Televisions, electronic games, iPods, the internet and mobile phones were all banned for year five and six pupils, as part of a University of Ballarat research project.

Year 6 pupil Saskia Gallasch said the challenge was tougher than she expected.

“You really notice how much you rely on it,” she said. “I’m happy now that it’s over.”

Fellow pupil Marcello Placidi said he now had a greater appreciation of the technology he used daily. “It was a week of torture,” he joked.”

Teacher Svantje Mertens said pupils reported their days felt longer because of the TV ban and they now had a greater appreciation of the technology used in their daily lives.