“Get off the screens!” “Your screen time is too high!” Many students at SHS hear that on a daily basis, and the message is clear—our generation is constantly online. But what many do not realize is what a large percentage of student screen time is for school-related activities. Whether it be completing online assignments, checking emails, or studying, the amount of time students spend online for school is growing.
As technology gets more advanced, many things, including schoolwork, become increasingly reliant on it. Study tactics have begun to switch from making flashcards to using sites like Quizlet, Blooket, or Kahoot. Lessons are taught on large view boards, and all grades are entered through Canvas. Most assignments are given online so students can use their Chromebooks to complete them at home.
A survey was sent out to SHS students, showing how many online assignments they get daily. For a large number of students, online activities or notes account for at least 30 minutes of most of their classes. That means students are spending around three-and-a-half hours looking at screens during the school day alone. This does not include the online assignments, which take a considerable amount of time on computers outside of the school day. According to the survey, around 63% of SHS students have at least four online assignments daily. Students are also responsible for checking their email and grades, as well as keeping up with clubs and activities that use online platforms like GroupMe to communicate.
Adults certainly are not wrong when they say too much screen time is bad. According to the American Medical Association, “mental health effects can include sleep problems, and increased risk of anxiety and depression… impact on attention, focus and executive functioning.”
Although students could limit time on social media or watching television, a large part of students’ screen time is school related, and there is not much to do about that. Keeping screen time under two hours a day (the recommended amount) is often just not possible for students.
