Concerns that phones and social media are harming student learning and youth mental health have pushed school systems across Canada and the United States to restrict student phone use.
Are the restrictions working? We asked elementary and secondary teachers in Canada’s largest school district, in collaborative research conducted with Elementary Teachers of Toronto and Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation Toronto.
Authors:
- Sachin Maharaj | Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, Policy and Program Evaluation, Faculty of Education, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa
- John Ranellucci | Associate Professor; Vice-Dean of Research and Professional Development, Faculty of Education, L’Université d’Ottawa/University of Ottawa
The questions that you’re asking are good. But it is also worth asking teachers what they observe, because often teachers’ observations are accurate. At the very least, teachers know when they are wasting time trying to enforce rules poorly.