Drift Net’s Post

I've seen many posts about Ontario's ban on cellphones in the classroom but the importance of the subject can't be discussed enough! As we know, the province of Ontario has banned cellphones in the classroom as of this September. The goals of this policy are to: 👉 decrease distractions in the classroom 👉 decrease overusage and screen time 👉 enhance the classroom experience Due to the overwhelming concerns about the impact of cellphones on students' focus in class and their academic performance, this policy has become necessary for change. Although the advancement of technology has its benefits and has created efficiency in the classroom, we need to ensure these benefits outweigh the potential harms and distractions of cellphones. Will this benefit the classroom experience or create new challenges?👇 #Education #SchoolPolicy #TechnologyInEducation #OntarioSchools

Cell phones and #schoolsafety: A perennial discussion by #schoolleaders, #parents, #media and others that has recently spiked due to legislators proposing state laws to ban #student cell phone use in schools. Conversations with #superintendents, #schoolboard members, #principals, and #schoolsecurity officials in recent months point to the challenges of implementing such bans. Putting the genie back in the bottle is a tight squeeze. My firsthand historical journey with this issue, along with my analysis of cell phones as disruptive to day-to-day school learning and in emergencies (including #schoolshootings), plus implementation issues related to bans, has been online for years. Learn more here: https://zurl.co/bDVV

📚🚫 Cell Phones in Class? Let's Talk Tech in Education! 🚫📱 Hello everyone! 👋 Check out this thought-provoking article by @globalnews about the TDSB considering policies on student cellphone use in classrooms: https://lnkd.in/gSJaEQbm While integrating technology is crucial for education, if schools are equipped with laptops and tablets, do we really need cell phones in class? 🤔 Let's spark a conversation on the best tools for effective learning! 💡🎓 But that's not all! We need to be aware of the impact of social media and smartphone overuse on our youth, especially when it comes to mental health and social development. 📲👧👦 That's where Lessons With Lila comes in! 🌐 Join our webinars educating parents, teachers, and students about the dangers of overuse and fostering a healthy tech balance. 🔄📱💙 Let's spread awareness and empower our community to make informed choices. 🌍✨ Share your thoughts below and join the movement for a tech-savvy, mindful education! 🔗 #TechInEducation #DigitalLearning #CellPhoneFreeClassrooms #EdTechDebate #LessonsWithLila #TechBalance #YouthWellness #EducationAwareness #ParentingTips #SmartphoneImpact #WebinarsForChange #FutureOfLearning #MentalHealth #SocialSkills #TechSavvyStudents 🚀

This is what I love about ZeroNow's approach of facilitating collaboration with stakeholders to drive ideas, innovation, and investment to make schools safer for good. This Campus Safety article was a result of an online roundtable with members of the National Council of School Safety Directors who shared their diverse experiences and perspectives about banning smartphones in their school districts. Together, we will make schools safer for good. #ZeroNow #NCSSD

Virginia guidance suggests restricting phones from ‘bell to bell’ in schools "Virginia parents and teachers have witnessed first-hand the damage cell phones in schools has had on our youth’s academic, mental and physical health and social development.” IF we are going to experiment on our children, I would suggest a couple things to give this experiment any kind of validity and value to us all 1. Clearly, empirically, guantitatively and qualitatively define the current problem statement. What EXACTLY is the academic impact of cellphones to our youth? Have grades dropped? By how much? How are we directly attributing this to cell phones? How will we measure and report the changes? 2. Our schools should not be collecting, analyzing or otherwise discussing our kids mental health. Period. #privacy and #security issues up front, but a close second is that few of our school personnel are qualified to asses our kids mental health even IF parents and kids agree to consent to such activities. Self answered surveys? Biased, negative focused questions designed to find issues? These aren't professional mental health services. 3. Define physical health. What exactly are cellphones doing to our youths physical health and how is this taking place at school? Given that our kids sit around for 8 plus hours a day while in school I might assume it has nothing to do with their basic physical health ... some offshoot of self harm that is taking place at school? 4. As far as social development goes, we have a LOT to discuss, learn and understand here. Are we "adults" simply saying that our youth dont behave the way we did and the way we therefore want them to? Had we grown up with the digital world as kids would we have had a different social development? We've taught our kids to be cautious and scared. Now we want to blame cellphones for their "hands off" approach to life? Finally if we decide to experiment on our kids the adults in the school should lead by example. No cellphones for them, bell to bell. Show the kids how it's done. So, if we decide that school is some kind of battleground for saving our kids from the evils of the digital world, rather than an opportunity to help them become good citizens of it ... let's at least conduct a strong scientific experiment with our theories clearly stated, our methodologies transparently documented, our assumptions and limitations stated and KPIs and Goals ambiguously posted that would be good. Me, I'd opt for cellphones allowed in High School with individual teachers setting classroom rules with consequences for failing to follow them strictly enforced and supported by all. A pact signed by teachers, students and parents. Importantly I'd insist on a program teaching #criticalthinking #medialiteracy and #personalresponsibility and #accountability Independent people. Not codependent people. https://lnkd.in/eivs7Hqf

𝐐&𝐀: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐊-𝟏𝟐 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬? This school year, many of the nation's adolescents and teens are sitting in class without the device that can sometimes feel like an added appendage: their smartphones. States such as Florida, Indiana, Ohio, South Carolina, and Louisiana have passed laws recently to ban or restrict cell phones in K-12 schools, while countless school districts in dozens of other states have implemented policies to limit use. In Maryland, more than 20 school districts launched programs at the start of the school year to keep phones turned off and out of sight. Baltimore County Public Schools, for instance, introduced a pilot program in 16 middle and high schools that requires students to lock devices in "cell phone pouches" at the start of every class. Similarly, Howard County high school students must stow phones in backpacks and use them only between classes and during lunch, while elementary and middle school students can't use them at all, unless an administrator makes an exception for a special event or to reward positive behavior. What's driving the slew of policies? https://lnkd.in/d9ShZ3YU

🤔 Do Cell Phone Bans in Schools Help or Hurt Students' Learning and Well-Being ❓ Cell phone bans in schools are a hot topic. Some argue that these bans improve focus and reduce distractions, while others believe they limit students' access to valuable educational resources and emergency communication. What's your take? Do you think schools should enforce strict cell phone bans, have a more lenient policy, or find a middle ground? Share your thoughts and experiences! #cellphones #ban #schools #distractions #kids #students #learning #education Additional thoughts from Bark:

How do cell phones impact the educational environment? In this insightful article, Education Week explores the effects of a school district's decision to reverse its cellphone policy. This decision led to unexpected outcomes, including improved student engagement and new challenges for educators. Learn how this shift is influencing modern education and what it means for the future of technology in schools: https://lnkd.in/gTZC3J3h #Education #TechnologyInSchools #CellphonePolicy #CEC #EducationWeek

It may be naive to think that the pendulum will not continue to swing. The question should never simply be whether we should or should not allow cellphones in our school/s (or worse, whether we are following the general trend). Instead, we should ask how or whether (or not) cellphone use aligns with our mission and vision for the student experience within our school/s. Our decision-making should be driven by the ecosystem of learning and community that we are trying to cultivate at different ages and informed by research on the impact and potential technology has on and for learning and people.