A social media and digital literacy expert warns against a B.C.-wide approach on the non-instructional use of cellphones because most B.C. schools already have policies in place that work for them.
Instead of imposing a blanket ban, Darren Laur, co-founder and instructor at The White Hatter, argues for what he calls an 害羞草研究所渆ducational approach害羞草研究所�, pointing to the policies of Belmont Secondary School in Greater Victoria as a positive example.
害羞草研究所淭he issue of cellphones in classrooms is far from black-and-white,害羞草研究所� he said in an article published on the company害羞草研究所檚 website. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 crucial to recognize that mobile devices are neither a plague nor a panacea for student learning. While they can be distracting and potentially harmful, they also offer opportunities for engagement and learning.害羞草研究所�
Laur said in an interview he understands why the question of banning cellphones has popped up again after Quebec gave school districts until Dec. 31 to implement a new directive banning use of cellphones at public elementary and secondary schools except for specific educational purposes. Quebec becomes the second province after Ontario to issue a provincial mandate around cellphone use in classrooms.
But Laur said that a lot of the headlines surrounding developments in Quebec and Ontario are 害羞草研究所渘ot necessarily the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.害羞草研究所�
Quebec still allows cellphone use in schools but 害羞草研究所渙nly at the discretion of the teacher and for害羞草研究所ducational purposes.害羞草研究所�
Laur said he 害羞草研究所渢otally agrees害羞草研究所� with that position and most but not all schools in B.C. already have similar policies.
害羞草研究所淪o why push that as province when most schools are already doing that?害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淒o I think that the (province) should be adopting a policy to put in place at the provincial level? No, I don害羞草研究所檛! I think that should be left up to the school districts and schools to make that decision based upon their needs.害羞草研究所�
So why is this question generating so much attention?
害羞草研究所淚 think there is a political angle to this,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淚 think there are some parents, who are pushing for this and some of the parents, who are pushing may not understand the good academic, peer-reviewed research associated with what is going on.害羞草研究所�
While Laur acknowledged the inappropriate use of cellphones by some students that can be 害羞草研究所渟omewhat distracting to learning,害羞草研究所� a complete ban would actually be counter-productive, given the all-present nature of technology and need to navigate, especially in the professional world.
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害羞草研究所淚f the goal is to teach kids how to mediate their use of technology in a positive way, what better place to do it than in a school? And allowing schools the ability to do that themselves rather than pushing it a provincial level is important. Why? Because害羞草研究所chools will differ from province to province, from district to district, from school to school.害羞草研究所�
In other words, local knows best.
害羞草研究所淒oes the province have a part of play? Sure they can,害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淭he province can shepherd the issue, but I think setting the policy should be left more to the schools and the school districts.害羞草研究所�
With this position, Laur is essentially arguing for the status quo, and a statement from the Ministry of Education and Child Care suggests that won害羞草研究所檛 change anytime soon.
The statement points to instances 害羞草研究所渨here having access to technology is used as a learning tool and for some students, it is important for accessibility.害羞草研究所� It states that, overall, the ministry will continue 害羞草研究所�(its) work to monitor and evaluate the issue, as student health and well-being is of the utmost importance to support their continued success.害羞草研究所�
Not all voices are content with the status quo. BC United has promised that it would enforce a K-12 classroom ban on non-instructional smartphone use to enhance student engagement as part of larger reforms.
The party would include the re-instatement of letter grades, stronger measures to protect youth against vaping and an 害羞草研究所渙n-time and within-budget school construction program.害羞草研究所�
wolfgang.depner@blackpress.ca
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