Screen Time and Learner Well-being

Does recreational
computer use affect
high school
achievement (Bowers
and Matthew 2013)
Yes
10th
Grade
students
Computer
Not
discussed
Not
discussed
Not discussed
Not
discussed
Not discussed
Use of computers for fun and
gaming were positive and
significant on reading and
mathematics achievement
assessments in high school.
Causality is difficult to ascertain
but effects of using computers
for fun and games for 1-2 hours
a day are +ve.
Internet use, videogame
playing and cell phone
use as predictors of
children’s body mass
index (BMI), body
weight, academic
performance, and social
and overall self-esteem
(Jackson et al. 2011)
Yes
Average age
of
participants
was 12
years.
Computers
and Mobile
phones
Not
discussed
Not
discussed
Not discussed
Not
discussed
Use of IT did not predict
BMI.
Videogame play predicted
positive visual-spatial skills
but lower GPAs. Use of
internet associated with
better reading scores among
females. More videogame
time associated with low self
esteem.
More research needed to
investigate the causes and
consequences of IT use and to
incorporate individual
differences in effects of IT use.
Night-time screen-based
media device use and
adolescents' sleep and
health-related quality of
life (Mireku et al. 2019)
Yes
11-12 year
olds
All digital
devices (TV,
computer,
smart phones,
tablets,
gaming
consoles)
Night time
(within one
hour before
sleep SBMD
usage)
Lit and dark
rooms
Not discussed
Not
discussed
Night time use
associated with higher
odds of insufficient
sleep; Magnitude of
association higher when
night time usage
occurred in darkness.
Not considered
Screen-based media device
(SBMD) usage should be
curtailed within an hour before
bedtime and particularly in
darkness.
Physical fitness, physical
activity, sedentary
behavior and academic
performance among
adolescent boys in
different weight
statuses (Esmaeilzadeh
and Kalantari 2013)
Yes
15 - 17
year olds
All sedentary
behaviour
through usage
of all digital
devices (TV,
computer,
smart phones,
tablets,
gaming
consoles)
Not
discussed
Not
discussed
Not discussed
Not
discussed
Positive relationship
between sedentary
behaviour and BMI.
No relationship between
weight classes and academic
performance
Longitudinal studies needed to
determine the directionality.
The impact of media use
on sleep patterns and
sleep disorders among
school aged children in
China (Li et al. 2007)
Yes
Elementar
y Grade
Children,
Mean age
= 9 years
TV and
Computer
Not
discussed
Device in
bedroom of
children
Not discussed
Not
discussed
TV viewing of more than
2 hours was a risk factor
for sleep disorders.
Computer use, however,
had NO correlation with
any sleep disorder.
Not considered
Presence of media in child's
bedroom and media use had a
negative impact on sleep
patterns duration and sleep
disorders.
Association between
screen time and
children's performance
on a development
screening test (Madigan
et al. 2019)
Yes
Data
collected
at 2, 3 and
5 years of
age for
each
participant
TV, Computers
and
Smartphones
(but non TV
data very
sparse)
Not
discussed
Not
discussed
Not discussed
Not
discussed
Development Screening
Test measured:
communication, gross
motor, fine-motor,
problem solving and
personal-social. Higher
levels of screen time
significantly associated
NA
Evidence of directional
association between screen
time and poor performance on
development screening
28
A Research Brief by UNESCO MGIEP