Screen time and learning in WA

A note from me this week

My week has been hectic. By the time work finishes, there isn't much left in the tank for anything else, let alone sitting down to help a child with their learning. I'm sure plenty of parents reading this know the feeling.

After a full day of screens at work, my brain starts seeing things. It makes you wonder what all that screen time does to a child's brain.

But here's the hopeful part. Parents have a lot of say over what kind of screen time their kids get, and a few small changes can turn empty minutes into real learning. I'm building an AI tutor, and I think the goal isn't more screen time. It's fewer, better minutes, with plenty of real-world time around them.

So when WA announced it would cut screen time in its youngest classrooms, I read every word. Here's what it means for your family.

Screen time and learning: what's changing in WA schools?

It's 7.45am, breakfast is half eaten, and the tablet is already glowing on the table. Sound familiar? If you've wondered how screen time and learning really fit together, so have our schools.

From Term 1, 2027, ten WA public primary schools will trial a "Back to Basics" program that limits "unnecessary" screen time from Kindergarten to Year 2. Each school gets $50,000 for hands-on materials. The trial runs for six months, and students will still use devices for the technology curriculum and for online NAPLAN.

WA isn't alone. The ABC reports that NSW has brought in a 15-minute daily screen limit for Kindergarten to Year 2, and Victoria now requires planned screen-free time in public secondary schools. This week, Federal Education Minister Jason Clare said a "digital detox" for schools will be on the agenda when he meets state ministers next month.

> Key takeaway: The question isn't "screens or no screens". It's "what is this screen doing for my child right now?" Purposeful, short and shared beats endless and alone.

Do screens help or hurt children's learning?

Honestly, it depends on how they're used. That's not me dodging. It's what the evidence says.

The OECD's report on the latest PISA results, as quoted by the ABC, found that "moderate use of digital devices for learning is associated with stronger science performance, while excessive use and digital distraction are associated with weaker outcomes."

The countries tell the same mixed story:

• Sweden has been moving from screens back to books since 2023, but its latest PISA results still fell. Researchers there say it's too early to judge.
• Estonia did well without banning phones, and is using AI tools in secondary schools. Monash University's Professor Neil Selwyn credits trust in teachers and careful evaluation, not the tech itself.
• China's top-scoring regions still use paper exams and lots of handwriting, while some cities experiment with AI.

Closer to home, a NSW survey of students, teachers and parents found 84% of high school students said they get distracted on screens in class. Just 8% said they always or consistently keep track of their own screen time.

That last number is the one that stuck with me. Kids aren't failing at self-control. They're being asked to out-think apps built by very clever people to keep them scrolling.

How can parents tell good screen time from empty screen time?

You don't need a stopwatch. Ask three quick questions about any screen your child is using.

1. Is my child making or thinking, or just watching?

Writing a story, solving a problem or explaining an idea is active. Swiping through clips is passive. Active use is the kind worth keeping.

2. Does it have a natural end?

Good learning tools finish. A lesson ends, a level closes, the tutor says "great work, that's enough for today". Apps that never end are designed that way on purpose.

3. Could we do this without the screen?

If the answer is "yes, easily", try that first. Times tables work brilliantly with a deck of cards. Fractions work with a pizza. Save the screen for the things it does best.

What to say when it's time to switch off

Fights over screens are usually about the sudden stop, not the screen. A warning and a choice help a lot.

Try saying: "Five more minutes, then the tablet goes on the bench. Do you want to finish this level or save it for tomorrow?"

When the time's up, swap the screen for something with your attention in it. "Show me what you made" or "Teach me the hardest one you did" turns the last minute into real learning. There are more scripts like this in our guide to helping kids with homework without doing it for them.

A steady weekly rhythm makes all of this easier, too. Our Sunday night routine for kids builds screens-off time into the start of the week.

Where Archimedes fits

I'd be a strange founder if I told you to throw out every screen. But I'd be a worse one if I pretended more screen time was the goal.

At Archimedes, we prefer calm, lasting skill over time-on-screen and noisy rewards. The Archimedes tutor tracks which skills your child has actually secured, using the model explained in our guide to Bayesian Knowledge Tracing. Once a skill is secure, there's no reason to keep a child on the screen practising it.

That's also why we're building the Archimedes device: the aim is to bring a patient tutor into the room without adding another distracting screen.

FAQ

How much screen time is OK for school-age kids?

There's no single right number. What matters most is what the screen is doing. Short, purposeful use that has a clear end and leaves time for sleep, play and talking is very different from hours of scrolling. Start by cutting the passive, endless kind, not the learning kind.

Are WA schools banning screens?

No. From Term 1, 2027, ten WA public primary schools will trial limits on "unnecessary" screen time from Kindergarten to Year 2. Students will still use devices for the technology curriculum and online NAPLAN. It's a six-month pilot, not a statewide ban.

Is learning on a tablet worse than learning on paper?

Not always. Some studies suggest children understand texts better on paper, but experts say the overall evidence is mixed and depends on how devices are used. A good mix is paper for reading and practice, and screens for the few things they do better.

Is an AI tutor just more screen time?

It can be, if it's built to keep kids hooked. A good tutor should do the opposite: work on one skill, stop when it's secure, and hand your child back to you. Ask any learning app how it decides when a session is over.

Want one calm, practical note on kids and learning each week? Get the next issue by email.

By Thomas Heal, founder of Archimedes.