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Israel says final details are in flux o Yoon becomes South Korea's first sitting president to be detained after martial law chaos o Middle East latest: Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza is confirmed by the US and Qatar Newsletters The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters * U.S. TOP STORIES o Man gets 2 years in US prison for aiding pushy effort to get ex-official to return to China o Biden administration cancels loans for 260,000 former Ashford University students o US recovers $31 million in Social Security payments to dead people Newsletters The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. The Afternoon Wire Get caught up on what you may have missed throughout the day. See All Newsletters * Politics + White House + Congress + U.S. Supreme Court SECTIONS White House Congress U.S. Supreme Court TOP STORIES o Trump and Biden both claim credit for Gaza ceasefire deal o Biden prepares farewell address from Oval Office as he prepares to cede power to Trump o Few US adults confident Justice Department and FBI will act fairly under Trump, AP-NORC poll finds Newsletters Ground Game Exclusive insights and key stories from the world of politics. See All Newsletters * Sports + AP Top 25 + NFL + NBA + NHL + Men's College Basketball + Women's College Basketball + MLB + Auto Racing + Soccer SECTIONS AP Top 25 NFL NBA NHL Men's College Basketball Women's College Basketball MLB Auto Racing TOP STORIES o March Madness will pay women's teams under a new structure approved by the NCAA o Texas QB Quinn Ewers declares for NFL draft as program ushers in Arch Manning era o Urban Meyer joins Nick Saban in College Football HOF's Class of 2025; Vick, Strahan also elected Newsletters AP Top 25 Poll Alerts Get email alerts for every college football Top 25 Poll release. The Sports Wire Your home base for in-depth reporting from the world of sports. See All Newsletters * Entertainment + Movie Reviews + What to Stream + Television + Book Reviews + Music + Celebrity Interviews SECTIONS Movie Reviews What to Stream Television Book Reviews Music Celebrity Interviews TOP STORIES o Drake sues Universal Music for defamation related to Kendrick Lamar diss track 'Not Like Us' o As Los Angeles burns, Hollywood's Oscar season turns into a pledge drive o Movie Review: A family is torn apart under Brazil's dictatorship in 'I'm Still Here' * Business + Inflation + Financial Markets + Financial Wellness + Technology SECTIONS Inflation Financial Markets Financial Wellness Technology TOP STORIES o Trump's pick for budget director won't say whether he would release Ukraine aid o US inflation picked up in December but underlying price pressures eased o JPMorgan posts record annual profits as major US banks thrive in the final quarter of 2024 * Science + Space + Animals + The Ancient World + Climate + Medicine SECTIONS Space Animals The Ancient World Climate Medicine TOP STORIES o Ancient DNA suggests women were at the heart of social networks in Celtic society in Britain o 2 private lunar landers head toward the moon in a roundabout journey o Lasers illuminate the intricate patterns on ancient tattoos of Peru's mummies * Fact Check TOP STORIES o For LA water issues, misinformation spreads nearly as fast as the wildfires o Police took over a week to name the NYC subway burning victim. A fake name spread in the meantime o Musk helped kill a congressional spending bill. But much of what he spread was misinformation * Oddities TOP STORIES o Italian soccer club Lazio fires falconer for posting photos of his penis implant o A.J. Brown's sideline read skyrockets to No. 1 hottest seller on Amazon o Some US states not running on Dunkin' doughnuts due to temporary supply shortage o An albatross couple shares egg duty in this captivating low-drama reality show o Elk on a shelf: Colorado wildlife officials rescue elk tangled in rope on ice climbing route o In freezing temperatures, swimmers in China plunge into a river for health and joy * Be Well TOP STORIES o How to protect yourself from norovirus, COVID-19, flu and RSV during the winter surge o How setting boundaries can improve your health at work o Doctors worry that iodine deficiency -- a dietary problem from the past -- is coming back o Working Well: Returning to the office can disrupt life. Here are some tips to navigate the changes o Working Well: Practicing humility and finding support can help when political tensions rise at work * Newsletters Newsletters AP News Alerts Keep your pulse on the news with breaking news alerts from The AP. The Morning Wire Our flagship newsletter breaks down the biggest headlines of the day. Ground Game Exclusive insights and key stories from the world of politics. Beyond the Story Executive Editor Julie Pace brings you behind the scenes of the AP newsroom. AP Top 25 Poll Alerts Get email alerts for every college football Top 25 Poll release. AP Top 25 Women's Basketball Poll Alerts Women's college basketball poll alerts and updates. See All Newsletters * Photography + 2024 YEAR END PHOTOS + Photo Essays + Photography + The Americans SECTIONS 2024 YEAR END PHOTOS Photo Essays Photography The Americans TOP STORIES o Ukraine holds first soccer tournament for war-wounded amputees -- and plans to go international o The eye behind the lens: AP photographers on pictures capturing horror and emotions of LA fires o In their own words: AP photographers explain how selected images capture warming world Newsletters The World in Pictures Get The AP's most compelling photographs sent directly to your inbox. See All Newsletters * AP Investigations * Climate + Indigenous peoples and climate + Climate Questions + Climate Migration + India Focus SECTIONS Indigenous peoples and climate Climate Questions Climate Migration India Focus TOP STORIES o For LA water issues, misinformation spreads nearly as fast as the wildfires o Firefighters need better weather to fight California's flames. When will they get relief? o The eye behind the lens: AP photographers on pictures capturing horror and emotions of LA fires * Health TOP STORIES o FDA bans red dye No. 3 from foods o Vulnerable Americans live in the shadow of COVID-19 as most move on o FDA floats plan to make cigarettes nonaddictive, but its fate rests with Trump o Up to 4 in 10 people could develop dementia after 55. 