E-learning necessary for lower primary pupils?

Pen & paper or tablets: Which is better?

Using games to learn, intentionally

Not screen duration, but screen activity

Smartphone ban, effective in long run?

Good digital habits

Generation of hasty readers

Home-school conflict

How parents can better navigate the home-school conflict.

Synopsis: Join us for a five-part limited-edition podcast series this November by The Straits Times where we discuss the challenges of raising kids in a world that's always plugged in.

When MOE fast tracked their plan to provide students with their own personal learning devices because of the Covid-19 pandemic, classrooms in Singapore schools shifted a lot of their lessons online.

While teachers grappled with brushing up their skills to effectively integrate online tools into their lessons, many parents also had to deal with managing the use of these devices at home.

In this episode, Host Elisha Tushara is joined by Professor May Lim, Associate Vice President of Lifelong Learning at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), who is also a mother of two.

Two strong themes surfaced during this discussion was whether this has resulted in a generation of students who lack engaging with complex and long texts, and whether they should be taught intentionality when learning online.

Highlights (click/tap above):

0:00 Intro 

4:26 Is digital learning necessary for lower primary pupils?

5:59 Pen and paper or tablets: Which is better?

7:55 Using gaming to learn, with the right intentions

11:15 Not about the screen duration, but the screen activity

15:45 No smartphones in schools, effective in the long run?

19:58 Good digital habits: Eye breaks, multitasking myths 

23:40 Nurturing a generation of hasty readers

27:28 Home-school conflict

---

Read more ST Screen Timeout articles: https://str.sg/screentimeout 

Host: Elisha Tushara (elisha@sph.com.sg)

Read Elisha’s articles: https://str.sg/5VVJ

Follow Elisha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/94WA

Produced and edited by: Studio+65 and Fa’izah Sani

Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Amelia Teng

---

Follow Screens Down, Look Up limited series every Monday (Nov 2 - 30):

Channel: https://str.sg/bKan 

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/57aK 

Spotify: https://str.sg/agZP 

YouTube: https://str.sg/yxuv 

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

---

Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

---

Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

#screensdownlookup

How parents can better navigate the home-school conflict.
Synopsis: Join us for a five-part limited-edition podcast series this November by The Straits Times where we discuss the challenges of raising kids in a world that's always plugged in.
When MOE fast tracked their plan to provide students with their own personal learning devices because of the Covid-19 pandemic, classrooms in Singapore schools shifted a lot of their lessons online.
While teachers grappled with brushing up their skills to effectively integrate online tools into their lessons, many parents also had to deal with managing the use of these devices at home.
In this episode, Host Elisha Tushara is joined by Professor May Lim, Associate Vice President of Lifelong Learning at Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), who is also a mother of two.
Two strong themes surfaced during this discussion was whether this has resulted in a generation of students who lack engaging with complex and long texts, and whether they should be taught intentionality when learning online.
Highlights (click/tap above):
0:00 Intro&nbsp;
4:26 Is digital learning necessary for lower primary pupils?
5:59 Pen and paper or tablets: Which is better?
7:55 Using gaming to learn, with the right intentions
11:15 Not about the screen duration, but the screen activity
15:45 No smartphones in schools, effective in the long run?
19:58 Good digital habits: Eye breaks, multitasking myths&nbsp;
23:40 Nurturing a generation of hasty readers
27:28 Home-school conflict
---
Read more ST Screen Timeout articles: <a href="https://str.sg/screentimeout">https://str.sg/screentimeout</a>&nbsp;
Host: Elisha Tushara (<a href="mailto:elisha@sph.com.sg">elisha@sph.com.sg</a>)
Read Elisha&rsquo;s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/5VVJ">https://str.sg/5VVJ</a>
Follow Elisha on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/94WA">https://str.sg/94WA</a>
Produced and edited by: Studio+65 and Fa&rsquo;izah Sani
Executive producers: Ernest Luis, Amelia Teng
---
Follow Screens Down, Look Up limited series every Monday (Nov 2 - 30):
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/bKan">https://str.sg/bKan</a>&nbsp;
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/57aK">https://str.sg/57aK</a>&nbsp;
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/agZP">https://str.sg/agZP</a>&nbsp;
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/yxuv">https://str.sg/yxuv</a>&nbsp;
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store:<a href="https://str.sg/icyB"> https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play:<a href="https://str.sg/icyX"> https://str.sg/icyX</a>
#screensdownlookup

Synopsis: Join us for a five-part limited-edition podcast series by The Straits Times from Nov 2-30, 2026, where we discuss the challenges of raising kids in a world that's always plugged in.

Every parent knows the feeling of the digital tug-of-war. You’re exhausted, the kids are restless and the glowing screen seems like the only way that can get them to be still. 

We’re not here to tell you how bad phones are and to put them down. We want to sit down with experts and parents to unpack the realities of raising children, listen to what the science is saying about kids and screens, and have honest conversations about what childhood looks like today in a world that’s always plugged in.  

If you’re a parent wanting more connection, more play and fewer screen battles, this is the right place for you.

Host: Elisha Tushara

Produced and edited by: Studio+65 and Fa'izah Sani

Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Amelia Teng

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.

Synopsis: Join us for a five-part limited-edition podcast series by The Straits Times from Nov 2-30, 2026, where we discuss the challenges of raising kids in a world that's always plugged in.
Every parent knows the feeling of the digital tug-of-war. You&rsquo;re exhausted, the kids are restless and the glowing screen seems like the only way that can get them to be still.&nbsp;
We&rsquo;re not here to tell you how bad phones are and to put them down. We want to sit down with experts and parents to unpack the realities of raising children, listen to what the science is saying about kids and screens, and have honest conversations about what childhood looks like today in a world that&rsquo;s always plugged in.&nbsp;&nbsp;
If you&rsquo;re a parent wanting more connection, more play and fewer screen battles, this is the right place for you.
Host: Elisha Tushara
Produced and edited by: Studio+65 and Fa'izah Sani
Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Amelia Teng
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media.