Digital technology has been found to be a growing distraction from learning as children are encouraged to stay home during the COVID-19 crisis.

In the first of a series of Growing Up Digital Australia reports, the Gonski Institute at the University of NSW found 84 per cent of teachers surveyed believed digital technologies were a growing distraction in the learning environment.

The report was put together before children were encouraged to stay home and learn as a result of coronavirus.

The Gonski Institute Director Adrian Piccoli tells Deborah Knight technology will be the way forward.

“Suddenly, basically all of education has been delivered remotely… what that has forced people to do is… to develop new skills, both teachers and children.

“Now that we’re forced to use it we’re seeing some of the real benefits for it.

“The kinds of stuff that has a negative impact is children on screens for long hours of the day, outside of school hours.

“Technology on its own is not evil, it’s not the devil. There’s high-value technology use and then there’s really low-value technology use.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

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