How much screen time/technology is used in elementary schools in 2023?
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Anonymous
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I grew up attending FCPS schools from kindergarten through highschool, and I'm trying to figure out how much things have changed. However, I have heard that it is increasingly the norm for kindergarteners to learn via iPads and as soon as 3rd grade most modules are online during the school day? That sounds like a lot of screen time in schools. My kids get some exposure to screens at home, so I'm not totally against screens, but I thought research showed that kids learn better reading things in print and taking notes by hand. I understand that COVID changed a lot of things, but is this really the new norm? We're zoned for Columbia ES and I was totally excited about my child attending there next year based on my experience. Now I'm really unsure what to do.
Have things really changed this much? If you have an elementary schooler at Columbia ES or another ES, how much is actually done on screens these days? |
Anonymous
| Way too much. Putting my kids in private |
Anonymous
| My kindergarten class- 20-30 minutes a day on iPads. |
Anonymous
| About 20-30 min most days, mostly during times when teacher is meeting with other small groups or students are collaborating on a presentation. I think it's the right amount. My eldest was in ES before laptops in FCPS and when the teacher met with other small groups they often just did less engaging worksheets and I think this approach is better. |
Anonymous
Adding--I didn't see you were asking specifically about Columbia ES--we're in FCPS but not there. |
Anonymous
| Teacher here. This will vary from school to school. Most schools will probably be in the 0-30 min range for that age group. |
Anonymous
| None in K-2, 30 min or less some days 3rd-6th. |
Anonymous
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I'm a 3rd grade teacher. My students use ST Math 1 to 2 times a week for about 20 minutes each time as an assigned center while I work with small groups. They all use Lexia twice a week for about 30 minutes each time.
That's what I expect as regular use. There are other times when they can choose ST Math or Lexia in addition to other non-screen options. They can choose to read on MyOn or TumbleBook Library on certain days. We sometimes use laptops to publish writing, but that's after it has gone through the entire writing process in their composition books. |
Anonymous
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It totally depends on the school and individual teacher.
My youngest has spent way more time in school on laptops than my oldest did. Its due to Covid and schools getting 1:1 devices. Its a crap education. If your kid gets a bad teacher they will be on screens all day. Some teachers are still using those garbage slides from gatehouse. |
Anonymous
| Someone posted on social media a gadget we used as a kid in the 1970s to learn our math facts (“Little Professor”), which is very similar to Reflex Math and other apps we use today. I was humored by the fact that, back then, it was considered a study guide, but now similar technology is considered “evil.” Lol |
Anonymous
It depends on school, teacher, grade and a given day. My kid had more tech use the last two weeks in 6th cause he was making a website. I am sure these next two weeks will be less. I would expect a 6th grader to be on a computer more than any other grade. |
Anonymous
| Every parent should sign up for a lightspeed report so they can monitor the screen time |
Anonymous
\ This was a toy, though. That's different than being on a "screen" all day. |
Anonymous
| They are looking at the Smartboard screen a great deal, because teachers are still teaching with slides, as there aren’t textbooks. Slides give a snapshot of instruction, and then, for example, a few math problems, and that’s the lesson for the day. Reading books and writing by hand on paper allows kids to engage much more fully with the content. |
Anonymous
| Unfortunately my daughters teachers are using a digital notebook on the computer this year for LA, Science and SS. It sucks. |