Students' Use of AI Report

 A  nationally representative survey of more than 1,000 teenagers indicated that 72 percent of teens have used AI as companions at least once, while 21 percent use them as companions a few times per week, and 13 percent use them daily. While almost half of survey respondents (46 percent) said they view AI as tools or programs, 33 percent said they use them for social interaction and relationships, 18 percent said they use them for conversation or social practice, 12 percent said they use them for emotional or mental health support, and another 12 percent said they use them for role-playing or imaginative scenarios (multiple responses to the question were allowed). But even AI chatbots specifically designed for mental health therapy—in which these types of safeguards should be baked in—currently may not be much better suited to the task than an all-purpose bot such as ChatGPT. AI demonstrated increased stigma toward certain mental health conditions, including schizophrenia, compared to other conditions such as depression, which could lead people with those stigmatized conditions to stop seeking therapy altogether. (excerpted from School Library Journal)

The Dawn of the AI Era: Teens, Parents, and the Adoption of Generative AI at Home and School. (2025). Common Sense Media. 

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/press-releases/new-report-shows-students-are-embracing-artificial-intelligence-despite-lack-of-parent-awareness-and

COVID-19 impact studies

The coronavirus pandemic along with remote instruction are affecting students' academic progress, as well as their overall well-being, according to a CDC study. Of parents surveyed, 25% of those whose children are learning remotely said their children's mental or emotional health had worsened -- compared with 16% of those whose children are learning in person.

Verlenden JV, Pampati S, Rasberry CN, et al. Association of Children’s Mode of School Instruction with Child and Parent Experiences and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic — COVID Experiences Survey, United States, October 8–November 13, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:369–376. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7011a1

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Oral reading fluency stalled for many second- and third-grade students last spring, according to a study by researchers from the Stanford Graduate School of Education. found that students currently in second and third grade are now approximately 30% behind what would be expected in a typical year in reading fluency. Additionally, the study found that there was an inequitable impact, with students in historically lower-achieving districts — which often serve a greater share of low-income and minority students — developing reading skills at a slower rate than those in higher-achieving ones. The study adds that these are populations that were disproportionately affected by the pandemic in ways that impinge on their readiness to learn, including lack of access to computers, reliable internet access or a parent at home.

Dominique, B., et al. (2021). Changing patterns of growth in oral reading fluency during the COVID-10 pandemic. PACE.

https://edpolicyinca.org/publications/changing-patterns-growth-oral-reading-fluency-during-covid-19-pandemic

Social Media Opposition Amongst Younger Generation

The study provides evidence of a growing backlash among young people who wish social media did not exist due to negative aspects such as online abuse and fake news. In assessing students’ opinions on social media, a survey of 5,000 students was conducted by Digital Awareness UK at various schools in England. According to the study, such negative perceptions of social media were due to the impacts it had on the emotional wellbeing of participants. Two thirds of schoolchildren in this study said they would be happy if social media had never been invented, and 71 percent said they had taken temporary digital detoxes to escape it. Nearly half of the participants mentioned receiving abusive comments online. Roughly half of the participants also admitted to being on the edge of addiction and that social media lowered their self-images. Many young people are rebelling against having constant social media access by adopting the outdated “brick” phones that are no longer widely used.

Robertson, C. (2017). Tech control of your future on special media. Paper presented at Headmasters’ and Headmistresses’ Conference, Belfast, Oct. 2-5. http://www.hmc.org.uk/blog/young-people-rebelling-social-media-survey-reveals/