Parents want more books and paper in schools to help learning

New research commissioned by Epson for its range of EcoTank cartridge-free printers shows 63 per cent (PQ6) of parents across 20 European countries want to see greater use of printed worksheets and textbooks in classrooms. This rises to 74 per cent (PQ6) in Spain and 70 per cent (PQ6) in Poland. A similar proportion of teachers across Europe (71 per cent) (TQ1) agree.  

Most parents across Europe also say printed materials in classrooms improve reading skills (54 per cent) (PQ7), which rises to 67 per cent (PQ7) in Finland. Just 9 per cent (PQ7) of European parents think traditional hard copy materials would distract students and reduce attention. This supports earlier research from Epson showing 59 per cent of parents think their children learn better by interacting with physical objects rather than from information on digital screens [i].

At the same time, Neuroscientists at Columbia University’s Teachers College have shown there’s a clear advantage to reading a text on paper, rather than on a screen, where “shallow reading was observed”. [i]

In reality though, teachers feel frustrated about a lack of printers, which would help them introduce more worksheets for students. Across Europe, 74 per cent (TQ17) say it’s essential to have access to a printer, which rises to 93 per cent in Romania (TQ17). But only 12 per cent (TQ18) of all teachers surveyed have one to use in their classroom. Many use their own printers, with 18 per cent (TQ18) of European teachers saying they use their home printer for teaching materials. This rises to 35 per cent (TQ18) in both Italy and Serbia.

It seems parents are doing the same with nearly a fifth across Europe (18 per cent) (PQ16) saying they regularly print homework and learning materials at home as they are not provided by the school. This is especially the case in Greece, with 24 per cent (PQ16) of parents using their own printer.

Fabio Girotto, head of product management for consumer printers at Epson Europe, said: “Evidence suggests parents, teachers and academics all agree: we need more books and paper worksheets in education to improve skills and learning. We know from working with clinical psychologists that printed texts help to increase fine motor skills, creativity and comprehension in ways digital texts don’t.

“This calls for printers, but our research shows there aren’t always enough to go round. Our research revealed that teachers and parents are often using their own resources to supplement those provided in schools. With tight budgets schools need to allocate their funds to the teaching aids that encourage the highest attention, and deliver educational benefits – our research shows traditional paper-based learning is often the best option.

“An Epson EcoTank printer is an ideal choice for home printing, and printing in schools. Each model comes with enough ink to last up to three years, which can save up to 90 per cent in costs. And with no cartridge waste, they really can help children learn for less.”

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.

1 Why printing is important for childrens’ development, Epson
2 The Guardian, A groundbreaking study shows kids learn better on paper, not screens. Now what?