PETALING JAYA: The use of smartphones and tablet computers can significantly affect children’s thinking during exam periods with cognitive overload, says a clinical child psychologist.
Dr Noor Aishah Rosli said the constant flow of information from gadgets via notifications or games can “clutter” their minds, reducing their ability to retain and process academic material effectively.
“Continuous use of gadgets can lead to shorter attention spans, making it harder for kids to focus on studying for extended periods,” she said.
Noor Aishah said it can also increase anxiety as children might feel pressured to stay connected or keep up with their peers, leaving less time for productive studying.
She said this in response to the benefits of keeping students away from gadgets while they prepare for examinations such as the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia or Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia.
Noor Aishah added that the overuse of gadgets can cause anxiety, depression and low self- esteem, especially when comparing themselves with others on social media.
This, she said, can affect their academic performance, as excessive gadget use takes time away from studying, resulting in lower grades and less understanding of academic material.
It can also cause behavioural issues, leading to irritability or aggression and poor social skills, and hinder face-to-face communication, causing social isolation, she added.
On how students can control their gadget usage, Noor Aishah suggested enforcing limits by helping them develop self-control and time-management skills.
“You can minimise the distractions by turning off constant notifications, which will reduce the temptation to check gadgets,” she said.
Parent Action Group for Education chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said students should lock their phones and stay away from social media because striking a balance is important.
“This is because much of the learning post Covid-19 is conducted online.
“The concerns are that time is wasted (while spending time on social media) instead of utilising it for studying and having enough rest as well as adequate sleep,” she said.
Noor Azimah added that teachers should consider the Feynman technique when explaining concepts to students.
The Feynman learning technique comprises four key steps.
It involves selecting a concept to learn, teaching it to a student, reviewing and refining a student’s understanding, as well as organising the notes and revisiting them regularly.
Noor Azimah said students can use it to simplify learning independently without relying much on social media.
When it comes to using phones among students, there is the good side and the bad side, but how the good is utilised will be the game changer, said National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP) secretary-general Fouzi Singon.
“The negative side is when kids waste their time with these gadgets instead of doing revision for their exams. In this pursuit of having a good time, they are actually losing precious time studying.
“But there are teachers who also encourage revision by following certain content creators who are educators, churning out techniques, motivations, questionnaires and topics to help students.“So, it depends on how well parents monitor what their kids are doing; it is all about control,” he said.
