The UK Might Ban Smartphones And Tablets In Schools; Should Australia Follow Suit?

The UK is desperately seeking solutions to its school behaviour problem, and one of the suggestions being floated is the banning of smartphones and tablets from classrooms.

According to The Telegraph, the UK’s Department of Education discipline tsar, Tom Bennett, is considering a crackdown on the use of iPhone and iPad use among students.

On the subject, Bennett said, “Technology is transforming society and even classrooms – but all too often we hear of lessons being disrupted by the temptation of the smartphone.”

“This is a 21st century problem and the majority of schools are dealing with it effectively. But I will now probe deeper into this issue, and behaviour challenges more broadly, to uncover the real extent of the problem and see what we can do to ensure all children focus on their learning.”

Bennett is a teacher and behaviour expert, and his mission is to assist fellow teachers with those pesky classroom distractions that cause pupils to lose, on average, 38 days of learning a year.

It has been found in a recent study by the London School of Economics that test scores rise by an average of six per cent in schools where mobiles have been banned.

The question remains: is an all-out ban the real solution, or would it be more valuable to encourage engagement through these devices, and tailor lessons accordingly (especially as digital literacy becomes more and more important)?

Over to you as to whether or not the UK should enact a ban (and if Australia should follow suit)?