From completing assignments to using the TikTok platform: more and more schools are banning smartphones

Saturday, Sep 28, 2024

Schools globally debate mobile phone use, balancing educational tools against distraction and addiction risks.

đź”— Read the article on delfi.lt


[This is an automatically generated summary, for reference only]

The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport acknowledges that mobile phones and other devices can aid education but stresses that each school must decide if they help or hinder students. Some schools prohibit phone use entirely or restrict it to educational purposes, though data on how many schools have banned them is not tracked. Implementing such decisions requires both infrastructure and commitment; for example, some municipalities have implemented bans, supported by secure storage solutions, while others advocate for providing smart devices like tablets instead of relying on personal phones. Some educators maintain strict policies banning non-educational phone use during lessons and breaks, seeking a balance between technological integration and focus. School leaders support the idea that decisions should be made based on the needs of the school community, suggesting flexible rules rather than universal bans. In Europe, there are no overarching guidelines from the European Parliament, but regulation is expected. Some experts argue that reliance on electronic devices negatively impacts cognitive function, while others worry about dependency issues. Various countries are taking action: Spain has seen regional bans, Belgium and Flanders have implemented stricter measures in primary schools to improve concentration, and Austria mandates returning any device disrupting class to the teacher. In Czechia, there is no nationwide law banning mobile phone use, with local initiatives being deemed outside the authority of municipal governments.


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