Tackling Screen Time Distractions: Improving Attention
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Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit in 2007, and today, he is one of the ‘most followed educators’on social media in the world. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ by The Sunday Times as a result of…
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How does disorganised screen use impacting your students’ learning?
Disorganised screen time means disordered, unstructured and free use of the internet.
Last month, I observed computer science lessons. Consider the physical logistics of a computer science classroom. Typically, the teacher is at the front, with students facing away from the teacher, looking directly at their computer screen. As one might expect, rather than listening to the teacher during instruction, students remained fixated on a screen. The fix? When speaking to the class, ask ALL students to turn their screen off.
What is disordered screen use?
This research, “Neuropsychological Deficits in Disordered Screen Use Behaviours: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis” (Moshel et al., 2024), reveals that disordered screen use significantly impacts attention and executive functioning.
These are two critical areas for classroom success, and this research explains how teachers can mitigate its effects through structured routines, attention-building activities, and managing screen time. Understanding the link between screen habits and learning is crucial for teachers striving to improve outcomes.
Disordered screen use refers to excessive engagement with screens, such as surfing, gaming or social media, which causes cognitive impairments, particularly in attention and executive functioning.
The research highlights medium-level attention deficits and smaller but significant impairments in executive functioning among individuals with disordered screen behaviours, similar to those seen in ADHD.
Why is managing screen time important for learning?
Overuse of screens is a growing concern given the average screen time for many students is in excess of 15 hours per day! (UK Parliament, 2024). With increasing screen time among children and adolescents, the cognitive and behavioural impacts are becoming more evident, affecting their academic performance and social interactions.
Attention and executive functioning are foundational for learning, helping students stay focused, manage tasks, and regulate behaviour. By understanding these effects, teachers can implement targeted strategies to mitigate the negative impacts and support better learning outcomes.
How can teachers help manage attention?
- Teachers can help improve students’ attention by breaking lessons into smaller, manageable segments and incorporating activities to enhance focus and self-regulation.
- Support for executive functioning can include the use of visual schedules, structured routines, and problem-solving exercises that encourage cognitive flexibility and planning skills.
- Schools can collaborate with parents to set healthy screen time limits and encourage alternative recreational activities, such as outdoor play, to reduce dependency on devices.
Reflection questions for teachers
- How can teachers create lessons that reduce distractions and build students’ attention-focus?
- What routines could support students struggling with organisation?
- How might students’ screen habits influence behaviour and learning in classrooms?
- What strategies can schools use to engage parents in managing screen time?
- Could mindfulness exercises improve engagement in lessons?
- How can teachers support students with ADHD-like symptoms due to screen use?
- Are there opportunities to integrate digital literacy into the curriculum?
- How could collaborative problem-solving activities boost executive functioning in students?
- What training might help teachers address the cognitive effects of screen use?
- How can schools balance the use of technology for learning while promoting healthy habits?
The research concludes:
Disordered screen use can negatively impact cognitive abilities; with increased reliance on technology, it has never been more important to assess the impact of too much use of screens on cognitive functioning and overall wellbeing.
Download the full paper to explore these findings further.
Image credit: Depositphotos,com
