The Manitoba classroom cellphone ban is improving student focus and learning outcomes
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Walk into any Manitoba school classroom, and it’s unlikely you’ll see students with cellphones. That’s because the provincial government banned them at the start of this school year.
To be precise, students in kindergarten to Grade 8 are not allowed to bring cellphones to school, while high school students can use their phones during spare periods and lunch hours but not in class. Although this is not a total ban, it is a significant improvement over previous policies.
Previously, cellphone policies were left to the discretion of principals and teachers. This led to a patchwork approach where phones were permitted in some classrooms but restricted in others. Students knew they could pressure teachers to allow cellphones, as many schools had already taken a laissez-faire approach to the issue.
A provincewide ban gave school principals and teachers the authority they needed to keep cellphones and other personal electronic devices out of classrooms. Students can no longer point to other schools where cellphones are permitted.
Even better, this ban has gone nationwide. Every province has either banned cellphones from schools or implemented significant restrictions on their use. There is now a virtually universal consensus that cellphones do more harm than good in classrooms.
This wasn’t always the case. For years, many educators argued that personal cellphones should be as common in the classroom as pens and pencils. They suggested students could use their phones for educational purposes.
Of course, we now know cellphones were far more commonly used to send personal text messages, watch videos and play games. While some students used their phones responsibly, others did not. In the end, cellphones became a constant source of distraction.
As a high school teacher, I have personally seen the positive impact of the provincial cellphone ban. Students are more focused in class, more likely to talk to each other about school topics and more likely to read books during their spare time. Frankly, I’m amazed at how rarely I have to remind students to put their phones away.
To be fair, not all technology is bad. I like being able to use a projector in class, and it makes sense for school divisions to provide high school students with Chromebooks to conduct research and write essays.
However, it’s worth asking whether it makes sense to provide board-issued electronic devices to young students. Given the importance of developing foundational numeracy and literacy skills in the early years, there is a strong case to be made for limiting their use and concentrating on building these essential skills.
Simply put, even board-issued electronic devices have the potential to cause distractions. Most students already get plenty of screen time at home and certainly don’t need more at school.
The Manitoba government established a sound policy when it banned cellphones in classrooms. Not only should this policy remain in place, but the province should also take further steps to ensure classrooms are as distraction-free as possible.
Students of all ages need a solid education. Personal electronic devices are, with few exceptions, not part of that equation.
Michael Zwaagstra is a public high school teacher and a senior fellow at the Frontier Centre for Public Policy.
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