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See All Newsletters * Espanol TOP STORIES o Mediadores anuncian acuerdo de cese del fuego en Gaza; Israel dice que falta resolver detalles o Advierten de "situacion especialmente peligrosa" en zona de Los Angeles afectada por incendios o Tanto Trump como Biden se atribuyen el merito del acuerdo de alto el fuego en Gaza o Un enorme ataque ruso con misiles obliga a Ucrania a cerrar la red electrica o Cuba pone en libertad a primer grupo de presos, la mayoria ligados a protestas de 2021 * Quizzes * Press Releases * My Account * * Image The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. 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World News Sweden brings more books and handwriting practice back to its tech-heavy schools Sweden brings more books and handwriting practice back to its tech-heavy schools Image 1 of 10 | Students read at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More Image 2 of 10 | A child practices handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More Image 3 of 10 | A teacher helps students practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More Image 4 of 10 | A teacher helps students practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More Image 5 of 10 | A child practices handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More Image 6 of 10 | A student reads at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More Image 7 of 10 | A teacher helps a student practice her handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More Image 8 of 10 | A handwriting guide to help children practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More Image 9 of 10 | A teacher helps students practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More Image 10 of 10 | A child practices handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More Sweden brings more books and handwriting practice back to its tech-heavy schools Image 1 of 10 | Students read at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More 1 of 10 Students read at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 2 of 10 | A child practices handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More 2 of 10 A child practices handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 3 of 10 | A teacher helps students practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More 3 of 10 A teacher helps students practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 4 of 10 | A teacher helps students practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More 4 of 10 A teacher helps students practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 5 of 10 | A child practices handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More 5 of 10 A child practices handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 6 of 10 | A student reads at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More 6 of 10 A student reads at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 7 of 10 | A teacher helps a student practice her handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More 7 of 10 A teacher helps a student practice her handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 8 of 10 | A handwriting guide to help children practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More 8 of 10 A handwriting guide to help children practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 9 of 10 | A teacher helps students practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More 9 of 10 A teacher helps students practice their handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More Image 10 of 10 | A child practices handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Read More 10 of 10 A child practices handwriting at the Djurgardsskolan elementary school in Stockholm, Sweden, Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023. As children across Sweden have recently flocked back to school after the summer vacation, many of their teachers are putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading hours, and practicing handwriting as the country's yearslong focus on the digitalization of classrooms has come under scrutiny. (AP Photo/David Keyton) Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print Read More By CHARLENE PELE Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] Share Share * Copy Link copied * Email * Facebook * X * Reddit * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Flipboard * Print STOCKHOLM (AP) -- As young children went back to school across Sweden last month, many of their teachers were putting a new emphasis on printed books, quiet reading time and handwriting practice and devoting less time to tablets, independent online research and keyboarding skills. The return to more traditional ways of learning is a response to politicians and experts questioning whether the country's hyper-digitalized approach to education, including the introduction of tablets in nursery schools, had led to a decline in basic skills. Swedish Minister for Schools Lotta Edholm, who took office 11 months ago as part of a new center-right coalition government, was one of the biggest critics of the all-out embrace of technology. "Sweden's students need more textbooks," Edholm said in March. "Physical books are important for student learning." The minister announced last month in a statement that the government wants to reverse the decision by the National Agency for Education to make digital devices mandatory in preschools. It plans to go further and to completely end digital learning for children under age 6, the ministry also told The Associated Press. RELATED COVERAGE Image Sweden to contribute up to 3 warships to reinforced NATO presence in the Baltic Image Sidney Morin scores