I doubt there is a school in the country that over the past 20 years or so hasn’t held a rake of fundraisers to equip it with new computers. Next to photocopiers and swimming lessons, having the most up-to-date technology was a mission that parent committees attacked with zeal. There was no way our children were going to be left behind when it came to this online revolution. Away with the old chalk-and-talk method of teaching, the reinforcement of learning with practice and homework. In with interactive white boards, laptops and tablets. These make a difference in education. Or do they?

Last week, the OECD published the startling findings that a lack of computers in schools may be a blessing. The global report was carried out by the education wing of the OECD, and it looked at the impact of computer and internet use on reading, maths and science in international test results, such as PISA. It concluded that there was “no appreciable improvement in student achievement” in these three areas in the countries that had invested heavily in information and communications technology.

Worse still, indications based on the PISA tests, which run every three years for 15-year-olds, would suggest that increasing digital access in education without proper controls can lead to problems, ranging from information overload to cut-and-paste copying of reports, essays and homework.

The OECD study showed “there is no single country in which the internet was used frequently at school by the majority of students and where students’ performance had improved”.

It also showed that among the six countries with the highest level of internet use in school, Australia, New Zealand and Sweden had experienced significant declines in reading performance. In the case of Spain, Norway and Denmark, results had stagnated.

On a positive note, the report did conclude that students who used computers once or twice a week in school have “somewhat better learning outcomes” than students who rarely use computers.

Tellingly, the OECD’s education director, Andreas Schleicher, said making sure all children have a good grasp of reading and maths is a more effective way to close the socio-economic divide between them.

And while this report shouldn’t and won’t deter schools from using computers, it does mean they need to be used more effectively.

Doing the little things well is also a characteristic of the finalists in our FBD National Farmyard Awards. Once again, the competition has thrown up a selection of farmyards that are a credit to the families who work in them every day. Looking at the photographs, it’s hard to believe these are busy workplaces, such is the attention to detail in every aspect of their upkeep.

Congratulations to all our finalists and thanks to FBD, which has been the generous sponsor of this competition for seven years. Thanks also to our judges, Tim O’Connell (FBD), Katherine O’Leary (Irish Farmers Journal) and Tom Ryan (Teagasc).