WHAT ABOUT SCREEN TIME? THE PROS AND CONS

Times have certainly changed, and “screens” have certainly changed. When our children were growing up, there was a huge debate about how much TV time was healthy for growing children (this, after years of debate even on how close little ones could safely sit from the television screen...some of you may be old enough to remember that...)
Nowadays, there is much debate about how much screen time is safe for developing minds and bodies, at what age, and what kind of screen time. As an educator, parent, and grandparent, I have been following this debate closely, and recently found a blog on this topic that I believe is quite sensible.  The blog by Scott Taylor in the January 31, 2018 publication EdSurge (Technology in School), entitled Enough With the Screen Time Scare! Be Sensible About Children's Device Use  gave me a lot to think about, and I hope it will give you a lot to think about as well.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Taylor charges us to remember that all screen time is not created (or used) equally. He says, “Digital devices are tools. They are not inherently good or bad. Rather than setting time limits on screen time, we should set limits on certain kinds of screen-based activities. Think of devices and their uses on a spectrum. On one end sit activities that are 100 percent passive, like watching a movie. On the other end sit activities that are much more active, like Skype, Facetime, or other communication tools. In the middle, we have software, games and apps of varying educational quality.”
Mr.Taylor also cited a study published in December of 2017, which found no correlation between parents’ adherence to screen time guidance and their children’s wellbeing.The lead researcher of this study, Dr Andrew Pryzbylski, of the Oxford Internet Institute, stated that “our findings suggest the broader family context, how parents set rules about digital screen time, and if they’re actively engaged in exploring the digital world together, are more important than the raw screen time. Future research should focus on how using digital devices with parents or caregivers and turning it into a social time can affect children’s psychological well-being, curiosity, and the bonds with the caregiver involved.”
Though electronic devices provide many positive experiences, there are negative consequences as well. On the downside of excessive screen time usage, several studies have suggested that an increase in online time may not necessarily be a good thing. A National Public Radio segment (SHOTS: Health News from NPR) studied some of the ill effects of excessive online time here, Increased Hours Online Correlate With An Uptick In Teen Depression, Suicidal Thoughts. It cited  the research of Joan Twenge in Clinical Psychological Science which found that “increased time spent with popular electronic devices — whether a computer, cell phone or tablet — might have contributed to an uptick in symptoms of depression and suicidal thoughts over the last several years among teens, especially among girls” (who tend to use social media more excessively than boys. Boys are more likely to use online time for computer games, etc.). Though Twenge sees excessive screen time and symptoms of alienation as correlated, she can't prove one causes the other, but she thinks the findings should be a warning to parents.
So...in weighing the pros and cons of screen time, what are parents and educators to do? I believe that our kids (at all ages) need help with these tasks related to online usage:

• Fostering time management -- determining with adult guidance, how much screen time is reasonable? Does it interfere with other wholesome activities? Do you have a healthy balance?
• Choosing online activities wisely -- discerning the true nature of online activities. Are they uplifting? Are they passive or active? Do they help us grow intellectually, socially, and emotionally? Are the activities socially and emotionally age appropriate?
• Balancing online time with pursuing meaningful relationships offline -- finding and maintaining friendships in real spaces as well as virtual spaces
• Seeking trusted adult guidance about online content, usage, and situations, to help keep everyone digitally safe

Though there are many other facets of “screen time” to explore, I will leave you to ponder the ideas here. As always, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

Jacquelyn Drummer
Past President, WATG

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