Digital detox is welcome – but are we measuring what really matters?
A CQUniversity education neuroscientist welcomes Australia's move to reduce classroom screen use and restrict AI, but says the real test will be whether children learn better and develop independent thinking.
CQUniversity Head of Educational Neuroscience Professor Ken Purnell supports the direction of the changes agreed to by Australia’s Education Ministers, including screen-time limits, restrictions on generative artificial intelligence (AI) and the return of handwritten Year 5 NAPLAN writing tests.
However, he says the focus must remain on the fundamentals of learning – developing concentration, building knowledge, strengthening foundational skills and encouraging students to think independently.
"Technology has an important place in education, but we need to be much more deliberate about how and when we use it.
"The question shouldn't simply be how much time children spend on screens. It should be whether they are actively learning, thinking for themselves and developing the skills they need.
"We need to make sure technology is supporting the learning process rather than replacing the thinking and effort that make learning happen."
Professor Purnell says emerging research into artificial intelligence highlights why this distinction matters.
A 2025 randomised trial involving almost 1000 high school mathematics students found those given unrestricted access to chatbots performed better during practice exercises but scored 17 per cent worse in a subsequent examination without AI assistance.
However, students using a tutor-style AI tool with appropriate guardrails largely avoided this negative effect.
The findings suggest that while AI can help students complete tasks, unrestricted access may also reduce the mental effort involved in developing and retaining knowledge.
"There's a difference between using AI to help a student understand something and allowing it to do the thinking for them.
"Children need opportunities to work things out, make mistakes, solve problems and develop their own understanding. Those are essential parts of learning that we cannot afford to lose."
Watch Professor Ken Purnell on ABC's 7.30 program talking about this issue.
Professor Purnell says the return to handwritten Year 5 NAPLAN writing also provides an opportunity to reconsider the balance between traditional and digital learning methods.
Research examining handwritten and typed note-taking has identified a small learning advantage associated with handwriting, although he says the broader evidence needs to be considered in real-world classroom settings.
He cautions against assuming that removing technology will automatically improve educational outcomes.
OECD research has found that students using digital devices for learning for up to an hour a day scored higher in mathematics, on average, than those reporting no use. However, the findings are correlational and do not establish that screen use itself improves performance.
Almost 30 per cent of 15-year-olds also reported being distracted by digital devices during mathematics lessons.
"These findings remind us that the issue is more complicated than simply having screens or not having screens.
"What matters is whether students are focused, engaged and actively processing what they are learning.
Professor Purnell says the establishment of the Australian Schools Digital Detox Taskforce provides an important opportunity to build an evidence-based approach to technology use in schools.
He says the taskforce should look beyond screen-time figures to assess whether the changes are improving academic performance, concentration, student engagement, wellbeing and independent thinking.
Different approaches being trialled across Australian states could also provide valuable insights into what works best for different age groups and learning environments.
"We have an opportunity to get this right, but we need to be prepared to evaluate what we are doing.
"Reducing unnecessary screen use is a sensible starting point. The real measure of success will be whether children are learning more effectively as a result.
"Ultimately, technology should be a tool that helps children learn – not something that gets in the way of learning.”
