Cell Phone Ban in Classrooms: Smart Move?

Prior to the start of the previous school year the Government of Saskatchewan followed a number of other provinces in Canada by banning cell phones in the classroom. However, this poses the question, was the ban truly beneficial, or what were the drawbacks? There are many differing perspectives to consider on the topic.

First, as a teacher who lived through the initial ban, there were many conflicting opinions. Some of these varied based on the age of the teacher who was holding said opinion, not always was it the more wizened and experienced teachers who were the ones against the ban. Because, there are benefits to the ability to have students use cell phones in the classroom. As a teacher, the cell phone was useful for quick simple tasks, like check an answer key in the Google Classroom, or look up answers quickly, having students use QR codes to access notes or websites. Cell phones were also filling the gap with device accessibility that exists as one-to-one or personal devices is not always the reality. Not all families have the same opportunities. We have been told for years, to use more technology within the classroom, why wouldn’t we use something that is in every students pocket?

On the reverse side, there are a number of drawbacks to cell phones within the classroom, which I’m sure were reasons that led to the ban happening. To start, if a phone needs to be taken away, it almost always becomes an issue. Too many times it is a “this is my personal property, you can’t take it away from me” versus “this is now a province wide ban.” Frequently too, parents were not supportive of phones being taken away, although more-so now that it became a provincially declared initiative. It was and continues to be challenging to pivot from being a phone friendly educator, where students could use their phones to complete a task, whether it be join a Kahoot!, look a word up in the dictionary, or scan a QR code, to now having to wait for chromebooks or other devices to be booted up, logged into, connect or not connect to the network etc. etc. Furthermore, it depends on how strict of a policy the school division took. Is it a complete ban? Or is it out of sight, out of mind? That was how it was within my division, and this was not something that was easily grasped by high schoolers. Because that means, they can still be on their person, and therefore, it can be used under the table and no one is the wiser, right?!

So many students using their phones under the table!
https://shorturl.at/1h4jM

Although, many opinions at the end of the school year were positive, I do still think opinions were varied. The ban was not universally making things easier, or better. Cyber bullying still happens, and it still comes into the school and the classroom. The authorities still have to get involved when bad things happen between youth online. Students still would use SnapChat to communicate with one another on breaks and sometimes that communication wasn’t always kind. Students also used SnapChat group chats to have massive discussions with their entire class, and there were many times where screenshots were shared of some very unsavoury things being said. Interventions would then have to take place, often at the school level. Often, parents are unaware and uneducated about the realities of what happens with cell phones and technology and their children. Maybe I am wrong, but that seems to be the general perception I have. There is a reason that the White Hatter, and other digital literacy resources, have become valuable resources for parents, schools and youth.

Throughout Canada, the ban was implemented with goals to improve student focus, reduce distractions, increase socialization (face-to-face!), improve mental health, and create a better learning environment. Were these goals successful? Possibly. However, I think that there needs to be a greater focus (over a year ago and still today moving into the future) on learning how to properly use cell phones as the tools that they are, rather than outright banning them. We do not have the evidence to suggest that the ban will be effective in accomplishing all of the goals intended, it may just make the addiction worse and create other side effects. Realistically, the jury is still out on the complete success of this ban for me.