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France bans smartphone use in schools

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Re: France bans smartphone use in schools

#102
post #4

> “In reality, the ban has already been made. I don’t know a single teacher in this country that allows the use of phones in class.” Not allowing kids to use smartphones during class is a huge difference than not allowing them at all in school. Cell phones are huge part of people's lives, whether they like it or not.

> Not allowing kids to use smartphones during class is a huge difference than not allowing them at all in school

Learning how to put down their phones while socializing and working will probably be more valuable to these students, in the long run, than scoring a few extra minutes of Instagram. It isn't like they can't use their phones once off campus.

Re: France bans smartphone use in schools

#103
This is how it was here in the US when I was a kid in the 90's with pagers and cellphones. I don't see what the big deal is. I'm surprised it's taken this long. I don't know how schools are today, but I would assume they would not have changed the rules and such things would still be banned in all of high school and below. If not, maybe parents should ask their schools why they changed the rules? Assuming of course that they don't want their kids to be on their cellphone 100% of the time in school, something that's inevitable if they are allowed to have them.

Re: France bans smartphone use in schools

#104

My thoughts as a High School teacher: I have tried[1] to allow students to have their phones, teach them to use their phones responsibly, etc. It doesn’t work. They are banned in my class. I’m just a single teacher with basically no budget. I can’t compete with giant corporations that spend millions on design, UX, UI, etc. [1] Also, technically trying to teach kids to use their phones responsibly (or even generically…

It's not only competing with the addictive nature of smartphone apps, but competing with a child's interests too. Personal anecdote, but, going to school and learning stuff was more about discipline than enjoyment, that only came later on subjects in college I actually found interesting. But I do support that method of education, and I also support a ban on smartphones by extension.

> I also support a ban on smartphones by extension

I support a ban during class. Between classes, however, it seems fine to let students co-ordinate extra-curricular activities on their phones.

Re: France bans smartphone use in schools

#105
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure but they also use Google and Wikipedia etc.

Under 15? Not really, can use purely offline sources for that generic material. Good skill as well. Still should have a basic computing class though, perhaps wrapped into a library class.

In my experience all printed material is incomplete, obsolete, or one-sided and frequently all three.

That is not to talk about materials that can't be encoded as text, such as instructions and how-tos for whatever the French version of shop-class is.

You would propose that students be taught such subjects as the French revolution, based on what materials are available in the school library? How can you even ethically do that, when the kids probably can't even get the complete text of the Tennis court oath?

Re: France bans smartphone use in schools

#106
post #4

> “In reality, the ban has already been made. I don’t know a single teacher in this country that allows the use of phones in class.” Not allowing kids to use smartphones during class is a huge difference than not allowing them at all in school. Cell phones are huge part of people's lives, whether they like it or not.

So why not use a dumb phone as a cell; They're cheaper too!

Re: France bans smartphone use in schools

#108
Good on France. Now all they need to do is mandate OCaml, the great French programming language and they will own the next 10 years.

This is where the UK blundered in the 80s, the government should have bought a million Archimedes for the entire public sector and jumpstarted the U.K. tech industry. We would be 30 years ahead of where we are today.

Re: France bans smartphone use in schools

#109
post #4

> “In reality, the ban has already been made. I don’t know a single teacher in this country that allows the use of phones in class.” Not allowing kids to use smartphones during class is a huge difference than not allowing them at all in school. Cell phones are huge part of people's lives, whether they like it or not.

Cell phones are huge part of people's lives, whether they like it or not.

The generation that invented smartphones did not have smartphones in class

Re: France bans smartphone use in schools

#110

Like much of education policy, this seems to help some at the expense of harming others. For the intelligent & motivated, there will be unnecessary boredom during downtime/study hall, potential hatred for learning/school, and other negative effects. For the lackluster students, this policy will help some pay attention to class, learn lessons, and complete work. In general, however, I'd have to say I'm against it. Any…

I just missed the dawn of smartphones, so my boredom remedy all throughout school was tossing a cheap paperback in my backpack. It was downright comical to get yelled at for pulling out a book and reading when you'd finished your work early though.
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