I agree in theory that newer and different doesn't mean inferior, but I fear in this case, it does.
I don't have a lot of exposure at the elementary and high-school level, but I taught at the undergrad level for about 8 years and at the graduate level for about 10 years. Research and writing are atrocious. The inability to think critically, differentiate credible sources from incredible sources, write persuasively from fact rather than pure opinion- all skills that are between lacking and lost.
I also believe that "interactive" does not equal superior. One thing students need to learn how to do, at every age, is to power through boredom and study and learn regardless of how entertaining it is.
Work is seldom entertaining, yet jobs need to get done. It's never too early to learn that and to teach that placating the student isn't a value. Completing the work is.
I think the inability to think critically, and atrocious research and writing, are more artifacts of no-child-left-behind than the introduction of technology in the classroom. We constantly hear teachers complain that they have to teach for standardized tests, rather than teaching the skills students will need in adult life, and in higher learning.
Interactive learning shouldn't necessarily be made entertaining. It's still work. Classroom instruction is interactive. Some teachers make it interesting. Some make it boring. I suppose you could make your point to say the boring teachers give students the advantage of learning to power through the boredom, and apart from the more obvious problems with that line, I think the rare student who can actually do that will be exceptional either way.
A great teacher makes difficult things understandable to more students. Interactive lessons do the same thing. But some things are just boring. There's nothing wrong with making that part of the process either. You can have an interesting, engaging teacher penetrating students' minds with understanding, and then handing out boring, mundane assignments to let them learn to power through. Interactive curriculum can do that too.