Screen Time in Education: Balancing Homework, Learning, and Wellbeing
At UK Student Solutions Ltd., we work closely with international students and their families, and one of the most common concerns we hear today is about screen time. For teenagers studying abroad, adapting to a new education system already comes with challenges – balancing independence, cultural differences, and academic expectations. When you add digital learning into the mix, the question becomes even more pressing: how much screen time is truly beneficial for students, and when does it cross the line into being harmful?
This conversation is particularly relevant in the UK, where schools, colleges, and universities increasingly rely on digital platforms to deliver lessons, set homework, and monitor progress. For parents, guardians, and educators alike, it can be difficult to know how best to support young people so they make the most of technology while still protecting their wellbeing.
That’s why we are delighted to share this guest article by teacher Tamara Tindall, who explores whether screen time should be a compulsory part of homework tasks. Drawing on her classroom experience, Tamara highlights the benefits, the risks, and the practical considerations every educator and parent should keep in mind.
Should screen time be a compulsory part of homework tasks?
Schools, colleges and universities everywhere are increasingly incorporating digital technology tools into everyday learning. During classes, this can make for a more manageable way to set assignments, grade papers, and generally manage admin tasks – plus, it can allow students access to tailored content and personalised learning platforms. But once the school day is done and students head home, should they still be engaging in screen time as part of their academic work?
Encouraging screen time in an academic setting is somewhat controversial. But why should – or shouldn’t – screens be used? Here, we examine some of the benefits and drawbacks of compulsory screen time for homework tasks.
Encouraging online safety awareness
By assigning students digital tasks, educators and parents can help young people engage with technology in a positive, healthy way, supervising them as needed. As we know, the online world can be dangerous – but by allowing students to access it in a regulated setting, we can help them discover the benefits and risks while simultaneously being there to provide support.
Teenagers in particular may be drawn to social media platforms, and the truth is, few young people will make it out of their teens without having engaged with online content in some form. With the support of parents and guardians, some educators may want to take it one step further, by encouraging online exploration as a homework task in itself – it could equip young people with valuable skills in staying safe online and prompt discussion around consuming and contributing to online content responsibly.
Gaining valuable career skills
Although students may not need to engage in screen time for homework in particular, there’s no doubt that doing so will go a long way in preparing them for the working world. With such a large portion of the job market being made up of digital roles, and remote or hybrid working the new normal for many companies, it pays to educate students on screen time best practices ahead of time.
For example, engineers, IT specialists, accountants, teachers, and admin staff all spend a significant amount of time in front of screens. Paired with additional screen time during daily commutes and while unwinding at home, this can easily add up to 18 hours’ worth of screen time daily. While this might be a frightening statistic, it illustrates just how important it is that the next workforce knows how to use technology in a helpful – rather than harmful – way.
How much is too much screen time, and can it be regulated?
Of course, there is such a thing as too much screen time, and that’s something educators would need to figure out how to navigate. The drawback of making screen time compulsory for homework is that different people react to screen time in different ways, and while one student may be able to switch off after their academic tasks are complete, another may struggle to part with their tech and experience symptoms of a screen time addiction.
This is where strict rules, regulations and safeguarding tactics would need to be put in place. For example, educators could set one piece of compulsory screen time homework per week, to be completed on a device that is the school’s property, which would then need to be returned after the homework deadline.
Plus, the school providing devices also helps tackle the issue that not everyone has access to the same level of technology. While some children will have easy access to a computer, that’s not the case for every household, and shouldn’t be assumed.
Screen time that’s appropriate
For some homework assignments, it simply wouldn’t be feasible to not use digital tools – but usually, this applies to college and university students relying on the internet for research assignments. No matter the type of academic institution, educators have a responsibility to ensure that the assignments they set are in the students’ best interests to complete, for the best chance of academic success.
Author bio: Tamara Tindall is a teacher with a passion for all things tech. She enjoys working in collaboration with other teachers and parents to ensure students are able to interact with screens in a safe, responsible way.
At UK Student Solutions Ltd, we know that student success goes beyond academics — it also depends on wellbeing, balance, and the right support systems. For international students, managing screen time can be even more challenging when they are adapting to a new country, a new routine, and the pressures of independent study. That’s why our team works closely with families, schools, and guardians to ensure students not only excel academically but also build healthy habits that prepare them for life beyond the classroom. By raising questions like those in Tamara Tindall’s article, we hope to spark conversations that help parents and educators make informed decisions to support the next generation of learners.
