Special Topic: Digital Technology and Screen Time
In the fall of 2019, I addressed digital technology and screen time in light of Common Sense Media's contemporaneous report, and I am re-sharing that here with some updates for our new context. Obviously, our view of digital technology today is forever changed following the pandemic's disruptions. While we work to make sense of the recent years, though, we can lean on pre- and early-pandemic resources and approaches to help us with school decisions.
As digital technology develops, so, too, do our related practices and habits. From parents and educators, alike, some questions about the use of digital technology seem to arise frequently: what are they doing on the device? Are they ever not on the device? Is this an addiction? Although the technology development is rapid, we fortunately have more and more data to inform our thinking about such questions and our decisions with teens.
As one starting point, I recommend Anya Kamenetz's The Art of Screen Time. Anya, who joined us at Stevenson as the book launched, provides a measured commentary on digital technology use that helps digest the data and come to terms with both well-meaning concerns and 21st-century realities. Ultimately, she boils down her recommendation to a technology version of Michael Pollan's approach to food: "Enjoy screens. Not too much. Mostly with others." If you're looking for a good read, this deserves a spot on the list.
The message in Kamenetz's book is a reassuring one, but persistent concerns are also understandable. If you have observed a teenager wholly engrossed in mobile device use, many questions may come to mind. You might also feel a need for caution with teens and technology. Although the weight of such questions continues to be greater than the clarity of our data, you may be interested in some relevant reports.
Common Sense Media's 2019 report on teen and tween media included several key findings. Among them, some standouts were (a) that teens spend an average of nearly 7.5 hours of daily screen time (NOT including time used for school work) and (b) that teen use of digital devices is almost entirely an act of consumption, as opposed to one that leverages the affordances of technology to create their own content (Note that I can happily think of many Stevenson students who create music, film, and other digital content). Where do we stand now? If you guessed that the number increased as COVID-19 pushed many more interactions into the virtual space, then your guess would be consistent with the 2020 report and the 2021 report.
When we see such numbers, it makes sense to also wonder how that time is being spent and what is the impact of such use. In fact, it's important for us to look at the numbers in that way, thereby focusing on the ways in which screens are being used and not simply on the fact that they are being used. In addition to school use, digital technology can play an important role for teen socialization--a role that became a heightened reality for many adults during the pandemic, as well. As the adults and professionals supporting these teens, our task is one of guiding teens such that technology is advantageous, rather than detrimental, in their lives. That’s where our decisions must be more clearly rooted in specific contexts or tasks.
Looking back to a 2016 report, Common Sense Media found that 72% of teens felt a need to immediately respond to texts or other messages and notifications. Coupled with that finding, only 1/3 of teens were found to even occasionally attempt to reduce their time on digital devices. In other words, many teens acknowledged the impact of device use on their behaviors, but far fewer demonstrated any effort to reduce the impact.
What does this mean for us? At Stevenson, our approach to technology is one that considers such findings along with both technology's potential affordances and potential impact on our specific student body. That’s the context and task consideration to which I referred earlier. On the one hand, Stevenson embraces digital technology through such things as a 1:1 laptop program, student email and online class management, Computer Science courses, digital film editing, and a computer game club. On the other hand, we do ask students to hand in their phones each day. Altogether then, our position is one that aims to open up students to more readily attend to the immediate social and academic context while also maintaining connections to 21st-century practices and topics.
The ban was not a decision that emerged quickly. In fact, my own stance was initially one of embracing technology and seeking its affordances for learning. Nonetheless, following several years of different iterations of device use, we found, among other things, that our students had a persistent experience: a perceived need to immediately respond to messages and a general, frequent distraction with the devices. That similar journey from technological embrace to device ban has been shared elsewhere, and in our school–one designed to dually attend to emotional and academic development–the cell phone drawbacks far outweigh the benefits. .
If you are wondering what you might do at home, consider the following. First, keep in mind Kamenetz's "Enjoy screens. Not too much. Mostly with others." If we recall the average teen spending 7.5 hours on screens for non-school activity each day, we can be confident about selecting some times to disconnect. Going further, though, keep in mind that digital devices also can support positive social connections and promote interest exploration. Instead of focusing on just how much time is spent on screens, try to understand how the devices are being used by your child. Said differently, we can expect digital technology to remain in our lives, so our task is to improve the ways in which we use it. I suggest conversations with your child about the function of devices and the extent to which they are helping or hindering life experiences (e.g. staying on a device until 2am each night is not helping!). Then create a plan to try structuring family screen/device use. No matter what routes you and your family try, consider using cell phones as an opportunity to model decision making with a difficult issue.
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Chris Ongaro, EdD
Head of School