While aware of the touted plus points, many parents and educators are justifiably concerned about the less positive effects of too much screen time and an accompanying shift away from the traditional pillars of a good education.

They see the obvious need for clear rules and limits, not just a laid-back “go with the flow” attitude. In this, their instincts and observations are backed up by a range of academic and medical research which cautions against an unquestioning acceptance of new norms, and offers practical advice and recommendations on how best to proceed and where to draw the lines.

For instance, a 2017 study by the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) found that excessive use of digital devices without parental guidance has a negative impact on children’s behaviour, academic performance and physical health status.

The study looked at usage across a wide cross-section of Hong Kong youngsters. Over a five-year period from 2012, the research team followed 681 children from age five in kindergarten to age nine in primary school. Key findings included that the time Hong Kong kids already spent with smartphones, computers, TVs, tablets and game consoles was much higher than in other parts of the world.

This meant they had less time for exercise and in-person interactions. And ultimately that could put them at greater risk of physical and mental health concerns as they got older.

Indeed, HKU’s cohort study showed that the preschoolers who spent more time watching TV and playing video games at the age of five were more likely to become overweight and have behavioural problems, including emotional issues, hyperactivity, and poor academic scores by the time they reached nine.

A parallel HKU study of primary schoolchildren identified a clear link between screen time and the risk of ADHD (attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder), leading to a conclusion that the pattern of digital device usage was “alarming”. Therefore, careful guidance from parents and teachers is essential to guard against overuse and potential harm.

Hong Kong’s Department of Health (DH) is similarly forthright in its recommendations about exerting necessary controls and vigilance. Like everyone, it recognises that, these days, children are inevitably exposed to the internet and electronic products from a very young age. And they will continue to become ever more immersed in the online world for learning, communication and entertainment.

However, the department was particularly concerned by findings from its own surveys on these evolving trends. Most notably, it was found that some parents were already allowing babies less than a year old to have regular contact with digital devices, which set the alarm bells ringing.

“Many people [seemed to think] that early screen use might help children’s development,” said a DH spokesman. “Yet, research found that excessive use of on-screen media can cause harm for preschoolers, both physical and by affecting language acquisition and cognitive development.”

When dealing with carers and early-years educators, the DH is quick to explain that the prime time for the mental development of children is before the age of six, but particularly from birth to two.

Therefore, with reference to guidelines set out by the World Health Organization and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), it emphasises that the priority for the under-twos should always be parent-child interaction. In addition, at that age, carers should avoid allowing any contact with screens or electronic products. The only exception might be something like an interactive video-chat with family members, under close parental supervision.

For children aged between two and five, the accumulated daily time for watching TV or using a computer, tablet or smartphone should be restricted to less than an hour,” said the DH spokesman. “Also, any screen-based activities should interactive, educative and guided.”

Accordingly, the department, which first convened an advisory group of medical specialists and relevant professionals back in 2013, continues to provide tips, information and resources to promote better understanding and practice in tackling this issue.

“For us, strategic teacher engagement and training ensure problems are minimised,” said Helen Kelly, lower school principal at the Canadian International School of Hong Kong (CDNIS). “Students might sometimes want to push the boundaries of what is acceptable, but we use this as a teachable moment. We also provide a high level of support for teachers, students and parents to address the inevitable technical problems that arise.”

The basic philosophy of the school’s early-years kindergarten programme is to offer a hands-on, play-based environment, which rarely calls for the use of digital devices. This, Kelly noted, is in keeping with developmental needs and age-appropriate best practice.

“When iPads are used for our younger students, it is to give them agency over recording and sharing their learning with their families. From Grade 1 on, we have a 1:1 device programme.”

The challenge, of course, always lies in striking the right balance. Students have to acquire the digital literacy and citizenship skills they will need later in life. And well-supervised use of technology can increase engagement levels, besides promoting collaboration and communication among young pupils.

“At CDNIS, the homeroom teacher is responsible for monitoring screen time within the classroom setting,” Kelly said. “We also educate parents to monitor and limit screen time at home. Our objective, however, is to develop responsibility and self-management skills in our students from an early age, under controlled guidance.

“The current online learning situation is teaching us all the value of face-to-face instruction and interaction, and about the potential negative impact on physical and mental health of an over-reliance on technology. So we ensure staff, students and parents are aware and, hopefully, empowered to make the right decisions about the presence of digital in their lives.”

For Arthur Fang, a Canadian-trained speech-language pathologist, the AAP guidelines are an excellent starting point on time limits for daily screen usage. But his work as a therapist has also shown him how effective devices can be in helping children with speech and language difficulties.

“Therapy sessions are only once or twice a week. But learning at home can now occur anytime, anywhere,” he said. “We can provide a comprehensive programme to work on outside the clinic. With technology, we can send materials via email and use online learning platforms or off-the-shelf applications that are readily available on tablets and smartphones.”

In all cases, though, adult help is essential. Where therapy is involved, this also encourages the benefits of interaction and modelling while working through the tasks on the computer.

“For example, I might give a disfluency (stuttering) tracking form to a secondary school student and his parents to monitor progress, and we all have access to the online Excel spreadsheet,” Fang said. “More generally, what is concerning is when children are left alone with tablets and phones. They become engrossed and play with other non-teaching apps. Parents have to enforce rules at home when children are young, or it will only get worse later.”

Despite the widespread enthusiasm for devices and the seemingly inexorable direction of change, Sarah Brennan, author and publisher of The Chinese Calendar Tales for young children, remains unconvinced. As a committed advocate for the more standard teaching methods, especially when it comes to literacy and comprehension, she keeps a close eye on international studies, which show unexpected and less-than-desirable outcomes of an overeager embrace of technology.

She noted, for example, that an Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development report in 2016 found that most countries which invested heavily in education-related IT equipment “did not witness an appreciable improvement in student achievement over the past 10 years.” This referred to subjects like reading, maths and science. And high-achieving school systems, such as in South Korea and Shanghai, had overall lower levels of computer use.

In Australia, which committed to a “one laptop per child” policy in 2012, levels of literacy have since been falling in the international rankings.

“Considering that Australia has one of the highest GDPs per capita in the world, this is simply disgraceful,” Brennan said. “It is hard to see how one laptop per child has produced any benefit to educational attainment when you look at the country’s decline in literacy levels in recent years.”