This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The federal government is pushing for a "digital detox" in schools. In a new report, it outlines growing concerns about the use of digital technologies in classrooms.
These include concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) harming children's critical thinking, concentration and problem-solving skills. The government now plans to reduce the time students spend on screens and limit AI use at school to improve learning. Education Minister Jason Clare told ABC Radio National on Thursday, "I'm not making the argument here to burn the iPads […] but I am saying that there's a pretty good argument here for more pen and paper and less tech." This position reverses a decades-long trend of expanding the use of digital technologies in Australian classrooms.
What does this report mean for schools? And what's missing in our discussion about screens in schools so far? State and federal education ministers have agreed to consider national limits on screen use.
This builds on screen-time limits already proposed in New South Wales and Victoria and soon to be piloted in Western Australia. It also follows international examples such as Norway and New York. The argument for making these changes is that educational technology should be used to support effective teaching, but not replace it.
The report says, "When technology is used, it should be for a purpose, including supporting student learning and well-being, and if it causes harm, it should be restricted." In practical terms, these changes will mean less emphasis on technology, with a return to pens and paper. And teachers will increasingly have hard limits on the amount of time they can use technology in lessons, particularly in elementary schools. For some teachers, this may require a complete revamp of their teaching practices.
For others, there may be no noticeable difference as they are not using technology much currently. There is no comprehensive national data on how much time Australian children spend on devices at school. The rules around tech use have been just as patchy.
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