Most students attend between five and six online classes per day, without much of a break between them—a pace that is proving difficult to sustain. (Credit: Getty Images)
In recent weeks, schools have shown that they are adapting well to the new normal of digital classes and online learning (albeit, with some hiccups along the way). Teachers are getting more confident with the new ways of teaching and students are getting used to screen-learning. However, this has also raised a unique problem of its own—the increased screen time and the toll it is taking on students’ mental and physical health. Most students attend between five and six online classes per day, without much of a break between them—a pace that is proving difficult to sustain.
Taking notice of this problem, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has recommended a limit to daily online classes—no more than two sessions per day for students in classes 1 to 8, and no more than four for students in classes 9 to 12, with each session lasting a maximum of 45 minutes.
However, blanket rules, even if well intentioned, can have a negative effect as well. Manit Jain, chairman of FICCI Arise, says, “It is important to make a distinction between good and bad screen time. Putting restrictions on timings without analysing the effect on learning continuity will have an adverse impact on student development. There are several myths around online learning that need to be busted and policy makers must recognise that productive screen time is not only desirable but is necessary.”
IS THIS THE RIGHT MOVE?
To mitigate the damage from excessive screen time, medical experts recommend 20 second breaks every 20 minutes. They also say that one should spend this time focusing on distant objects, at least 20 feet away. These recommendations are broadly to ease the strain on the eyes. For instance, people generally blink about 15 times per minute—but when concentrating on a screen, that falls to about six times per minute, leading to increasing strain on the eyes.
In that context, the MHRD’s rules are evidently sensible. However, a cap on total screen time for students also impacts learning outcomes. Alka Kapur, principal of Modern Public School, Delhi, says that the reduction of screen time for students in primary classes is a good move, but could lead to difficulties for those in middle and senior classes. “In primary classes, the syllabus can be covered through projects and other co-curricular activities. Recorded flip classes (in which students watch pre-recorded lectures and tutorials in their own time, and do practical work during online classes) is yet another way to complete the syllabus.” Students in junior classes can also be helped by their parents—but those in middle and senior classes face more of a challenge. “In [senior years], most of the topics being covered are quite vast and elaborate, and require in-depth understanding and explanation. The screen time [permitted] by the MHRD may not be sufficient. Rigorous revision and practice will be a Herculean task for the teachers and the students in senior classes if we continue as per the given schedule.”
What is also important to note is that the MHRD’s guidelines are not mandatory rules that schools must follow. They are an acknowledgement of the fact that excessive screen time can have a negative effect on students, and serve as a call for students, teachers and parents to develop a clear understanding of what the limits should be. Teen-life and parenting coach Rajat Soni says, “As I work with teens, I am aware that their eyes are burning when their day starts with Kindles and ends on their phones. Playtime is restricted. The MHRD has done its research and given age-appropriate guidelines.”
There is another aspect to this, though. Indian curriculums may not be well suited to limited online time, especially for students in classes 7 to 12. International curriculums have research-based work and various components that help children develop their understanding through case studies. For teaching models like these, online learning is a good fit. “The Indian curriculum is more offline-based. Educators have an added responsibility to make it interactive, using all three learning styles—auditory, visual and kinesthetic—in delivering the digital curriculum,” explains Soni.
Limiting screen time could have an especially serious effect if the pandemic continues into the next year. Some ask what the consequences will be if learning remains interrupted for the next 18 months. Raising these concerns, Jain says, “In the lower grades, parents can support their children in completing the syllabus. However, for senior classes, the syllabus is vast and elaborate. The screen time recommended by the MHRD may not be sufficient. Rigorous revision and practice will be an enormous task for teachers and students in senior classes if we continue in this scenario.” However, some educators take a different view. Saurabh Kumar, director of academics at Vidyamandir Classes, says, “The screen time [limits] suggested by the MHRD for classes 9 to 12 seem okay as productive time for studies in school, but for [lower] grades, the time is [not enough]. I am sure schools will [compensate by] giving worksheets to students in these classes. The pressure will fall on parents to get the work done.”
