Parent Partnerhip
In this section, we would be posting webinars and blogs on the scientific principles and practices that will assist you to partner us in preparing your child for an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous society.
Singapore research on screen time and your child's learning ability
January 31, 2023
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The study, conducted by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS), the Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), the National Institute of Education, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, McGill University, and Harvard Medical School was published on Tuesday in the
peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA Pediatrics.
Screen time exposure could affect learning ability beyond childhood
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The study of 506 children showed that infants who were exposed to more screen time had more “low-frequency” brain waves – a state that is correlated with lack of cognitive alertness.
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Children with deficits in executive function often have difficulty controlling impulses or emotions, sustaining attention, following through multi-step instructions, and persisting in hard tasks.
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In a joint statement on Monday, NUS and SICS said the brain of a child grows rapidly from birth until early childhood, but the part of the brain which controls executive functioning, known as the prefrontal cortex, has a longer development period.
Long Term beneficial effects of quality preschool education
Research results from the study of short & long term effects of Boston Public School's universal preschool program revealed some insightful findings.
The Study
The study covers more than 4000 preschool applicants from 1997 to 2003. In Boston, the limited number of preschool spaces led to the use of a random lottery to win a seat. The situation allows for 3 economists from MIT, UC Berkeley and UChicago using a randomized research design to study the short and long terms outcome of those enrolled versus those who did not win a seat.
Short term academic effects:
The authors found that there is little detectable impact on elementary, middle, and high school state standardized test scores. There was also minimal effect on the likelihood that a student repeats a grade.
Long term educational attainment effect
Enrolling in preschool increased the likelihood of a student graduating from high school by 6 percentage points. It also increase the likelihood of college attendance by 8 percentage point. Preschool enrolees has a 9 percentage points increase in taking SAT.
Short term behaviour effects
Findings indicate that attending preschool reduced total high school suspensions and decreased the likelihood of ever being in juvenile incarceration. The positive effects on student behavior suggest ongoing skill formation that culminates in higher long-term educational attainment.
Gender but no racial or income differences
While both boys and girls have a higher chance of attending college, the preschool effect is larger for boys.
In contrast, there are no differences in preschool impact by race and income.
Notwithstanding the gender difference, the study suggests that all students regardless of race or income - are likely to benefit from a universal preschool program.
This was perhaps what drove the Singapore government to uplift the overall quality of preschool education with strengthening of teacher training, curriculum leadership, establishing government kindergartens to catalyse quality improvements, enhancing affordability for financially disadvantaged families. A new agency, ECDA was form in 2012 to coordinate and regulate policies relating to early childhood education.
"The evidence shows that it takes both early interventions and programmes sustained over many years to reduce the gaps due to social backgrounds - including the gaps in non-cognitive capabilities that make a difference in life. But each time I am asked, I say that tackling the early gaps in children's lives is the most important of our strategies to secure a more cohesive society. Early Lives Matter"
Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam
From the Medical Advisory Group
