Brain Capital for Schools: Improving Critical Thinking and Academic Outcomes by Dialing Back Classroom Technology (The Brain Capital Series)

By Jacques Retief

Students are surrounded by more technology than ever. But are they thinking better?

Brain Capital for Schools makes a clear, timely case for rebalancing classroom technology to improve attention, critical thinking, memory and academic performance.

Rather than arguing for simplistic device bans, Jacques Retief shows how schools can use technology more deliberately while restoring the learning practices that build strong minds: sustained reading, handwriting, discussion, retrieval, problem-solving, creativity and focused independent work.

At the heart of the book is a simple idea: schools should protect and develop students' Brain Capital, the cognitive and intellectual resources they need to learn well, make sound decisions and thrive in an increasingly complex world.

Inside, teachers and school leaders will discover practical ways to:

- strengthen attention and concentration
- improve critical thinking and independent reasoning
- support memory, comprehension and deeper learning
- reduce unnecessary digital distraction
- balance screens with high-impact non-digital learning
- create clearer expectations around classroom technology
- build a more purposeful, learning-focused school culture

This is not an anti-technology book.

It is a book about using technology wisely.

For educators concerned about distraction, declining attention and shallow learning, Brain Capital for Schools offers a practical path toward classrooms where students think more deeply, learn more effectively and develop the intellectual strength they will need for the future.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1923674765
• ISBN13: 9781923674769
• Release Date: September 2026
• Publisher: Retief Libris Publishing
• Length: 369 Pages
• Weight: 0.99 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.9" x 6.0"