A lot of time in front of the screen has its risks. The Public Health Authority have recently pointed out that children’s and young people’s digital media use negatively affects sleep, relationships and physical activity.
Now the Swedish National Agency for Education shows that, in a similar way, there is a clear connection between screen time during free time, emphasis on, for example, Fortnite or Tiktok, and school results. It is about 15-year-olds and how they performed in mathematics, reading and science in the knowledge measurement Pisa 2022.
There was a lower result in Pisa even from one hour of social media use per day, says Pernilla Jonsson, head of unit at the Swedish National Agency for Education.
No clear connection
Computers and other digital learning tools are also a matter of course in most schools. But how the use in teaching affects the results is more difficult to establish, according to the National Education Agency. There are no clear connections.
Moderate seems to be best, seen in number of hours of use per day. In any case, students who use a computer, pad or cell phone three to four hours per school day have better Pisa results than those who had more hours, or fewer.
But you shouldn’t stare blindly at the number of hours. It is also about how the digital learning tools are used and for what, says Pernilla Jonsson.
However, this is not something that the study can answer, nor what competence or ability the teachers have.
What can be said is that it is complex. Screens can both promote the acquisition of knowledge, and be a distraction.
“Need help”
The picture also includes that most Swedish 15-year-old students use digital tools for other than learning up to one hour per school day, during breaks or lessons. Every fifth student answers that they never or almost never turn off messages from social media during lessons. Four out of ten testify that they are distracted by messages sent to them in almost every maths lesson – but the Swedish National Agency for Education sees nothing, or only a weak connection, between these distractions and the Pisa results.
In summary, the Swedish National Agency for Education’s report points to the fact that it is screen time outside of school that has a clear connection to school results.
15-year-olds need help limiting the use of social media and computer games. But it is also important that they learn self-regulation, i.e. learn responsible use. All the adults around the students are important here, says Pernilla Jonsson.
Facts: Pisa 2022
The Swedish students’ results in the international knowledge measurement Pisa 2022 fell sharply in mathematics and reading comprehension, compared to 2018.
The third area of knowledge, science, also showed a deterioration, but within the margin of error.
The reading and mathematics results thus ended up again at the same record low level as in 2012.
Despite the loss, Sweden still placed itself above the OECD average, as the majority of other countries also backed down.
The pandemic, with school closures, has been cited as a reason for the global decline.
Other causes that are highlighted, nationally and internationally, are increasing differences in quality between schools and a lack of discipline and study rest.
Source: OECD/Skolverket
Fact: Use of digital tools
In a new report, the Swedish National Agency for Education has compared 15-year-olds’ use of digital tools with the Pisa results in 2022. The study has a Nordic perspective.
Some results:
The use of digital tools in school work varies widely, from not at all to the entire school day. The most common response option is up to three hours.
Two-thirds of students do not use digital tools for fun at all during the school day, or at most for one hour.
The use of digital tools is more widespread in the Nordics compared to the OECD average. The largest use is in Denmark.
There is a strong connection between a lot of screen time during free time and weaker knowledge results. However, the Swedish National Agency for Education points out that it is not possible to establish cause and effect. It may be already low-achieving students who spend the most time on computer games and social media.
Source: Swedish National Agency for Education