As someone from a country where you can't fathom putting phones in the hands of young school kids, I wonder if Finland will benefit from an absolute ban on phones in the classroom. I don't see any reason, barring medical needs or an emergency, where a student would need a phone in the class.
Maybe too many schools are now dependent on digital learning resources? I've heard of schools having tests/quizzes for kids using apps like Kahoot. At the risk of sounding old and alarmist, it is disturbing to see droves of young students outside schools walking with their heads buried in phones. They have a lifetime of this ahead of them, why start so young?
by ForiegnerinFinland
11 comments
Don’t Finnish schools use chromebooks for studying and not phones? Not a Finnish person so no idea
There is a lot of bulling and disracting.
I wish they’d make a law limiting phone use with sounds on in public spaces in general.
OP, are you the parent of a school aged child?
I don’t see why any student needs a computer until a bit later in life, you need to learn to read, write, maths, problem solve, communicate, and learn respect towards others.
I might sound like a boomer, but we know there is a direct link to mental health and social media use. Technology is cheap, your mental health isn’t.
I would also argue that people can learn to technology much quicker now because the use of programs, apps, etc is so ironed out for beginners. Kids can pick up a iPad and use it within 5 mins.
It’s a controversial topic throughout the world. Banning phones completely might not be the solution, but preventing any other use than what’s relevant for learning during a class sounds like the best way to go to me.
I am not sure what original author is asking.
However, technically this is “absolute ban on phones in the classroom”, with the loophole that teacher/principal can allow if needed.
The law is needed because curretly, teacher can forbid anything, but they can’t actually confiscate phones.
Forbidding might work in classes 1-6, however, some teens still continue to use phones in 7-9 and thus disturbing others. This law will actually help in this case. (hopefully)
Other than that – I am not sure why people always demonize mobile phones (and games). They are great tool if used correctly. For example, in 3rd and 4th class, they already teach how to type using keyboard. Sorry, but not even all adults currently know how to do that effectively.
Kids are just mentally deficient these days. Cell phones have been common since the start of the millennium and they’ve never been an issue, including smartphones in the early 2010s.
My suggestion? Start your kids off with a desktop computer, or at the very least a laptop, and don’t give them phones or tablets until absolutely necessary. At least that way they’ll learn their way around the technology instead of frying their brains with Fortcraft Minenite Elsa Spider-Man TikToks or whatever garbage there’s out there these days.
The number of zoomers asking about obvious scams that on Reddit lately is absolutely alarming. We’re talking about scams that even tech illiterate seniors won’t fall for.
As a teacher who encourages the students to use their phones, the ability to take them away when they are counterproductive will be useful.
They are phenomenal tools, especially in physics lessons, and I want the students to learn about all the different measuring capabilities they carry in their pockets.
Finding the speed of sound be recording echoes.
Measuring slope using the tilt sensor.
Kinematics with the 3d accelerometer.
Analysing motion using a slow-mo camera.
There is so much awesome stuff built into these devices, they are a great educational tool.
Chromebooks and cellphones aren’t the same. Kids can still learn digitally without their phones, and I don’t see any problem with this ban. I’ve seen firsthand how kids can get lost in their phones and smartwatches during school. The article says teachers can take phones away if they’re disruptive, so it seems like phones can still be used for good. But either way, it’ll definitely make class less distracting.
The ban should be extended to *schools,* not classrooms.
For example, a violent video of humiliating bullying spread virally during a break will render entire classes unable to concentrate in the next lesson.
Phones cause more damage than benefits to learning. The primary damage is caused to the ability to concentrate, which is an essential factor in learning, and no educational app can ever make up for that deficit.
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