COMPUTING & IT RESOURCES
Not all screen time is equal: why education needs a more balanced conversation around technology in learning
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s digital technologies become embedded across every stage of education, Richard Anderton, Head of Education at Sync, tells us why the conversation must move beyond screen time and focus on how IT can strengthen teaching, improve accessibility and prepare learners for a digital future.
Few topics in education generate as much debate as screen time. Whether it is parents concerned about social media, policymakers considering online safety or schools balancing digital learning with pupil wellbeing, the conversation often centres on a single question: how much time should young people spend in front of a screen? It is an important discussion, but it is also one that has become increasingly simplistic.
Not all screen time is equal. There is a fundamental difference between a learner passively consuming content and one who is actively creating, collaborating, solving problems or thinking critically. A pupil researching, receiving timely feedback, modelling scientific concepts, coding or collaborating with classmates is engaging with technology very differently from someone endlessly scrolling through social media. That distinction matters. As someone who works with education providers across every phase of learning, from primary schools through to universities, I believe we need to move beyond measuring screen time and instead focus on the quality, purpose and impact of digital engagement. More importantly, we need to move beyond talking about EdTech and instead focus on PedTech: technology that is deliberately implemented to strengthen evidence-informed teaching and learning.
Technology’s impact depends entirely on the pedagogy behind it. A lesson built around evidence-informed principles remains effective whether pupils are using an exercise book, a whiteboard or a digital device. Equally, poor
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pedagogy does not become good simply because technology has been introduced.
That is why conversations about digital strategy should never begin with devices. They should begin with teaching, learning and the outcomes we want to achieve.
Nowhere is that evolution more evident than in Higher Education. Across universities, digital technology has moved from being an optional enhancement to becoming an integral part of the learning experience. University teaching and study is reliant on digital platforms; students expect to move seamlessly between lecture theatres, libraries, shared study spaces and home.
As a result, conversations with universities have evolved. Institutions are no longer simply asking which device to purchase. They are asking how technology can better support accessibility, collaboration, creativity, assessment and independent learning, while preparing students for an increasingly digital workplace.
That shift is reflected in the growing interest in devices such as MacBook Neo. The story is not simply about the arrival of another device, but what demand for it tells us about changing expectations.
Students increasingly expect technology that enables them to work across multiple disciplines and workflows. Reliability, performance and all-day battery life are no longer considered premium features; they are fundamental expectations of student life.
Accessibility is equally central to these conversations. Universities increasingly recognise that inclusive technology should not be viewed as an additional consideration but as a fundamental component of an equitable learning environment. Built-in accessibility features enable more students
July/August 2026
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