Nearly Half of S.Korean Upper Elementary Students Use Smart Devices Over 2 Hours Daily: Survey
Quick Look
- A survey by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union found that 49.2% of upper-grade elementary school students (grades 4-6) use smart devices for more than two hours daily after school.
- The survey of 2,804 students also revealed that 70% use generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, with usage increasing by grade level.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The survey was conducted on 2,804 elementary school students in grades 4-6 and released ahead of Korea's Children's Day on May 5. It marks the 104th Children's Day celebration in Korea.
SEOUL, May 4 (Yonhap) -- Nearly one out of every 2 upper-grade elementary school students use smart devices, such as smartphones and tablets, for more than two hours a day after school, a survey showed Monday. The Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union conducted the survey on 2,804 elementary school students in grades 4 through 6 from April 9-22 and released the results ahead of Tuesday's 104th Children's Day. Nearly half of them, or 49.2 percent, answered that they use smart devices for more than two hours after school. Specifically, 21.1 percent reported using smart devices for two to three hours, followed by 15.9 percent for three to four hours and 12.2 percent for more than four hours. In particular, it was found that smart device use increases as students' grade level rises. On the other hand, only 4.7 percent of the respondents said they do not use smart devices after school. Notably, 7 in 10 respondents said they use generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Gemini. In response to a question about their experience using AI, 57.4 percent reported using it "occasionally" and 14.7 percent reported using it "frequently."
Open Questions
- What are the academic or health impacts of this device usage?
- What specific activities are students engaging in on their devices?
- Are there any school or parental policies addressing this usage?
