Surveys to Assess Impact of Providing Digital Devices to Students on their Learning Abilities, Learning Habits, Academic Performance and Attention Span
Ministry of EducationSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the assessment of digital devices' impact on students' learning habits, academic performance, and attention spans. Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim inquired about key performance indicators and requested the release of data to evaluate the balance between customized learning and screen-time costs. Second Minister for Education Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman stated that the National Institute of Education is conducting a two-year study commissioned in September 2022. He shared interim findings that students find devices beneficial for learning and peer collaboration, with full results expected early next year. The Minister assured that these findings would be shared once the study concludes.
Transcript
10 Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim asked the Minister for Education (a) whether the Ministry has conducted any post-implementation surveys or studies to assess the impact of providing digital devices on students’ learning abilities, learning habits, academic performance, and attention span; (b) besides digital literacy, what other key performance indicators (KPIs) are considered in evaluating the effectiveness of providing these devices to students; and (c) how will these KPIs be measured.
The Second Minister for Education (Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman): This question has been addressed in the Ministry of Education's (MOE's) published response to Question No 42 at the 11 November 2024 Sitting. [Please refer to "Ensuring Proper Use of Personal Learning Devices in Schools to Effectively Support Students' Learning", Official Report, 11 November 2024, Vol 95, Issue 145, Written Answers to Questions for Oral Answer not Answered by End of Question Time section.]
Members may refer to the published response.
Mr Speaker: Assoc Prof Jamus Lim.
Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): If I may follow up, Speaker, because I did not quite get the opportunity to pose supplementary questions on this. One major motivation behind the Parliamentary Question (PQ), stressing the importance of key performance indicators (KPIs), was because, as I am sure the Minister is aware, there is an active debate in the education literature about the net benefits of deploying technology to facilitate customised learning on one hand, versus the net cost of excess screen time on children's attention span and development of social skills.
If you would agree with me that we should not adopt an extreme approach either way by either outright banning such devices in school or allowing their use to go unmanaged, then what we really need is the data to evaluate whether this middle ground is working.
Speaking as an educator and researcher myself, I would make an appeal to MOE to consider releasing any KPI data that are collected for academic scrutiny, subject to the usual privacy provisions, of course.
Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman: Sir, I agree with the Member that we have to strike a balance. We cannot just swing one way or the other. Just to assure the Member that MOE did commission a National Institute of Education study – it was a two-year study which was commissioned in September 2022, but it is not completed yet. Data is still being assessed and some interim findings suggest that students found the use of personal learning devices beneficial in their learning, including their communications with the teachers and collaboration with peers.
But I assure the Member that once the study is completed early next year, we will share the findings with the Member.