The average student’s ability to make and maintain eye contact has gotten worse compared with a decade ago, according to nearly two-thirds of K-12 teachers, principals and district leaders in a recent EdWeek Research Center survey.

Pandemic isolation and the proliferation of cellphones and social media are major contributors to the decline, which has caused the overall atrophying of children’s social skills, according to educators.

Twenty-five percent of the 868 survey respondents described the problem as “much worse” than 10 years ago, and 1 in 5 rated current students’ eye-contact skills as “poor.”

Educators say poor eye contact is already eroding students’ relationships with teachers and peers, and lacking this skill could hamper them when they enter the workforce.

Education Week, Aug. 16