Canadian Students Urged to Embrace Digital Detox Amid Screen Time Concerns
In recent years, Canadian schools have increasingly integrated laptops and tablets into classrooms, aiming to foster digital literacy from as early as Kindergarten. However, mounting evidence suggests this shift may be detrimental, with students often distracted, addicted to onscreen stimuli, and in need of a digital detox to enhance their educational outcomes.
The Pandemic's Digital Push and Its Consequences
The experiment with digital devices accelerated during the pandemic, as provincial governments closed schools and transitioned to at-home learning, purchasing more devices for students. This led to a replacement of traditional methods: physical books with tablet screens and audiobooks, handwriting with typing, and paper-based math exercises with digital apps and easily accessible calculators. While the extent of this replacement varies by teacher and school, many classrooms now involve hours of daily screen time, raising questions about the costs to student development.
Expert Insights on Screen Time's Impact
According to neuroscientist and educator Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, who testified at a U.S. Senate committee hearing on screen time in schools, technology has contributed to a mental health crisis among children and impaired their ability to learn. He noted that many successful tech CEOs learned analog skills as children, without laptops or tablets in their classrooms, using these foundations to build innovative platforms later in life.
While schools should teach essential computer skills like typing, coding, and Excel, there is no evidence-based reason to replace pen and paper with screens for most other educational activities. Dr. Horvath's research, detailed in his book The Digital Delusion, indicates that students are distracted for an estimated 38 minutes of every hour on classroom digital devices. Those using computers more than six hours daily scored the equivalent of two letter grades lower than peers with less screen time, with declines in math, reading, and science scores.
Declining Academic Performance in Canada
In Canada, student achievement is trending downward, as shown by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the gold standard for international student testing. Canadian math and reading scores have declined steadily since the early 2000s. The Canadian Paediatric Society reports that one in seven Canadian students scored at the lowest reading level in 2022, with nearly half of adults having literacy skills below the level required for high school graduation or basic employment.
Research aligns with these findings, showing that screen time negatively impacts youth mental health and learning ability. A recent study of thousands of Ontario students linked increased screen time to lower academic performance, contributing to provincial governments introducing smartphone restrictions in schools.
Balancing Technology and Traditional Methods
Technology offers possibilities for Canadian classrooms, such as artificial intelligence, which may warrant further experimentation despite potential risks. However, evidence does not support a wholesale shift to digital devices for young children nationwide. It is crucial to close browser tabs and reconsider educational approaches, prioritizing analog skills to support student growth and well-being.
— Paige MacPherson is a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute.
