Giving Compass' Take:

· According to a recent survey, a majority of educators believe that students spend too much time on their devices during class, impeding their ability to learn. Teachers claim that technology has become a distraction leading students to multitask and perform worse academically. 

· How can schools leverage technology in the classroom without it becoming a distraction? How has technology successfully been implemented in the classroom?

· Read more on the debate whether phones should be allowed in schools.

Teachers’ concerns about too much screen time make sense since teens spend about nine hours online each day, studies show. That said, not all screen time is harmful. Screen time that involves learning new skills and communicating what students have learned can be an active and useful for educational experience. And with device-driven curriculums more common in school, it's unlikely that screen time can be avoided completely.

The trick is to find the balance. Too much exposure to digital media can increase the risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in teens. A two-year study tracked 2,587 10th graders who initially showed no signs of ADHD. By the end of the study, the students with higher rates of digital media use were more likely to exhibit symptoms.

Technology should be supplemental and high quality. There should still be plenty of time for discussion, interaction and non-screen time. Digital media can help with homework, but if a student is using his or her phone for homework, they are likely to be distracted by social media alerts every minute or so. With that in mind, teachers can assign homework that requires screen time sparingly and encourage students to turn off notifications and use other tools that limit distractions.

Read the full article about device use in the classroom by Shawna De La Rosa at Education Dive.