The Mobile Device Dilemma: To Ban or To Teach?

The Mobile Device Dilemma: To Ban or To Teach?

Schools in different parts of the world are revisting to the intrusive use of phones not only in classrooms but accross the school. From Australia to Quebec, schools are banning phones banning phones school wide. Why? More research is supporting evidence that supports mobiles phones cause potential harm to learning and students' overall well-being:

• Reduced attention and focus: Students face higher rates of distraction with mobile devices at hand (https://www.compass-uk.org/services/compass-changing-lives/what-effects-do-mobile-phones-have-on-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health/).
• Cyberbullying risks: Mobile devices can offer an additional venue for negative social interactions (https://www.compass-uk.org/services/compass-changing-lives/what-effects-do-mobile-phones-have-on-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health/)
• Disrupted sleep patterns: Phone use, especially close to bedtime, can create sleep disturbances. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/when-kids-call-the-shots/202310/5-ways-excessive-cell-phone-use-decreases-mental-health)
• Mental Health Impacts: Studies like "Relationship between depression, smartphone addiction, and sleep among Chinese engineering students during the COVID-19 pandemic" highlight potential mental health implications stemming from excessive phone use (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8622754/).
• Cell Phone Addiction and Psychological and Physiological Health in Adolescents (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6449671/pdf/EXCLI-18-47.pdf).

These findings pose critical questions for educators: How do we balance the realities of our tech-centric world with a responsibility to prioritize our students' learning and wellbeing?

Are the Mobile Devices Meaningful or Merely a Distraction?

Here are two key questions to consider when thinking about student phone policies:

1. Does the lesson truly necessitate mobile device use?   When phones become distractions rather than learning tools, a temporary ban could be justified.
2. Are we actively cultivating digital citizenship? Instead of simply banning phones, are we teaching the  responsible, mindful use they'll inevitably need outside the classroom?

Navigating the Debate

Finding the best approach isn't about all-or-nothing solutions. Here are some alternatives to a complete ban:

• "Phone-free zones" and times: Clearly defined moments and places where phone use is forbidden can maximize focus. Phone use could be integrated and supervised when truly relevant to the curriculum.
• Teaching about screen time: Discussing screen time's effect on attention span and wellbeing empowers students to make more mindful choices.
• Age-based rules: Introducing the responsibility of managing a mobile device later, when students demonstrate higher self-regulation skills, could be appropriate.
• Community collaboration: Openly engaging with staff, parents, and students on this issue facilitates shared policies that are both academically rigorous and relevant to the digital world.

Some research, as outlined in "Get Phones Out of Schools Now" (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/06/ban-smartphones-phone-free-schools-social-media/674304/), points to the benefits of stricter boundaries, which can positively impact academic outcomes.

Laying the Foundations First

While building healthy mobile device habits is undoubtedly essential, perhaps we should not focus on the device itself initially.  First, consider establishing solid routines and healthy habits without digital distractions. Therefore, having an initially phone free school can be a viable solution. Introducing mobile phones at a later stage, once students show maturity and readiness, might be a more appropriate strategy.

Moving forward, educators have a responsibility to guide students into a healthier relationship with technology.  This begins with teaching essential digital citizenship and responsible use through intentional lessons and modeling those traits ourselves.

Order of operation, prioritize foundations first.

Finding the right path will require us to recognize that there are both opportunities and risks having mobile device in schools. As a thought leader in IT, my goal is to promote optimal learning conditions alongside the skills necessary to live well in a technology-driven world. One size does not fit all. Depending on the school, each community must develop, communicate, and impliment informed, sustainable policies that will champion the intellectual development and personal wellbeing for our students.