Phones at School - Yes or No?

Well, the Australians have just proved that they are not very future-focused, with the state of Victoria deciding to ban mobile phones at all schools. Even in New Zealand recently, an intermediate school was also reported as banning the use of cellphones at school because staff said that the "devices were the biggest learning hindrance."  This is so disappointing as cellphones can be the biggest learning support that a learner has 24/7 access to in the school day. Research has shown that screentime is not harmful for learners. I am trying to get my head around why a school community makes a decision to ban use of these phones which have computer systems which are more powerful than the computers that sent mankind to the moon.  So here goes.

Negatives (all that I can think of):  

• Learners are distracted in class.
• Learners are using the devices inappropriately for off-task behaviour, because they go online, using apps and texting each other during class time.
• Learners are using platforms to bully other students.
• Learners are sexting and sharing inappropriate content which by-passes the schools' internet filters.

Positives:  24/7 access to all of the following.  

• Access to the hugest accumulation of knowledge and information ever compiled.
• Learners research information (google, youtube, search engines).
• Learners create evidence of learning (- Photos and videos, Keep, OneNote, Docs, slides)
• Instant communication - obviously contact with home, but less obvious - learners make local, national, and global connections for learning (consultation with experts for example) using phone, email, messaging
• Learners use learning aids - google classroom and a zillion other apps that teachers should know about which make literacy, numeracy and all curricular learning come alive.
• Learners use memory aids - take videos and images in class as prompts
• Learners use accessibility aids - for those with additional learning needs
• Calendar for organisational tools
• GPS tracking (for parents)
• Store emergency contact information
• Classroom Collaboration (eg kahoot, socrative, slides, padlets, Thinglink, OneNote, Diigo social bookmarking)
• Create new artifacts (Voice Notes, snapguides, screencasts, stopmotion videos, use pedometers and other physical activity measures, make maps,).

So let's see if we can address some of the negative issues that teachers are faced with.  

1. If learners are distracted in class, what does this tell you about the quality and relevance of the learning that they are doing?  Surely it points to changes needed in pedagogical practice rather than taking away a valuable tool.  I always ask teachers to focus on the outcomes of the learning for the day rather than what the learners may be doing at any one instance.  What outcomes are you expecting from your learners?  What product? What evidence of learning?NOT what evidence of carrying out a task!  "Busy work" may keep your learners quiet but are they really learning?
2. Simon Sinek's golden circles. Let's go back to this idea again.    I always ask teachers what they want their students to learn. I am often given a list of tasks that they want to students to do which describes how they imagine the students are going to learn.  If you can identify what you want your learners to learn and why they should learn it, then the "how" gives learners licence to create their own knowledge and understandings and demonstrate it to you.  Learning should be steeped in collaboration, communication, connectivity, creativity, critical thinking and citizenship.  Why are we not making use of the tools that we all have that allow these things?  Yes, Chromebooks can do many of these things, but not all, and why not use phones as supplementary devices, if not the device?  Don't they need to be able to use their phones in much more creative ways?
3. As with all behaviour, we can use digital citizenship issues to teach learners how to behave and react, based as always on the values of our school community.  Every teacher and parent should not be afraid to address digital citizenship issues as they arise, just as they normally address behavioural issues in class.  Discuss, debate and agree on acceptable behaviour, work as a school community to eliminate poor behaviour.  Teach resilience - how to cope with the unexpected and nasty curve-balls that life throws our way.  What to do when someone bullies you?  How should you deal with people who find that the only way they can feel superior is to put down others? Because most people are actually pretty nice.  It is a minority who need further education.
4. Sexting and other inappropriate behaviour must be dealt with as it arises.  Not your crime and punishment approach, but an approach that incorporates restorative practices for victims.  Stop talking around it and start talking to the learners.

I think that many teachers are still determined to be the sage on the stage in their classrooms.  They want control over how students learn and that control usually means - "listen to me, I am the font of all knowledge."  But they are not and should not portray themselves as such! 
There are down-sides to having phones in class but they are far outweighed by the positive  possibilities and I think it is about time our learners were allowed to use the devices they are most familiar with to be able to demonstrate their learning.  These are the tools they will be equipped with in the future - they are currently using the most primitive tools they will have in their future lives.  It is time that parents, teachers, education sectors and our communities caught up with the realities of the future.

References 

https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-47825826

https://cellphones.lovetoknow.com/Pros_of_Cell_Phones_in_School

https://www.teachhub.com/how-use-cell-phones-learning-tools

https://cellphones.lovetoknow.com/apps-students