Angela Fleck said this was a typical scene in her sixth-grade social studies class last year at Glover Middle School in Spokane, Washington. Almost all students had smartphones, and many regularly glanced at their devices. They hide behind books and under desks.
“They’re so sneaky that you don’t necessarily realize that’s the reason,” Fleck says. “But over time, I realized that no matter how engaging my lessons were, when it was my turn and it was time to do group activities or assignments, it wasn’t entirely me directing the class. The students had no idea what we were doing.
She said the most common things students were doing on their phones were using Snapchat and other social media and texting with students in other classrooms, which created drama. She expressed that. And sometimes we would argue — we would meet at a specific location and have phone calls throughout the day. ”
However, this year the atmosphere has changed. Spokane Public Schools announced a new district-wide policy banning the use of smartphones and smartwatches in classrooms during school hours. So while elementary and middle school students are currently required to turn off and put away their devices during class, high school students are allowed to use their smartphones and watches between classes and during lunch.
She says she now feels like she has most of her students’ attention during class because she doesn’t have to compete with beeping devices. “Students are generally ready to learn,” she says. “As a teacher, you need to provide engaging lessons that capture students’ attention, encourage learning, and keep them engaged.” And she says there are fewer fights in school. say.
The district is one of many across the country to introduce new smartphone bans this year in the name of increasing student engagement and combating the negative effects of social media on youth mental health. And at least four states – Indiana, Louisiana, South Carolina and Florida – have enacted statewide bans restricting access to smartphones in schools.
This week on the EdSurge podcast, we decided to figure out what the ban looks like. To find out, we spoke to Fleck and a high school teacher in Indiana. In Indiana, a new statewide law bans smartphones and other wireless devices in schools during school hours.
Fleck said she supports the ban and hopes schools don’t go back to their old ways. However, she admits that having a cell phone ready to incorporate into lessons when needed is lacking.
In the past, for example, she allowed students to take photos with their cell phones of the slides she showed them. And during her classes, she would often designate students to be researchers who could search for relevant materials online and share them with the group. She is now finding ways to adapt to maintain the positive aspects of online access, such as allowing student researchers to use computers in the classroom and making greater use of school-issued laptops in some classes. I’m telling you that.
Spokane Public Schools Superintendent Adam Swinyard acknowledged there are tradeoffs with the new ban when it comes to the use of technology in instruction.
“We want to fully embrace the power of opportunities these devices offer, such as being able to look something up instantly, participating in class polls instantly, and tuning your own instrument.” I’m losing it,” he told EdSurge. “But for schools and children, where we reach communities is more important to their level of engagement and focus than what we are losing in devices, which are powerful educational tools within schools.” I think it far exceeds what we got on the level of power. But I think it’s important to acknowledge that.”
What they end up teaching students is more important, he argues. Swinyard said the district’s belief is that there is a “time and place” for smartphone use, and just as you wouldn’t pull out your smartphone to write a text during class, classrooms They say it’s not the right environment or opportunity. They were either being interviewed for this article or attending an important meeting.
Some schools that have introduced new bans have faced backlash from students, especially those that do not tolerate phone use at all, even during social hours. At Jasper High School in Plano, Texas, for example, more than 250 people signed a petition asking the principal to revise a new smartphone ban that prohibits device use throughout the day, even during lunch and in the hallways between classes. “Prior to the ban on restricted cell phone use, cell phones were a social link, connecting students during lunch breaks and hallway breaks,” the petition states.
Some parents are also unhappy with the new ban, fearing they won’t be able to contact their children in the event of an emergency such as a school shooting. a new research According to a Pew Research Center survey, about 7 in 10 Americans support banning cell phone use during class, but only about a third support banning cell phone use all day. Only 1.
This means that how schools design smartphone restrictions, and how they communicate those policies to students and parents, is critical to how they work in practice. .
For more on the pros and cons of the new smartphone ban, listen to this week’s EdSurge Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or in the player below.
