Hello readers! As technology continues to evolve, so does the way we interact with it. It’s no secret that smartphones have become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives, and their impact on education is undeniable. With children increasingly gaining access to smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices, educators are faced with the challenge of managing their use in the classroom. While some instructors see phones and technology as useful tools, it makes others pull their hair out. In this blog post, we hope to share what we have learned about this topic and provide you all with some content and strategies to use phones specifically in the classroom!

Photo by Eirik Solheim on Unsplash

Inquiry Question

“What is the role of cell phones in schools and how do these factors translate to school policies and classroom dynamics?”

Relation to Teaching and Learning

Our inquiry topic is related to teaching and learning because we know that in our future classrooms, students will possess and use their cell phones, whether it is allowed or not.

As teachers, we think it is important for us to take advantage of cell phones by using them as learning tools rather than distractions. It is our responsibility as educators to ensure phones are used for productive use rather than objects that are detrimental to learning and student well-being. 

Current Policies

Before we dive into useful information and resources for structuring classrooms around phone use, we think it is important for us to take a look at what policies are currently in place in this region. Looking at the guidelines for Greater Victoria Schools as a whole, the rules in place vary from school to school. The general rules include the structure that students are allowed to have a phone, but it should not be seen or used within the classroom. However, it is also mentioned that if phones are required for a lesson, the expectation is that it is being used for educational purposes only Many schools abide by the “away for the day” rule that students should not be visible from 8 am to 3 pm. The school district is clear that educators and administrators have the authority to remove students phones if expectations are not followed.

Benefits vs. Drawbacks of Cellphones in Classrooms

Here are four main benefits of having cell phone usage permitted in your classroom.

  1. Communication: Phones can help students communicate with parents and guardians having peace of mind and feeling through communication with their child included in the classroom. 

2. Collaboration: Phones can assist students with their communication with peers for assignments, especially if some students are absent. 

3. Internet Access: Cell phones provide an infinite amount of resources through the internet. This factor also creates an opportunity to learn about internet safety.

4. Versatile and Supportive: Cell phones can give students options of how they would prefer to learn by providing different options of how students can present or complete their work. Additionally, It supports students who may not have success when using pen and paper notes/work. Lastly, It also increases the engagement and motivation of learning for students in your class so that students can productively use their phones. 

Here are four drawbacks of having cell phone usage permitted in classrooms:

  1. Student Distraction: Students may be tempted to check social media, play games or check messages during class time which takes away from lessons and thus, students may fall behind or become disconnected from class material 
  2. Increated Opportunity to Cheat: Cell phones make it easier for students to google answers to tests or assignments, or text friends requesting answers.  
  3. Cyberbullying: Students are more prone to cyberbullying if phones are allowed in class. This is a risk for educators to be aware of.
  4. Inequality:  For those students who can not afford a cell phone, they may feel disconnected from their classmates. Additionally, they will have limited access to the internet can create unfair advantages and disadvantages between students.

Strategies & Tips (Adapted and Inspired by Guest Speaker Jesse Millar)

Tip #1 – Using bins, phone sleeves/locks, and “phone jails” create a narrative of teacher control and distrust between teachers and students. This creates a risk of fostering a harmful classroom environment and teacher-student relationships being strained.
Tip #2 – As a teacher, try acknowledging the possibility that if students are using their phones, your lesson may not be engaging enough.
Strategy – Create lessons where your students are up, moving, or doing a hands-on activity. If students are fully emersed and engaged in lessons, they are less likely to be using their phones.
Strategy – Use positive reinforcement to encourage students to stay off their phones during instructional time can be in the form of rewards, or simply complementing students for their engagement)
Strategy – Try the 2, 20, 2 method! Give students 20 minutes of lesson time sandwiched with a 5-minute phone break! This helps students focus n the task at hand knowing they will have the opportunity to take a break.

Resources: Methods of using phones beneficially!

  • Arduino Science Journal: great for science experiments! This app/site can be used for measuring light through the sensors on the phone, measuring sound, used as an accelerometer and measuring polarity.
  • Goosechase app: This can be used to create scavenger hunts for students which can be integrated into any lesson. For example, you could also create a scavenger hunt about math and have them go around the school looking for things that apply to certain questions like “Find and photograph an item that represents the answer to the following question: 20/4.” so they would go out and find an item to represent the number 5.
  • Group chats: a simpler resource would be using group chats to facilitate instruction to any students with hearing impairments
  • QR codes: could be used for scanning notes!
  • Field trips: allow students to snap photos. Use these phones and share them on the class blog and use them for future discussion.
  • TikTok: TikTok is super popular, so why not let students use it for educational purposes? Students could use TikTok to create cool presentations in video format, conduct some interviews, host podcasts, and so much more. This is an amazing resource for project-based learning!

Closure

In conclusion, we acknowledge the issue of phone usage in elementary classrooms is complex and multifaceted. While there are arguments both for and against the use of phones in the classroom, it ultimately comes down to finding a balance that benefits students’ learning while also addressing any potential negative effects. Educators should be prepared to examine the unique needs and circumstances of each classroom and work towards creating an environment where phones can be used for learning rather than as a distraction. It is immensely important to reduce the control narrative in classrooms and work towards creating a safe, productive, and engaging learning environment for all students.

Video!!!

Please feel free to review the major ideas in this post by viewing our engaging video!

THANKS FOR READING!!!!

-Statia, Sophie, Paige, + Josh.