Ontario is banning cellphones in classrooms starting in September, but is this something we’ll start to see in Saskatchewan classrooms as well?
Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Education said it is reviewing the policy out of Ontario but hasn’t come to a conclusion about whether something similar would be considered out here.
Samantha Becotte, Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation president, said cellphones are tools that students will need to know how to use appropriately.
“That is a skill, in and of itself, so being able to manage their schoolwork while using technology is an important skill to gain,” Becotte said.
She said in some cases teachers will use cellphones to assist in learning.
She noted that cellphones do create a distraction and students need to learn how to manage that distraction.
Becotte said imposing a ban when it’s not a problem with some teachers and students could lead to additional challenges for some teachers.
“I’ve seen some students…when I was in the classroom come in with multiple cellphones, so they handed one in and still had one.”
“Students are crafty in the ways they get around some of the expectations, but it’s more appropriate that they learn to manage these distractions,” Becotte added.
The Ontario rules will force students to keep their phones on silent mode and hidden from view.
For children in kindergarten to Grade 6, those rules will apply for the entire school day. Students in grades 7 and above will be allowed to use their devices between classes or at lunch but will be expected to observe the ban during teaching time.
Exceptions can be made for students who ask permission to make a call, for example to a parent, but the default rule will be for phones to be kept away. To set an example, teachers and classroom assistants will also be told not to use their phones unless it’s for a task directly related to work.
Tamara Hinz, child psychiatrist in Saskatoon, said the topic around kids having cellphones in school is a very nuanced one, adding oftentimes a one-size-fits-all solution doesn’t work.
Hinz said she understands the rationale behind trying to limit the number of cellphones in the classroom.
“If schools are banning Beyblades and Pokemon cards because they’re too distracting, it feels a bit silly that we’re not looking at cellphones the same way,” Hinz said.
She said there are a lot of correlational studies focused around screen time and mental health, adding that increased screen time is associated with some negative mental health symptoms.
“But it’s hard to design research that shows that one is causing the other.”
She said if Saskatchewan decides to explore the idea of creating a province-wide ban of cellphones in the classroom, it needs to go hand-in-hand with a discussion about what needs cellphones may be providing, and if we have other ways of providing those needs in place.
“If we’re taking away a child’s personal resource are we making sure schools are adequately funded so that those pieces of equipment are there in schools?”
She cautioned against creating a one-size-fits-all approach to cellphones in the classroom, giving an example of students with diabetes utilizing cellphones to help monitor blood sugar levels.
“We may have children with other learning needs who are taking pictures of notes or recording lectures to make sure they’re not missing things.”
Jennifer Flannigan, CEO of Actua, said she was in favour of the policy out of Ontario, stipulating that teachers are going to need support to implement it.
“There are all kinds of exceptions in terms of kids that need to have access to phones, but generally this is a really important move,” Flannigan said.
She said this could be super helpful to students, allowing them to disconnect and not get distracted by their phones, making it easier to sit and listen in class.
Flannigan said Ontario’s ban sets the expectation across the board in schools.
She said while there’s many legitimate uses of cellphones in classrooms, she believes it’s too easy to slip onto a social media platform and get distracted.
She’s hopeful that similar legislation pops up across the country.
“Generally, for the vast majority of schools and kids this will help them to have less distracted learning environments.”
Flannigan spoke about the importance of parents having this discussion with kids as well.
“Those are conversations that parents need to have at home, that we encourage to say ‘what does this actually mean and why is it important for all of us to have breaks away from screen time.’”
— With files from Isaac Callan and Colin D’Mello