What is my informed opinion about banning mobile phones and other digital devices in schools?

Restricting anything in a classroom will always push students to become more creative and find a way to work around the ban. If we continue to have this debate it spends valuable time which instead could be channelled into HOW to use them in the classroom most effectively, also they are not cheap so if parents found out that you were keeping them in an unlocked desk draw they wouldn’t really be happy…

I think they should be used to aid learning when needed and be seen at all times if they’re planning on using it to more easily tell if they are using it for something inappropriate. Having quizes setup on Survey Monkey or Kahoot which allows them to access the content directly or using another app which allows them to comment on the content would help with the interactions with the subject and allow them to store photos for evidence of their work.

Chai, C., Lim, C., & Pek, M. (2005) Classroom management issues in information and communication technology (ICT)-mediated learning environments: back to the basics. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia. 14(4) p391.