A Macquarie University-led study in New South Wales found screen use rises from under two hours a day in early primary school to more than seven hours in high school. Teachers reported persistent distraction.
A study commissioned by the New South Wales government found that students’ screen use grows sharply as they move through school, while many teachers report that digital devices distract pupils and disrupt classroom interaction.
The Macquarie University-led report, based on surveys of 900 teachers, 1,000 students and 1,600 parents, found that screen use rises from less than two hours a day in the early primary years to more than seven hours among high-school students. That total includes schoolwork, social media and games, both in and outside the classroom.
Half of surveyed teachers said students were frequently distracted. Only 42 per cent said pupils could shift their attention away from screens when asked, and just 10 per cent of high-school leaders believed students could regulate their technology use while learning. Yet teachers did not view classroom devices as uniformly harmful: 53 per cent said they helped students learn, 27 per cent were neutral and 20 per cent disagreed.
The report also pointed to distraction among students themselves. At least sometimes, screens diverted 84 per cent of high-school students and 57 per cent of primary pupils. Only 59 per cent of secondary students said they would always stop using a screen immediately when asked. Outside school, reported social-media use averaged 38 minutes a day for students in Years 9 and 10 and 61 minutes for those in Years 11 and 12.
The findings come after New South Wales capped school screen use for its youngest students at as little as 15 minutes a day. Education Minister Prue Car said the policy reflected concerns about children’s mental health and the benefits of reading and writing on paper, while stressing that screens can help when used deliberately for age-appropriate learning.
Lead author Matt Bower said schools had moved beyond the assumption that placing a laptop in every student’s hands would by itself improve learning. The report argues that as screen time and the range of online activities expand, the boundaries between education, leisure and social life become harder for students to manage.