How do young people use digital technology?
We will use screen-time screenshots, young people's reflections and short surveys to learn when, how and why young people use digital technology.
What we are tryingto understand.
MyPhone/MyBrain looks at how digital technology fits into young people’s everyday lives, learning and wellbeing across Bradford and Leeds.
About MyPhone/MyBrain
MyPhone/MyBrain is a four-year research project funded by the Huo Family Foundation. The team is based at the Centre for Applied Education Research and the Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research. We work with secondary schools in Bradford and Leeds.
The project looks at young people’s digital lives, wellbeing, learning and brain development. It has two parts, each a separate choice. Young people are invited to MyBrain, a workshop at school, unless a parent or carer opts them out, and decide on the day which parts to do. MyPhone, sharing screen time, is something families opt in to online.
MyPhone asks, as an option, for screenshots of the phone’s screen-time page: which apps were used and for how long. They do not show messages, photos, or what was posted or watched, and families can hide any part of a screenshot before it is sent.
MyBrain is part of a workshop at school. A young person wears a lightweight EEG headset, sits quietly for a short time and completes a simple computer task. EEG is safe and painless. The research team brings the equipment and supports pupils throughout.
For young people who take part in the workshop, we link research data with education and health records through Connected West Yorkshire, with the approvals in place; opting out of the workshop also opts out of linking. We use this to look at longer-term patterns in learning, wellbeing and health. We share findings about groups of people. We do not give schools or families individual profiles.
Professor Faisal Mushtaq at the University of Leeds leads the project. He works with researchers in brain science, data science, education and population research.
Why are we doing this?
Phones and social media are part of many young people’s lives. People often have strong views about how they affect wellbeing. Good answers need good evidence.
We want to learn from many young people in different schools and communities. We also want to use information that reflects real life, rather than relying only on screen-time estimates.
Our aim is to produce careful, useful evidence for young people, families, schools and people who make decisions about education and health. We will share what we learn clearly and responsibly.
What we want to learn
How does brain activity change as young people grow up?
MyBrain sessions record brain activity at school while pupils rest and complete short tasks. This helps us learn about attention, self-control and how brain activity changes during adolescence.
How do digital life, brain activity and daily life connect?
With the right permissions, we may link research data to education and health records through secure systems, including Connected West Yorkshire. This helps us look at learning, wellbeing and attention over time.
How can we share findings fairly?
We will share findings carefully with schools, families, young people, researchers and people who make decisions. The study does not diagnose, screen or label individual pupils.
Research aims
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Aim 1
Run a school research project that brings together optional phone data, brain recordings and other research information.
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Aim 2
Learn about different patterns of digital technology use across the study group.
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Aim 3
Learn how brain activity varies at different ages and for young people from different backgrounds.
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Aim 4
Explore links between digital life, brain activity, learning, attention, mental health and wellbeing over time.
Co-production
Designed with young people, families and schools
Young people, teachers and parents have helped us shape MyPhone/MyBrain. Young people have told us what feels clear and comfortable. Parents have advised us on consent and communication. Teachers and school leaders help make sure the sessions work in real schools.
The project includes sensitive topics, such as social media data, brain recordings and wellbeing. Young people, parent representatives and schools will help us share findings carefully and in ways that are useful.
Inclusion
Designed to include more pupils
We have tested MyBrain workshops in 8 schools, with more than 1,000 students, and adapted them to support a wide range of pupils. This includes different hair types, religious head coverings, privacy needs and comfort during headset fitting. Pupils can still take part in the learning activities when high-quality EEG data cannot be collected.
Impact
What the project will create
MyPhone/MyBrain will create a carefully managed research resource about digital life, brain activity and growing up. We will share research summaries, tools and information as openly as we can while keeping people’s data safe. We hope this will support better decisions in schools, families, health services and research.