The 21st Century has taken technology like a storm.
Every where you go we all use technology in some way, from laptops to PCs and tablets to smartphones.
Some questions have popped up one regarding: Should Schools consider banning phones?
I once saw a comparison that banning phones would be going back to the 18th century. Interesting considering mobiles didn't exist back in those days in fact 15 years ago barely anyone had a mobile phone yet education managed perfectly alright without it. Likewise in regards to Schools today - some of the best graded/results driven Schools don't rely on IT let alone mobile phones. 21st Century technology brings 21st Century dangers which exist if some like to or not. Training and educating the youngsters does not cover or protect all the children.
So should Schools ban mobile phones?
Kids are Kids
This is a common wording amongst all adults, some are parents and some will be teachers - all have one thing in common. They are all fully aware children are children. They will want to break the rules, they will want to do what they choose to do, they will make silly and stupid mistakes that could be life affecting. All we can do as adults is protect them from them selves. There's a reason why we don't allow them to drink alcohol, smoke or get in to inappropriate relationships with people much older than they are. It's all to do one thing - to protect them. Strangely enough the kids that turn out well are the ones that didn't have life handed to them on a silver plate, they worked hard for what they had, they had rules and boundaries but gained rewards through working hard.
If you allow a child free access to choose everything in life, the majority will make costly mistakes or become the kind of adult we are not proud of.
In education we don't allow them to turn up when they choose to for lesson, why? because it impacts their attitude towards life and also their grades. In education we don't allow their attendance to be poor nor a refusal to do homework, why? because again it impacts their grades.
As a current IT Manager I know it's my career at stake if children don't use technology but it is my purpose to make sure it's correctly used and like it or not limits and controls are apart of life - everywhere.
Look at those who claim we shouldn't ban mobile phones
This is a very interesting one to think about and I've done this over every type of BYOD scheme. Sit down and calmly think about the person who is pushing for this technology. They all in my experience fit in a few types:
- Self ambition
- Job reliance
- the geek
- I want
Job reliance are not always easy to see, some want to protect their jobs so they push for technology or perhaps they earn a living organising IT events and seminars but all in all their job is relying on IT. The easy ones to spot are sales reps who only care about selling you a product. It's also technicians who are apart of this, Network Managers, IT Managers, Network Officers - the job title list is extensive. All want to protect their own jobs. I my self know that if a School scraps IT that's my job gone out the window but it is my belief that I'm now here to secure my position - I'm here to provide the experience and advice to move forward with or without IT. I do not delude my self that students are not at risk nor can it be easily trained in to their young heads about the dangers.
The geek is usually very easy to spot: £2000 MacBook, £500 iPad air and £500 iPhone. They are using technology all day every day and expect others to have that same kind of understanding. They are prepared to spend a lot of money for all this gear (totalling around £3000 and the majority of it will be out of date in 3-5 years). They will use this expensive technology to produce word documents, use the internet and play the occasional movie. They have not purchased the equipment to be fit for purpose. They are happy to spend a few hours at home in the evening using these, then spend a couple of more hours at the weekend - this is effectively their life style and hobby. And there lies the issue, they are treating their hobbies as if it should be what is used in teaching and learning. It's what they want to do, it's a preference and a personal belief. I'm also this geek but I use technology for what it is and not for what I want it to be.
And finally but certainly not least the one that 'wants' this one will push for technology because they want it. If it's iPads it's because they want the School to pay for it so they get what they 'want' which is an iPad. I once witnessed a deputy head push very hard for all leadership to have smartphones paid by the School for one reason - he wanted the School to pay for it so he can get what he 'wanted'.
Those against seem to show more information Vs those for
This is only my experience but tends to be very accurate, those against this idea of mobile phones in Schools can provide a lot of evidence why it's a good thing to ban and why it's time to go back to basics. I've read a lot of blogs regarding Pro/For BYOD Schemes and every other mobile idea including banning phones in Schools. They all say a similar thing - those with experience of making it work have done so in simple ideas but it's still been costly and doesn't outweigh the gains.
Those who are against these type of technological ideas provide a lot of experience, knowledge and evidence to suggest why Schools need to really think if it's worth while.
Those who push for all these ideas tend to provide little to no evidence instead it comes across as "my experience of teaching 10 kids has been great". Unfortunately classrooms are no longer about teaching 10 kids, it's about looking after 30 students in a single room by one teacher. That's also including a teacher only having 2 minutes to get students sat down, settled and ready to learn. Not worrying about their book, pens and the device. Making sure that device is fully charged, working and ready to just "go". With a pen it's easy to replace and doesn't cost anything compared to a device. A book can easily be replaced, classrooms after all tend to have a stash of pens/books - not devices.
