Over three quarters of teachers (TQ9) say students struggle to see standard flatscreen TVs in lessons

New research from Epson across Europe shows that 77 per cent (TQ9) of teachers say students experience some sort of screen visibility issue when materials are displayed on standard flatscreen TVs in lessons. 39 per cent (TQ9) say children at the back of the class, and 35 per cent say children at the side of the class, struggle to see as well as those at the front and middle. Other challenges including reflection and glare are also called out.

As a result, nearly half (46 per cent) (TQ10) of teachers say they always or often ‘shuffle’ students into different seats when learners might not be able to see a standard flatscreen TV in lessons. 84 per cent (TQ10) at least sometimes ‘shuffle’ seating plans to ensure no one child always has the ‘poor view’.

When asked how alternative technologies such as interactive projectors that offer scalable, larger display sizes might better support teaching and learning, most teachers picked a positive outcome with 40 per cent (TQ12) saying they ensure every student in the room can see materials and lessons. In addition, 38 per cent (TQ12) said they allow more hands-on learning and engagement, 34 per cent (TQ12) said they support group learning, and 30 per cent (TQ12) say they create a focus for all students in a class.

Looking for alternative solutions such as projectors and ensuring the technology is suitable is important given the research also shows that 84 per cent (TQ8) of teachers believe engagement and collaboration in the classroom are hindered by poor technology often or sometimes.

“Schools have a huge opportunity to improve learning and attainment simply by choosing different technology – for example, interactive projectors over flatscreen TVs. They provide far bigger, brighter images, giving every pupil in the class an excellent view. They also mean that engagement and collaboration are easier to encourage, allowing everyone in the room to input and annotate over content,” said Dr. Sarah Henkelmann Hillebrand, Epson Europe.

About the research

The research was commissioned by Epson, with fieldwork conducted via Focaldata's in-house platform, with API integration to an online panel network. In total, 4,239 teachers and 20,690 parents (of children aged 8-16) were surveyed across 20 European countries, between August and September 2024.