Ontario is the only province in Canada that actively bans the use of cell phones in the classroom. Similar proposals have been defeated in Quebec, Nova Scotia and British Columbia.
But some Canadian schools and districts have taken it upon themselves to ban students from using cell phones in class.cell phone jammer
At St. Thomas High School in Montreal, Que., and Elk Island Public Schools in Alta., school administrators are enforcing cellphone bans, requiring students to lock their phones at the start of the day or turn them off during class. cell phone.
According to CBC, school counselor Tulani Pierce said that Chatelech High School, located on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia, banned the use of mobile phones six months ago, and the results have been very significant.
“We’re seeing improved mental health, reduced bullying, increased classroom engagement and increased social interaction,” Pierce said. “Kids are playing again instead of on their phones, and we’re seeing improvements in their academic performance.”
Expert: Mobile phones affect students’ mental health
Sachin Maharaj, assistant professor of educational leadership, policy and program evaluation at the University of Ottawa, said mobile phones have a big impact on students’ mental health.
Maharaj believes that schools not only teach content but also “habits of mind,” including the ability to think deeply, focus for long periods of time, and listen attentively and empathetically to others.
“When students are exposed to constant distractions from cell phones, their ability to do these things is reduced.” At the University of Ottawa, Maharaj said, the mere presence of cell phones in classrooms can be distracting for students.
Students worry about what they will miss if they don’t check their phones. Maharaj said cellphone bans for students would be particularly difficult to enforce, given that adults are equally dependent on their phones.
Maharaj believes that a successful mobile phone ban must be all-encompassing and should apply to the entire school and be an established set of rules that does not differentiate between classrooms.
“As a society, we need to carve out at least some spaces where teenagers can go away from all the distractions, and I think school should be one of those spaces,” Maharaj said.
Parents, students: pros and cons
Tony Djukic, a parent in Brampton, Ont., said his daughter Karen was often bullied at her previous school because the government did not do enough to curb bullying. Karen relied on her cell phone to talk to her parents to get help.
Zhukic believes that the mobile phone is her daughter’s lifeline and a tool that allows her to obtain personal safety and emotional support more quickly.
Karen got permission from her vice-principal to FaceTime her father when she was feeling down.
Ontario’s regulations banning mobile phones (except for learning purposes) in classrooms came into effect in November 2019, but Karen said that according to her observations, students who have mobile phones can use them at any time if they want to, including in class.
Zhukic questioned how teachers can prevent students from using mobile phones if they cannot stop students from bullying.
Katie Yu, a 17-year-old student in Iqaluit, Nunavut, said cellphones are important for safety reasons. She also uses her phone to search, take notes and plan extracurricular activities, but keeps it locked away during much of class. She said students should regulate their cell phone use.
Saskatoon student Connor Merson-Davies, 15, said he uses his phone a lot in class. Sometimes, I take out my phone without realizing it, and it slips away for a while. He favors cell phone bans.
He said the Grade 10 health sciences teacher made a wooden box for students to put their phones in during class. Throughout the class, he found that he and his classmates were more focused on studying.
