysis of technology use and cognitive aging. Nature Human Behaviour, 9(7), 1405–1419. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-025-02159-9