twice, powering the Boston Fleet to 2-1 OT win over the Ottawa Charge Image Ljutic makes it back-to-back World Cup wins in women's slalom for standings lead Although the country's students score above the European average for reading ability, an international assessment of fourth-grade reading levels, the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, highlighted a decline among Sweden's children between 2016 and 2021. In 2021, Swedish fourth graders averaged 544 points, a drop from the 555 average in 2016. However, their performance still placed the country in a tie with Taiwan for the seventh-highest overall test score. In comparison, Singapore -- which topped the rankings -- improved its PIRLS reading scores from 576 to 587 during the same period, and England's average reading achievement score fell only slightly, from 559 in 2016 to 558 in 2021. Some learning deficits may have resulted from the coronavirus pandemic or reflect a growing number of immigrant students who don't speak Swedish as their first language, but an overuse of screens during school lessons may cause youngsters to fall behind in core subjects, education experts say. "There's clear scientific evidence that digital tools impair rather than enhance student learning," Sweden's Karolinska Institute said in a statement last month on the country's national digitalization strategy in education. "We believe the focus should return to acquiring knowledge through printed textbooks and teacher expertise, rather than acquiring knowledge primarily from freely available digital sources that have not been vetted for accuracy," said the institute, a highly respected medical school focused on research. The rapid adoption of digital learning tools also has drawn concern from the United Nations' education and culture agency. In a report published last month, UNESCO issued an "urgent call for appropriate use of technology in education." The report urges countries to speed up internet connections at schools, but at the same time warns that technology in education should be implemented in a way so that it never replaces in-person, teacher-led instruction and supports the shared objective of quality education for all. In the Swedish capital, Stockholm, 9-year-old Liveon Palmer, a third grader at Djurgardsskolan elementary school, expressed his approval of spending more school hours offline. "I like writing more in school, like on paper, because it just feels better, you know," he told the AP during a recent visit. His teacher, Catarina Branelius, said she was selective about asking students to use tablets during her lessons even before the national-level scrutiny. "I use tablets in math and we are doing some apps, but I don't use tablets for writing text," Branelius said. Students under age 10 "need time and practice and exercise in handwriting ... before you introduce them to write on a tablet." Online instruction is a hotly debated subject across Europe and other parts of the West. Poland, for instance, just launched a program to give a government-funded laptop to each student starting in fourth grade in hopes of making the country more technologically competitive. In the United States, the coronavirus pandemic pushed public schools to provide millions of laptops purchased with federal pandemic relief money to primary and secondary students. But there is still a digital divide, which is part of the reason why American schools tend to use both print and digital textbooks, said Sean Ryan, president of the U.S. school division at textbook publisher McGraw Hill. "In places where there is not connectivity at home, educators are loath to lean into digital because they're thinking about their most vulnerable (students) and making sure they have the same access to education as everyone else," Ryan said. Germany, which is one of the wealthiest countries in Europe, has been famously slow in moving government programs and information of all kinds online, including education. The state of digitalization in schools also varies among the country's 16 states, which are in charge of their own curricula. Many students can complete their schooling without any kind of required digital instruction, such as coding. Some parents worry their children may not be able to compete in the job market with technologically better-trained young people from other countries. Sascha Lobo, a German writer and consultant who focuses on the internet, thinks a national effort is needed to bring German students up to speed or the country will risk falling behind in the future. "If we don't manage to make education digital, to learn how digitalization works, then we will no longer be a prosperous country 20 years from now," he said in an interview with public broadcaster ZDF late last year. To counter Sweden's decline in 4th grade reading performance, the Swedish government announced an investment worth 685 million kronor (60 million euros or $64.7 million) in book purchases for the country's schools this year. Another 500 million kronor will be spent annually in 2024 and 2025 to speed up the return of textbooks to schools. Not all experts are convinced Sweden's back-to-basics push is exclusively about what's best for students. Criticizing the effects of technology is "a popular move with conservative politicians," Neil Selwyn, a professor of education at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, said. "It's a neat way of saying or signaling a commitment to traditional values." "The Swedish government does have a valid point when saying that there is no evidence for technology improving learning, but I think that's because there is no straightforward evidence of what works with technology," Selwyn added. "Technology is just one part of a really complex network of factors in education." ___ Jocelyn Gecker in San Francisco; Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland; and Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin contributed reporting. Image The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. 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