Screen Time Research to Inform School Policy and Student Mental Health Needs.
Presented by Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, Digital Respons-Ability, and Christopher J. Ferguson, Ph.D. Stetson University. Moderated by Joyce Whitby.
Multiple states are considering partial or full restrictions on smartphones in schools. As of 2024, there have been eight states that have passed laws or adopted rules, and more are working on the topic. Teachers cite phone distractions, bullying, and learning impairment as reasons for these rules, and they, like lawmakers, hope the rules will make an impact. But will taking away smartphones really make learning better?
Digital Respons-Ability recorded an edWebinar that examines recent large-scale research that questions assumptions and beliefs on this topic and provides a different and broader perspective on the perceived smartphone problems like distractions and teen mental health.
This video features Dr. Chris Ferguson, a professor and researcher with Stetson University and co-author of Moral Combat: Why the War on Violent Video Games is Wrong, and Carrie Rogers-Whitehead, founder of Digital Respons-Ability. You learn what current research says on this controversial topic and how the research can help inform school and classroom policy. Educators also learn strategies to adjust learning around smartphones and a different perspective on the topic of screen time and mental health.