HOW SCHOOLS CAN MANAGE
A positive aspect is that most schools recognise that students also need downtime, and that the shift to online learning can be too much of a strain. Rather than rushing to complete the syllabus, they are doing what they can to ease the burden on students. For instance, many schools now send students PDFs of the study notes for each lesson so that they have a chance to familiarise themselves with the concepts before attending classes. “Giving students the chance to review important concepts in advance helps them to develop a better understanding during online classes,” says Kapur. “We also conduct remedial or query sessions every week for every subject, for students who would like to revise or have doubts about the topics being taught.”
The feasibility of these new systems of learning completely depends on how much teachers, students and parents are willing to accept and how prepared they are to adapt and adhere to the new normal. Shraddha Fogla, founder of 2monkeysandme, a digital parenting and learning platform for children, says, “If schools are really concerned about the mental well-being of students, they must adapt to the changes—[prioritise] important subjects, cut down on the syllabus and catch it up in the next term or year. Even if there is need to [complete a larger] syllabus, sending pre-recorded videos to parents, teaching the concepts so that the parents can teach the children would be ideal.” In this model, children familiarise themselves with topics at home—online classes then become sessions during which teachers explain concepts that students have not understood, or take quizzes to see how well students have grasped the concepts. Online classes remain essential, but become much more compact.
One point on which there is scientific consensus is that the efficiency of education is not directly correlated to the time spent studying. Schools that teach smarter—with a focus on understanding concepts rather than memorising them—could produce better results for students. Vidit Bahri, co-founder of Sukoon Health, explains, “This is a great time for schools to optimise the syllabus to teach more relevant topics, keep classes smarter and skip the fluff. This aggressive policy will force schools to work more efficiently. I hope it will compel them to innovate.”
THE IDEAL AMOUNT OF TIME
What is also important to remember is that the young people of today are children of technology, and have grown up in a world of smartphones, tablet computers and the internet. This means that today’s parents are the first generation faced with the challenge of understanding where the health limits of screen time lie, and how to limit the use of technology. “Instead of putting restrictions on [students], we should teach the difference between good screen time and bad screen time,” says Kapur. “We need to teach them the importance of maintaining a balance when it comes to screen time by discussing the pros and cons.”
There are also many different kinds of learning protocols. Synchronous learning, for example, is when a number of students are expected to learn a concept together—this is what traditional, offline teaching is based on. Asynchronous learning is broadly about letting students learn at the own pace—teachers provide study materials and recorded lectures, and conduct tests and give assignments to ensure that everyone progresses at roughly the same rate. One-to-one learning is yet another system, in which students have individual classes with teachers.
One conclusion that can be drawn is that it is not the time spent online that matters, but the quantity and quality of content consumed. “It is imperative to make a distinction between productive and unproductive screen time,” highlights Jain. “In effect, it is the quality of the interaction that matters and not so much the time. Productive screen time allows personalised learning, self-directed and group interaction as against media for just passive consumption. What should be avoided is fast-paced, distracting content. As long as students have sufficient sleep and play time and show no extraordinary signs of distress, it is not necessary to become anxious over too much screen time.”
What complicates matters is that the total time children spend staring at screens is not just a factor of their school classes. Many students also spent time on extracurricular online classes—like coding—or relaxing by playing videogames. Some argue that these activities could be replaced with offline versions. “Reading a physical book is a great substitute for reading online,” points out Soni. “Talking to friends can happen over the phone rather than [in online chatrooms].” Bahri recommends that parents keep a close eye on how much time their children spend online. “A lack of social contact and overstimulation lead to depression among adolescents and teens. Parents have to make an effort to ensure a balanced lifestyle. This is a great time for parents to get involved with their children for extra-curricular activities.”
With no end to the pandemic in sight, online learning is the only way to continue education. If policy makers, regulators and schools can collaborate to share best practices and learn from each other, they can efficiently and swiftly cover the lost ground and provide high quality education to all students.