I've seen all kinds of comparisons that people don't ban pens that can be used on a wall, no but a child writing on a wall is easily spotted. A child writing on a Facebook page is not. A pencil sharpener can be dangerous if taken apart, yes but how often do we see kids doing this? Compared to how many kids are on snapchat talking to some one three times their age?.
The risk factor with 21st century technology is incredibly high. Companies are spending fortunes to prevent adults from doing anything inappropriate... so if these are adults with their jobs at stake how can society fully trust a child. How can society trust a teacher looking after 30 students for an hour then another group in another lesson....
Are we seeing the pattern?
Highlighters can be great distractions, well not to some one above 5 years old.. in 21st Century technology it's all about Twitter, Facebook and even though these kids "know better" they will still talk to people they shouldn't. And I know from professional experience that even with education, even with parents and even the police involved - they will still do it. A pencil can't easily ruin some ones life like a 14 year old child on Facebook all day talking to a 40 year old... A pencil being used on a wall isn't going to be a life damaging moment..
You have to remember that this is not the 18th Century, this is the 21st and the dangers that come along with it are real. Policies and procedures only go so far, Do staff have all day every day to completely educate every child effectively? No they don't and that's because the priority is results.
Some need a wake up call that technology as much as it can be engaging to the young minds it's very dangerous.
This is actually the biggest and saddest truth, some really don't like being told "not to use technology" because like it or not there isn't a tech alternative for everything. Some times you do need to stop and slow down. People are so quick to blame, confidence or training on why not everyone uses technology. No it's not, it's the fact that there is still little evidence to prove if it actually makes a difference. As mentioned before Schools are still succeeding with limited technology. Why do Schools push for it? One word - Engagement. That is the only thing that technology can do quite easily. In 21st Century though should we be spending a lot of money for 'engagement' when in fact the Schools need to be more harsh towards behaviour, uniform, attendance and educate the kids in to knowing that this is their future at stake? As mentioned before educating the kids doesn't always work which is why technology can be used as a fall back option but only perhaps if you have tried non tech solutions.
So that question again : Should mobile phones be banned?
I vote yes, the dangers out weight the apparent gains, in fact those gains actually seem very small and tiny in comparison. The gains are still relying on opinions not actual facts, they rely on blogs (like mine) to prove it works, they do not rely what so ever on any real evidence if "Mobile phones enhance teaching and learning".
Fact is there is little evidence. You find one teacher who has succeeded and they will always claim it's lack of knowledge, understanding and training by other staff. Which frankly is just poor excuses, unless Staff spend all day every day doing IT they will never have the confidence to be able to say "I'm very happy with using technology". We're not talking a few days a year, we are talking a few weeks a year to gain that amount of confidence. Even then they may still choose not to do it.
When you do see success stories they are in fact amongst adult students (Universities) or shall we say typical Grammar School students. You've got to ask the question - success due to the technology or because they are responsible enough to understand that their Learning is pivotal to their future.
Where are these success stories from less privileged Schools? Where are these students who have struggling backgrounds that have great grades? When the success stories do appear it's not when technology is involved but instead the result of hard working teachers, hard working assistants and a persistent leadership who push hard on improving behaviour, attendance, uniform, teaching and learning. This never involves technology unless the day to day general IT is kept up-to-date.
The simple technology, the basic technology, the technology which has a fit for purpose job. Not something to look pretty or technology that's about 'engagement'. If you need technology to engage students that to me is a teacher in the wrong profession.
The fact of the matter is anyone pushing for mobile phones to be used in Schools are happy to take a risk with a child. We've seen a lot in the press in recent years about young people, some of which involved Schools and although the common wording is "It's not happening on site" what happens when it does? We have a professional core of belief that means protecting children is a must.
You've got to be careful and some people really don't like hearing the truth. You should only ever use technology that is fit for purpose. You should always limit what the kids can do because like it or not they are children. Schools don't allow them to wear what they want, do what they want or act the way they want in Schools - instead they are forced to wear correct uniform with no bending or breaking, their attendance must be 100% and on time every day.
So yes, Schools should be banning mobiles. Some may want to take risks in education but is that the right way to do it? Taking a risk? You are talking about taking risks with children's futures. That missing grade because some one wanted to try something new for 2 years just for that scheme to be scrapped. That term "taking a risk" is something I have seen the majority of these mobile technology pushers use. Fact of the matter is you should not be risking 100 students having failing grades to meet a personal need for technology or certainly to prove a point. Education is being heavily scrutinised lately and rightly so - every child should be walking away with grades. We should be cutting down their ease of drifting on phones, the ease of access to facebook and twitter. Think of the hours saved that staff are not chasing mobile phone problems or telling kids off for using them.
Time to take the hard stance on phones like Schools are doing with uniform and attendance. Ban the mobile phone it's not needed and is a waste of space in education.
