Best Practice

Mobile phones and devices in the classroom: Four factors to understand

Handheld devices Edtech
The government’s rhetoric on mobile phone bans in schools must not lead to rash decisions that might limit the impact of digital devices and technology in the classroom. Fiona Aubrey-Smith considers four factors we must understand about the use of digital devices in learning
Image: Adobe Stock -

Last term, the secretary of state for education announced plans for non-statutory guidance to support headteachers to ban the use of mobile phones throughout the school day.

As reported by SecEd, this guidance is seen mostly as unnecessary and headline-chasing rather than meaningfully useful given that many schools already ban mobile phones.

However, there have been a number of counterarguments and some pushback by educators and families who have interpreted the advice as “anti-technology”.

Much of my work is immersed in academic research concerned with the uses of digital technology in schools and most of my days are spent in schools working alongside children, teachers, and leaders.

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