Helping Children to Lead Healthy Lives in a Digital World: Do We Regulate the Screen Use in Schools?

Digital devices have changed our daily lives. The last two decades have seen an explosion in the use of digital technology. This use has been extended in the school context. Considering this new paradigm, the impact of screen time has been explored in the last years and paediatrics guidelines have worked on promoting a healthy use of screens. Are educators aware of the need to regulate a healthy use of screens in classrooms as well? Which actions do they take? In this study, we collected the perspectives of 11 teachers concerning the regulation of screen use in schools and their impact on students as learners. Qualitative data was collected through an online focus group. Our analysis shows that there is a lack of debate at schools about promoting a healthy use of screens. The discussion focuses on the creation of schools ready to teach and learn in the digital era and how to help children lead healthy screen use in the educational sector.