I have written about the issue of banning cellphones before here (I encourage you to read it because it has links to the voices of other Ontario educators). I was disheartened when Lisa Thompson, Minister of Education for Ontario posted this:
Cellphones in classrooms have become a distraction for students. Parents and teachers across Ontario have expressed how they are negatively impacting the learning experience. The PC government will consult on how schools can remove these disruptive devices from the classroom. pic.twitter.com/P6Dy3ufqGC
— Lisa Thompson (@LisaThompsonMPP) August 23, 2018
The wording is what is disconcerting. Perhaps I am misreading? It isn’t asking how schools can consult about the opportunities and challenges of devices, but how they can be removed.
I’m certain that many people will think this is a great idea. In fact, there may be a few teachers who think this is a great idea. Here are my concerns and my wonderings:
- Many of the cellphones students have in their pockets are more powerful and faster than the computers in my school. Will the PC Government provide additional funds to compensate for the need that BYOD (bring your own device) fulfils?
- While most people use their cell phones for entertainment, teachers are increasingly showing students how to use their devices as incredible tools for learning. My students use them to share their voices in class and to create demonstrations of their learning using a variety of free apps. Might banning cellphones create an inequity between kids who are self-starters or who have tech-savvy parents vs those who don’t?
- A Common Sense Media study tell us that adult role modelling is essential to prevent problematic use of devices and Albert Bandura’s theory of Observational Learning tells us that children will emulate the behaviours they see. How can we model if they/we aren’t allowed access?
- In an August 22nd tweet, Ms. Thompson states, “It’s time for our education curriculum to teach students the life skills they need to succeed in today’s complex world.” Aren’t cellphones a part of that complex world? Shouldn’t we be showing students how to use them to their full potential and in context? Isn’t learning how to self-regulate and being mindful of media consumption a valuable life skill that needs to be taught, especially since self-regulation is a learning skill in the Ontario report card and Media is a strand in the Language Arts and English curriculum?
- Administrators and teachers have enough to do in a day. Who will enforce a cellphone ban?
- I have met students who are incredible leaders and who use devices in ways that would have never occurred to me. Have students been consulted in this process?
I do hope that people look at the various perspectives and that there truly is a consultation process in place.
