Ysgol Aberconwy has improved their student behavior and communication with peers to an incredible new level. These strides followed head teacher Ian Gerrard’s decision to implement a partial ban on mobile phones 18 months ago. Through this new initiative, students can place their phones in secure pouches as they walk into the school. It would strengthen student learning while making sure students could still access phones for apps that support learning and mental health.
Increasing apprehension over smartphones’ effects on young people’s mental health partially motivated the decision to limit phone use. This measure strives to safeguard and advance the health of young people. Ian Gerrard noted, “There are many instances that we could quote where mental health has been negatively affected by smartphones, by social media and by children’s use of social media for cyber bullying and other things.” He acknowledged the potential benefits of mobile phones, stating, “Equally, there are some cases where the use of a mobile phone can be calming under certain circumstances and can be a benefit.”
At Ysgol Aberconwy, students are told to keep their devices locked up while in school. Phones can only be used at times when it’s absolutely needed for learning or if it is needed for a health issue like diabetes. If students are found using their devices inappropriately, the phones are taken. This approach seems to have struck a chord in both the student body and the staff.
Gerrard noted that the policy has created a more positive environment overall in the school. “We’ve noticed over the last 18 months significant improvements in behaviour in the school, and that’s no doubt partly due to our mobile phone approach, as much as due to a number of other changes that we put in place,” he stated. He further emphasized the positive shift in peer communication, saying, “The students have come to recognise the benefits that this policy brings for them in terms of their focus on learning, in terms of their focus on each other, and their ability to communicate with each other.”
This partial ban gives credence to the conclusions of a far-reaching report published recently by the Senedd. The report does not recommend a total smartphone ban in schools. The committee’s investigation was launched after a complaint brought by more than 3,000 people calling for such action. The committee determined that there is substantial evidence that smartphones are harmful. More importantly, they recognized what their role could be in promoting the health and security of youth.
The Senedd report highlights the need for a more sophisticated understanding of mobile phone usage and purpose in educational contexts. It consulted teachers, students and parents to get a range of views and experiences on the matter. Members of the Senedd are due to debate these damning findings at a plenary session on Wednesday.
Ian Gerrard advocates for educating children about the dangers of social media while teaching them how to effectively use their smartphones as educational tools. “Educating children to the dangers of social media, as well as helping them to understand how they can use their smartphones effectively as a tool for education is really important,” he concluded.
