Google’s ‘School Time’ feature helps parents manage children’s device use during school hours, balancing focus and connectivity. The tech giant has introduced a new tool for Android phones and other devices, designed to reduce distractions for children during the school day.
Developed in response to parental feedback on screen time management, ‘School Time’ allows parents to create a dedicated home screen with limited functionality on their child’s personal device. Using Family Link, Google’s parental control app, parents can schedule and select which apps are permitted during school hours, as well as choose to allow calls or texts from specific contacts.
Siya Madikane, Communications Manager at Google, explained, “Parents think deeply about how their children should use technology, including how to strike the right balance between online and offline time. We are continuously investing in research and development to address the evolving needs of parents and children.”
The feature extends beyond the classroom, offering the option to activate ‘School Time’ during homework sessions or screen breaks. For teenagers not supervised through Family Link, Android devices offer a Focus mode to limit notifications and distractions during specified periods.
Google plans to expand ‘School Time’ to more devices over the next year, including select Android phones, tablets, and Samsung Galaxy Watches, aiming to foster a productive learning environment across various platforms.
The company has also introduced new supervision features for parents of teenagers using YouTube. This allows parents and teens to link their accounts, giving parents insight into their teens’ YouTube activity. Recognising the need for age-appropriate supervision, Google enables parents to customise settings based on their child’s age, developmental stage, and family parenting style.
Safety measures have been bolstered for users under 18, with default settings including SafeSearch activation, content restrictions, and autoplay deactivation on YouTube. “We have introduced new safeguards that limit recommendations of videos with content that could be problematic, especially for teens, if viewed in repetition – such as content related to body image,” Madikane added.
As technology continues to play an integral role in education, Google’s ‘School Time’ represents a step towards balancing digital engagement with focused learning. By collaborating with experts in child development, education, and technology, the company aims to shape a future where technology enhances rather than hinders the educational experience.
