The principal of an online high school is broadening the conversation about children's screen time.
In an article in today's Medical Journal a group of experts calls for breaks, the use of blinking exercises, more hearing and visions tests for children, and more research on the dangers of screens.
But Mark Phillips, Principal of online high school Crimson Global Academy, told Mike Hosking the time spent on screens isn't the primary concern.
He believes it's more about the content a child is watching on the screen, rather than how long they're doing it.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Searchers have come up with advice on children's screen use
in educational settings. So the lead author screen researcher at
Auckland University, a woman called Judy Cullen, says that while
moderate screen use can be beneficial for education, excessive use
linked to health issues. Guidelines suggests six to twelve year
old's screen use is recommended for no more than a
third of the school day now. Mark Phillips is the
principal of the Crimson Global Academy and is with us Mark,
(00:22):
very good morning to.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You, Good morning mine.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Do you have a settled view on what's good, what's not,
in what sort of age, etc.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
We are a secondary school and most of our teaching
in our class teaching at least is from students from
the age of twelve through to eighteen. And it works well.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
In terms of what works well. How much screen time
do you do?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Oh, probably an average student would do about four four
and a half hours per day.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
And is it thought about, talked about, studied or I
worry that we angst about something? I mean, I spend
god knows how many hours on a screen because the
world is on a screen and I need to see
what's happening in the world, and it's sort of like
it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I think the truth to that. What we try to
do is make sure our lessons are interactive, engaging, interesting,
We have breaks between lessons. We encourage our students to
be active members of their community, join sports clubs, do exercise,
passions for music and art and things like that. So
we really encourage regular community engagement.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
What is the concern as far as your concern, is
it the screen time I minutes noils or is it
what's actually been watched?
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Personally? I think it's what the students actually do as
as much the quantity of time.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
And do you change your thought process around age? Would
it worry you that are six year olds on X
number of ours versus an eighteen year old X number
of ours? Or it doesn't matter personally?
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I think it does matter how old a student is, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
And the younger the lesser and more for older.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yes, I would agree with that.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Do you set what do you think about patents? If
you set a pattern for a six year old, does
that pattern continue as an eighteen year old? Therefore it
continues to a forty two year old, or we wouldn't
have a clue.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
I think patterns and expectations that you develop as youngsters
do actually carry through to adult adulthood. Attitudes to studying,
the value of education, generally, participation in sports and whatever
it might be. Those habits are forming when students are young.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
And what about the phones away the current government policy?
Did you have that in place or you got it
in place now? And does it work well?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Our students are all at home anyway, so you don't
know what.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
They're doing because you're not. I should have explained I'm
sorry about that. That you're an online school. Aren't you a
global online school?
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yes? We are, yea, all our all our lessons.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Are online, so ironically you are. They would argue potentially
part of the problem, although you'd say, no, we're not.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I don't think we're part of the problem at all.
I think we're a strong solution for education because you.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Can get access to top quality talent, doesn't matter where
in the world you are.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, absolutely, access to high quality international qualifications if that's
what parents desire as well. So we're providing choice.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah, good stuff. Make appreciate it very much. Have a
good weekend. Mark Phillips principle of Crimson Global Academy Money.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
For more from News Talk, sed B, Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
Searchers have come up with advice on children's screen use
in educational settings. So the lead author screen researcher at
Auckland University, a woman called Judy Cullen, says that while
moderate screen use can be beneficial for education, excessive use
linked to health issues. Guidelines suggests six to twelve year
old's screen use is recommended for no more than a
third of the school day now. Mark Phillips is the
principal of the Crimson Global Academy and is with us Mark,
(00:22):
very good morning to.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You, Good morning mine.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
Do you have a settled view on what's good, what's not,
in what sort of age, etc.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
We are a secondary school and most of our teaching
in our class teaching at least is from students from
the age of twelve through to eighteen. And it works well.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
In terms of what works well. How much screen time
do you do?
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Oh, probably an average student would do about four four
and a half hours per day.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
And is it thought about, talked about, studied or I
worry that we angst about something? I mean, I spend
god knows how many hours on a screen because the
world is on a screen and I need to see
what's happening in the world, and it's sort of like
it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
I think the truth to that. What we try to
do is make sure our lessons are interactive, engaging, interesting,
We have breaks between lessons. We encourage our students to
be active members of their community, join sports clubs, do exercise,
passions for music and art and things like that. So
we really encourage regular community engagement.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
What is the concern as far as your concern, is
it the screen time I minutes noils or is it
what's actually been watched?
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Personally? I think it's what the students actually do as
as much the quantity of time.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
And do you change your thought process around age? Would
it worry you that are six year olds on X
number of ours versus an eighteen year old X number
of ours? Or it doesn't matter personally?
Speaker 2 (01:53):
I think it does matter how old a student is, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
And the younger the lesser and more for older.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Yes, I would agree with that.
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Do you set what do you think about patents? If
you set a pattern for a six year old, does
that pattern continue as an eighteen year old? Therefore it
continues to a forty two year old, or we wouldn't
have a clue.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
I think patterns and expectations that you develop as youngsters
do actually carry through to adult adulthood. Attitudes to studying,
the value of education, generally, participation in sports and whatever
it might be. Those habits are forming when students are young.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
And what about the phones away the current government policy?
Did you have that in place or you got it
in place now? And does it work well?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Our students are all at home anyway, so you don't
know what.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
They're doing because you're not. I should have explained I'm
sorry about that. That you're an online school. Aren't you a
global online school?
Speaker 2 (02:45):
Yes? We are, yea, all our all our lessons.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Are online, so ironically you are. They would argue potentially
part of the problem, although you'd say, no, we're not.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
I don't think we're part of the problem at all.
I think we're a strong solution for education because you.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
Can get access to top quality talent, doesn't matter where
in the world you are.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, absolutely, access to high quality international qualifications if that's
what parents desire as well. So we're providing choice.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah, good stuff. Make appreciate it very much. Have a
good weekend. Mark Phillips principle of Crimson Global Academy Money.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
For more from News Talk, sed B, Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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