A middle school in Kansas is making a shift in how students use technology, moving away from assigning each child a personal Chromebook to limit screen time.

What used to be loaded into every student’s backpack will now stay in the classroom at McPherson Middle School.

“Technology has a wonderful place in education, but what we have found is that we’ve just simply immersed students too much in technology,” McPherson Middle School Principal Inge Esping said. “It’s too readily available and therefore there’s a lot of distractions.”

New system keeps devices in classrooms

Under the new system, students will no longer take a Chromebook with them each night. Instead, the students will find carts in their homerooms where they can check out a Chromebook for the duration of their assignment and then put it back.

The change is designed to limit screen time, something parents say reduces anxiety.

“I’m excited about it. I think it’s going to be a good thing,” Jacob Younger, a parent, said. “We want our kids to be happy and successful, and not have some of these social anxieties and depression and whatever.”

Younger said he’s already seeing benefits from the policy change.

“Even within the few days of doing it, my kids are enjoying going outside, playing football with the neighbor kids. We’ve gone back to playing board games,” Younger said.

Teachers embrace hands-on approach

Despite some parents showing hesitation over assignment deadlines, teachers are already adopting a more hands-on approach.

“They’re offering new ways to manipulate with paper, pencil, hands-on projects already,” Esping said. “Our teachers have been really excited about this change overall.”

The goal is to keep students connected in the classroom and a little more disconnected online.