By Linda Conner Lambeck

WESTPORT–Questions remain, but the school board voted on Thursday to proceed with student, staff and parent surveys that are part of an audit of screen-time use in the district as it relates to teaching and learning.

“As presented and amended … you’re good to go,” Board Chair Lee Goldstein said after a questionnaire aimed at finding out student perceptions on screen-time use was scrubbed of all references to social media, gaming or other non-school related use of technology.

The vote was 4-0, with board members Jill Dillon, Abby Toland and Andy Frankel absent from the meeting.

The district is trying to determine the amount of time students use technology to do schoolwork by reviewing curriculum and instructional practices, analyzing network usage patterns, and through surveys.

Schools Superintendent Thomas Scarice said the surveys are an important component of the audit because it will provide a baseline of usage as the district tries to embrace the use of Artificial Intelligence while at the same time limiting the amount of time students are glued to an electronic device.

The survey asks respondents how much time they spend on technology during the school day and how they feel about that. Also asked is what respondents feel is an ideal amount of time spent on technology in a typical school day and to complete homework, as well as the impact technology has on things like academic performance, time management and problem solving.

Questions that would have asked about the impact technology use has on social interactions, emotional well-being and physical health were cut after board members questioned their value.

Even questions that asked students how much they communicate with peers via technology “seems like you are smuggling in a question about personal use,” said Board Member Stephen Shackelford. “I don’t like it.”

Shackelford called some questions broader than they should be. He raised similar questions when the board first considered the survey questions at a meeting earlier this month.

So many questions were raised during the earlier meeting, it was sent back to the drawing board.

On Thursday, Assistant Superintendent Anna Mahon said the district worked with survey developer Hanover Research to address board concerns.

“The feedback was helpful. The survey is better than when first proposed,” said Assistant Superintendent Michael Rizzo.

The new surveys do not ask students demographic information.

In general, the questionnaire is trying to figure out if technology is being overused. They are designed to take about 10 minutes to complete and would be taken voluntarily, anonymously on school chrome books, or if students prefer, with paper and pencil.

Goldstein called questions about time spent online for homework as appropriate.

The homework question asked about time spent online to complete assignments but also all the ways technology was used for homework, from checking assignments, to using online texts, collaborating with peers and completing assignments.

Goldstein said she is also curious about how much teachers think students spend online for schoolwork vs how much students say they do.

Before voting, the board sought assurances that student responses given online cannot be tracked. 

Linda Conner Lambeck

^{_{Linda Conner Lambeck covers education for Westport Journal. She was a reporter for more than four decades at the Connecticut Post and other Hearst publications. She has covered education throughout Fairfield and New Haven counties. She is a proud member of the Education Writers Association.}}