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‘Put learners first’: Unesco calls for global ban on smartphones in schools
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 26 Jul 2023
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Banning phones in school does not help to fix any of this. At most it just pushes it to the rest of their lives. Maybe we should be looking at educating our children about these topics, not ignoring them for as long as possible...
Yeah, so we need to tackle the problem in some way, not just ignoring it with a ban. A ban teaches them nothing about how to use their devices responsibly. Additionally - the probably should be some legislation on what tech companies are doing here as well. Things like facebook pushing any content it can for more views even if they have shown to have negative impacts on peoples mental health is something that really should be regulated. Profits at the expense of peoples mental health should not be allowed.
Educator here. That sounds like a great plan...if the students would put their phones down for long enough to teach them anything
This is the exact issue teachers are facing. There is very little teaching that can break through the continuous cycle of dopamine hits these kids are receiving into their still-developing brains. This is not an education problem. This is a design issue that teachers cannot be expected to simply "fix" for society.
I agree with your points on regulating businesses though, since they are clearly the ones to blame.
I am confused. Is using smartphones in classes the norm? It sounds very different from my experience
Yes, which a ban wont help to fix at all either - at least not in the long term. Education IMO is still an important part of fixing society though, especially if you can get to children before they have phones ingrained into their lives. But I don't think this is on teachers alone to fix - it needs to be more systemic changes in education systems. At the very least far more (or any) research needs to be done to find actual effective measures that we could do.
But equally, if not more important is also working to fix other areas outside of education, like regulating how much businesses can exploit us.
There are no quick or easy or even single answer here. Defiantly not just an out right ban with no other plans in place to actually fix the systemic issues at play.
Yeah, I'm sorry, but I respectfully disagree. I have been a strong proponent for technology in schools; however, in recent years, I see the bad faaaaaar outweighing the good. Maybe that's just my experience, but we cannot ignore it like it's no one's experience. These devices are awful. They provide nearly zero educational benefit, especially in schools with 1:1 devices. They are a distraction tool at best and a legal liability at worst.
An outright ban is exactly the right play here, until families, companies, and society can come to the table and figure out how to ethically integrate into schools — not the other way around.
Hilarious of you to say considering 1 smart phone with internet access has more accessible information than your entire school library of physical books but yeah they have 'nearly 0 educational benefit'. Nevermind all the apps/YouTube channels dedicated to learning something. You may not believe it but I passed college algebra using Khan Academy because my actual teacher sucked so bad at teaching I was almost failing before I switched to the academies online tutorials. Can a smart phone be used for mindless shit? Absolutely, but I'd also bet your library has fiction books in it too. Should we remove them simply because they provide 'nearly zero educational benefit'?
You could have said all of that without being an asshole about it.
Phones can have its usage restricted in school during classes and activities so students (hopefully) pay attention. Outside these ours when studying in their own, they can use it the way you mentioned in their aid with topics they need help with.
Hilarious of you to say considering 1 smart phone with internet access has more accessible information than your entire school library of physical books but yeah they have 'nearly 0 educational benefit'. Nevermind all the apps/YouTube channels dedicated to learning something. You may not believe it but I passed college algebra using Khan Academy because my actual teacher sucked so bad at teaching I was almost failing before I switched to the academies online tutorials. That aside can a smart phone be used for mindless shit? Absolutely, but I'd also bet your library has fiction books in it too. Should we remove them simply because they provide 'nearly zero educational benefit'? Why stop at fiction then? Why aren't we removing all aspects of curriculum that provide 'nearly zero educational benefit'?
Also educator here.
Sociocultural theory and ecological systems micro and mesosystems paint a picture of how learning is not only done from us.
Family/Caregivers have the majority of the role to play in responsible usage of these devices as they are the one’s giving them to the children and enabling such behaviour in their lives.
I think you make a good point here, except that the family and caregivers who are supposed to be helping educate children are the exact same adults who are also addicted to their phones.
We've kicked the can down the street long enough and I believe we need to make a stand now, if we are to course-correct the issues we've permitted into our schools and larger society.