Banning cell phones in classrooms: educationally right or wrong?

More and more Spanish communities are joining the solution ban mobile phones in classrooms primary and secondary school. Galicia and Murcia They did this immediately after returning from the Christmas holidays, until Catalonia also took the initiative, but will begin to implement it starting next year. In the case of this autonomous community, this rule applies to children and adolescents in primary and secondary schools, while in high schools and vocational schools the devices can be used with some restrictions. restrictions.

The move to ban mobile phones in classrooms is being welcomed with joy in some sectors and annoyance in others. It is logical that students are the group of the population that likes this the least. As for parents and teachers, the opinion is much more divided.

To find out a little more, go to Hypertext We contacted primary school teacher Fatima Maria García Doval, who also degree in philosophy and educational sciences and doctorate in didactics and school innovation.. In her case, she uses mobile phones in educational practice, so for her they are not enemies of teaching, but allies. And this problem, like many others, does not affect blacks and whites, so it’s worth thinking about the grays.

At what age should children not use these devices?

In fact, making generalizations about a specific age is not easy. In fact, Garcia Doval and many other experts always talk about participating in each case is individual. However, as a guide, this professional educator refers to transition from primary to secondary. “The transition from primary to secondary school, both because of social habits and the greater independence they begin to exhibit, is the right time for them to have, if not their own mobile phone, then one that will be at hand at all times. on a regular basis,” he says. “This doesn’t mean going from nothing to everything, because you can start to stop at some moments, on some things…”

At the same time, he refers to some progressive start of mobile phone use. “Gradually, in planned contexts and with specific schedules that can be expanded depending on how effectively they use them.” That is, the children would gradually cope on their own.

To all this, García Doval adds that it is recommended that the first mobile phone is not your own. Also, it’s not too powerful. “The mobile phone comes with great power, and as the Peter Parker principle goes, it comes with great responsibility,” he explains. “This needs to be conveyed to young people not only by our words, but also by our actions and decisions.”

How do they influence the proper development of the class?

The decision to ban cell phones in classrooms has been debated almost ever since their use by children and teenagers became commonplace. But why are they like this demonized?

For García Doval, it is true that they are a strong distraction, but he is not the first to enter the classrooms, and he will not be the last. “A personal electronic device that is connected to the Internet and has applications capable of constantly delivering notifications is attention grabbing machine“, says a primary school teacher. “In that sense, it can be a serious distraction for students, both because of the notification itself and the issue it addresses.”

In fact, remember that adults also sometimes find it difficult to take their attention away from their cell phone. At the same time, in addition, they can have many incentives that are attractive to children. But this is not new. “They got into all the classrooms. books and comics read, hidden under a desk or in a textbook,” he recalls. “In all the classes there were students who, instead of devoting themselves to the assigned task, amused themselves by scribbling away at what they had and what they had.” In fact, there are examples of the latter even in Sumerian tablets. This is something very old.

So, should cell phones be banned in classrooms?

Banning is usually not the answer, but it is true that sometimes there is no other choice. An example is the correct use of masks during respiratory viruses.

With a theme ban mobile phones in classroomsit could be made a little softer, but we will have to see how the students react.

“The ideal is not to prohibit and to create a system of use and customs that socially teaches students that portable devices such as mobile phones or smart watches have a time-limited use. In primary education, if it is found that neither students nor their families have control over this structure and timing of use, a ban would likely serve to send a clear and compelling social message. What is happening is that this ban is eliminating the ability for elementary schools to teach students how to use these devices in an appropriate and positive way.”

Fatima Mª Garcia Doval, degree in philosophy and educational sciences and doctorate in didactics and school innovation.

The latter is an important fact because mobile phones can be a very useful tool in teaching. In addition, they are especially useful for certain segments of the student community. “We cannot forget that school is an important factor for equality in social learning and that for many boys and girls it may be the only healthy mobile device environment they are exposed to.”

In short, mobile phones can be good allies in education. They are also excellent distractors, but they are not the only ones. Therefore, perhaps more benefit could be gained from looser regulation with greater participation from both teachers and parents. However, the decision to ban cell phones in classrooms may be a necessary wake-up call on a social level. It now remains to be seen how the results of students in places with this ban will change compared to when they could use these devices. This will be the best way to know if this decision was a good one in the long run.