We’re not strangers to the fact that screen time use is on the rise among students. This increase in students’ media exposure can impact many areas of school operations, including policies surrounding student device use, how students complete homework and other assignments, and how faculty and staff can best relate to and support students.
You may think that screen time use is growing exclusively among older children, but a new report shows that even young children are spending more time with screens than ever before. Common Sense, an independent, nonprofit, research organization, recently examined the media use habits of children under the age of 8 in America.
The group surveyed 1,400 parents in 2017 from all areas of the country, including families from different educational, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. This survey was a follow-up to two earlier surveys conducted in 2011 and 2013 to illustrate how habits have changed over this six-year period.
The results show how media use has exploded among young people. Ninety-eight percent of children live in a house with a mobile device, up from 75% in 2013 and 52% in 2011. In fact, the results show that 42% of children under the age of eight now have their own mobile device.
Thirty-five percent of all screen time by these young children is spent on mobile devices, and the average mobile media time has increased nine-fold—from 5 minutes in 2011 to 15 minutes in 2013, and now 48 minutes in 2017.
The digital divide has narrowed as well. Ninety-six percent of children from homes with incomes over $75,000 have high-speed internet access, while 74% of children from homes that bring home under $30,000 enjoy the same service.
However, children from lower-income homes spend an average of 1 hour and 39 minutes more online than their counterparts from higher-income homes. This compares to the 29 minutes they spend, on average, reading or being read to.
These findings emphasize that all children—even those in pre-K, kindergarten, and lower grades—are increasing their time in front of screens. School administrators must stay aware of current trends and tailor their school policies and curriculum strategies accordingly to support children in the best ways possible.
Additional ISM Resources:
The Source for School Heads Vol. 16 No. 10 Five Ways to Help Your Faculty Adopt New Technology
The Source for Private School News Vol. 17 No. 6 How Schools Can Prepare Students for the STEM Workforce
The Source for Private School News Vol. 17 No. 4 These Jobs Are on the Rise in the U.S.—Will Your Students Be Prepared?
Additional Resources for ISM Members:
I&P Vol. 36 No. 9 The 21st Century School: Fairness, Competitiveness, and High Performance
