Federal Education Minister Jason Clare says a "digital detox" for schools will be on the agenda at a meeting with his state counterparts expected early next month.
asserted
detox → say → counterparts
It follows efforts by some governments overseas to reduce screen time in classrooms, and growing scrutiny of the impact of digital devices on learning.
asserted
It → follow → learning
Mr Clare has said results from the recent Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) show there is a "need to wind back the amount of screen time in schools — a digital detox".
asserted
results → say → schools
Sweden has made one of the most high-profile efforts to replace screens with paper and books in classrooms since 2023.
asserted
Sweden → make → 2023
However, like many other high-income nations, its results in PISA last year showed further declines, especially in reading and maths.
asserted
results → show → reading
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report on the 2025 PISA results last month said the impact of digital devices on learning depended on how they were used.
"Across OECD countries, moderate use of digital devices for learning is associated with stronger science performance, while excessive use and digital distraction are associated with weaker outcomes," it said.
asserted
it → say → outcomes
Neil Selwyn, a Monash University professor and expert on digital education, said some countries pushing ahead with digital technology in schools had done well in PISA.
"If we take things like PISA seriously — and there are a lot of reasons to treat them with a pinch of salt — then whether a school system is tech-centred or not doesn't seem to be a clear determining factor," he said.
asserted
he → say → salt
So what do Sweden's efforts to remove screens from classrooms teach other countries such as Australia?
asserted
efforts → remove → Australia
And how do countries that performed well in PISA, including in Asia Pacific, use digital devices in schools?
asserted
that → perform → schools
Sweden's approach to digital learning has "shifted extremely" in the past decade, according to Ingrid Forsler, an associate professor and researcher in media technologies in education at Södertörn University.
uncertain
approach → shift → University
"We have gone from being very pro-digitalisation to having, at least on the surface, a very extreme de-digitalisation approach," she said.
asserted
she → go → approach
This was partly a response to research into how digital devices caused distractions in learning, while politicians had also received popular support for reducing screen time in classrooms, Dr Forsler said.
asserted
Forsler → cause → classrooms
Sweden's government has started work on new curricula that would make compulsory schooling largely screen-free, particularly in early and middle years, and it has banned mobile phones in schools.
asserted
it → start → schools
Simona Mohamsson, Sweden's education minister, said it had also funded new books for schools since it began pursuing a "back to basics" policy focusing on teaching reading, writing and maths.
asserted
it → say → reading
She said its approach was consistent with research showing children learned these skills most effectively using "analogue tools in analogue environments".
asserted
children → say → environments
"It will take some time for all these reforms to be fully implemented and have an impact," Ms Mohamsson said.
asserted
Mohamsson → take → impact
Some studies have indicated that young people may comprehend texts better on paper rather than screens, although experts say the evidence on whether digital technology benefits overall learning is mixed and depends on how it is used.
uncertain
it → indicate → learning
Dr Forsler said Sweden's so-called "screen to binder" reforms have, in some ways, been superficial so far.
"
asserted
reforms → say → ways
The Swedish school is still very digitalised … schools have [digital] learning platforms,"she said.
asserted
schools → have → platforms,"she
"What is limited is mainly the use of private devices for students and also laptops and tablets for younger students.
asserted
is → limit → students
It's too early to say if there are any successes, so to speak."
asserted
It → say → ?
Dr Forsler said supporters of "screen to binder" policies had seen this as reason to push harder in removing digital learning from schools.
asserted
supporters → say → schools
Professor Selwyn, from Monash University, said Sweden's teachers and schools had received "a huge amount of work" scrambling to adjust to the policy change.
asserted
teachers → say → change
"At the moment the main lesson that we can take from Sweden is that it is extremely difficult to 'turn off' technology in schools at the whim of a minister," he said.
asserted
he → take → minister
"If we are serious about de-escalating the use of digital tech in schools then we need a considered, planned approach.
asserted
we → escalate → approach
Meanwhile, nearby Estonia achieved strong PISA results without banning mobile phones in schools and was embracing artificial intelligence tools in secondary schools, Professor Selwyn said.
asserted
Selwyn → achieve → schools
"The Estonian government put their success down to a history of trusting schools and teachers to make their own decisions, having high expectations of students, consulting with students and parents, and properly evaluating what they do with tech as they go along," he said.
asserted
he → put → tech
"They would argue that their success is down to a system-wide set of factors — and that tech use is part of this, not a driving factor.
asserted
use → argue → this
"
Where China wants to go
Students from Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang — some of China's most economically developed regions — also had strong PISA results on reading, science and maths.
asserted
Students → want → reading
Hongzhi Zhang, a senior lecturer on education at Monash University, said exams throughout China were still paper-based, and students did much of their work in handwriting rather than on digital devices.
asserted
students → say → devices
Schools still taught digital skills in IT classrooms but managed how devices were used, considering how they would enhance student learning, he said.
asserted
he → teach → learning
"If not, they just put it away," Dr Zhang said.
asserted
Zhang → put → it
However, Yong Zhao, a professor and expert on technology in education at the University of Kansas, said in some ways China was moving in a different direction from countries trying to reduce digital learning.
asserted
China → say → learning
"I would encourage [people] to look hard at where China wants to go,"he said.
asserted
China → encourage → people
Education authorities in Shanghai and Beijing are experimenting with AI-based education in schools.
asserted
authorities → experiment → schools
"They're not trying to detox that way," Dr Zhao said.
asserted
Zhao → try → ?
Meanwhile, he said education authorities also wanted students spending more time exercising and staying healthy, with less focus on test scores.
asserted
students → say → scores
He also argued that the focus on PISA results risked losing sight of other aspects of education, such as helping students develop an interest in solving problems that matter to others.
asserted
that → argue → others
Professor Zhao said students would need to learn how to use digital technology critically.
"
asserted
students → say → technology
They will live in a world that's dominated by these devices."
asserted
that → live → devices
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia