There is a vigorous debate going on about screen use in Australian schools and how much and what kinds are good for learning.

Education Minister Jason Clare has called for a “digital detox”, amid calls from some parents to see screens banned in primary years. New South Wales has announced screen time limits for schools, following a similar move in Victoria earlier this year.

At the same time, some researchers argue kids need digital skills to live and work – and so need to learn how to use screens at school. But amid concerns about potential risks and benefits, we lack evidence about what is actually happening in classrooms.

For a new report funded by the New South Wales Department of Education, we talked to parents, students and teachers about what is happening in schools.

Their responses suggest the reality of screen use in schools is not always what the community might assume.

Between August and November 2025, our research team conducted anonymous surveys about how screens are being used in schools in the state.

We surveyed 1,057 students, 914 teachers and 1,686 parents/carers from NSW public, Catholic and independent schools. Survey links were distributed via school principals across all NSW public and independent schools and participating Catholic dioceses. Participants self-selected to respond.

What do parents want?

Parents in our survey tended to agree that using digital devices was important for their child’s learning, though less for primary school parents (55%) compared to high school parents (71%).

We also asked........

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