Another Australian state is going “back to basics” and hitting pause on the use of electronic devices in classrooms.
While screens have become a common tool for both teachers and students, the WA Government has announced a ban on the unnecessary use of laptops, iPads and other digital devices amid debate over their links to falling education scores.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: WA schools pause screens for youngest students
The government wants 10 public schools to put their hand up to volunteer for the the six-month pilot program for kindergarten to Year 2 students, starting in term one, 2027.
Screen use will be limited to lessons where it is required to learn specific digital technology skills., and to prepare Year 2 students for NAPLAN testing.
The ban will not apply to smartboards or interactive whiteboards, nor will it restrict students with disabilities from using assistive technology.
The government expects no shortage of interest, with participating schools to get $50,000 to invest in screen-free resources and equipment including books and other printed materials.
It said technology plays an important role in the classroom but should not replace face-to-face teaching and hands-on learning.
“As a former teacher of 27 years and a mother of three daughters, I know how crucial it is to get the balance right between technology and screen-free learning,” WA Education Minister Sabine Winton said.
“Technology has an important role to play in modern education.
“That’s why we must support teachers to use it where it is clearly needed for learning, while protecting time for the real-world experiences children need.”
The state government is also establishing a new advisory group to develop a fresh approach to screen use across all year levels in WA.
It comes after Federal Education Minister Jason Clare warned excessive screen time had contributed to Australia’s deteriorating education scores.
September’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results show Australian 15-year-olds have continued to fall behind in maths and reading, despite the nation remaining above the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average.
Clare argued there was a strong correlation between the results and the amount of technology being used in classrooms, and said the issue goes beyond mobile phones which have been banned or restricted in many Australian schools.
“The more time they spend in front of a laptop or tablet, the lower their results are,” he said. “I think that tells us that we need a digital detox in our schools.”
Classroom screen time is being capped in both Victoria and NSW from 2027.
“Our government’s research is telling us that excessive screen use is a problem, and that parents want screens to be used intentionally. That means screens should not be the default,” NSW Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said.
“We have already seen positive results from our ban on mobile phones, with fewer distractions in class and improved engagement — not just with their studies, but with each other as well.
“When the research is telling us teenagers are spending as much as seven hours a day on screens, and we are seeing reading and writing skills going backwards for a whole generation of children, we have to act.”
‘Uncomfortable truth’
A Macquarie University-led study into screen use in Australian classrooms revealed this month what it described as an “uncomfortable truth” — that parents were actually “recommending more hours of device use for their children than limits set by teachers”.
The study, funded by the NSW education department, also found there “appears to be an extensive amount of non-educational use of screens in high schools”.
“This suggests we need more research and initiatives to help students develop digital self-regulation. This will require supporting both teachers and parents, as well as students,” researchers said.
Craigie Heights Primary School principal Leon Wilson said the WA pilot program comes at a time of rapid change.
“In five years, with the proliferation in AI and technology, I’m not sure what we’ll need to adjust to next,” Wilson said.
“But being agile and nimble to be able to do so when the time requires is what we have to do.”