Navigating Smartphones in School: Teachers Seek a Clear Path in Mobile Phone Dilemmas
Educators Seek Clear Legal Guidelines Regarding Cell Phone Usage - Educators Seek Legal Clarity Regarding Mobile Phone Usage
Getting caught discussing smutty content on your mobile device during recess? Not exactly the best idea when a teacher witnesses it. But what's a teacher to do? As a group of experts discovered during a hearing in Schwerin, the legal gray area makes it tricky for teachers, who themselves are seeking more legal protection from the state.
Should a teacher intervene in such a situation and peek at a student's smart device? Several experts shared their views in the hearing, stating that teachers would be in uncertain territory if they decided to investigate a student's private device, as such actions could infringe upon students' privacy rights.
Teachers in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern desire more legal safeguards from the state. They should be able to react swiftly without compromising the privacy of students - this was the demand from Heike Walter, the chairwoman of the school management association in the region. Katharina Scheiter, a professor of digital education in Potsdam, also emphasized the importance of having legal guidelines for enforcing regulations, not just towards students but also parents, to support teachers.
Professor Rainer Riedel, a neurologist and psychotherapist, drew a comparison with road traffic regulations. Driving while using a mobile device is banned and offenders are penalized. If similar clear-cut rules were established for students, teachers would have a better framework to navigate such situations, he said.
Time to Decide: Schools Wish for Autonomy
When it comes to deciding whether and to what extent private digital devices such as smartphones or smartwatches can be used in school, schools are pushing for autonomy. Rather than requiring binding guidelines from the Ministry of Education, schools are eager to maintain much control in this area. In fact, many schools have already set their own rules after discussions in the school conference involving children and young people.
For example, in numerous primary schools, mobile phones must remain switched off during the entire school day or be left in the morning. As students grow older, they are given more freedom. The principal of the Grundschule Sandberg in Neustrelitz, Betty Hirschfeld, supports a complete ban on private smartphones in school up to the end of secondary school, i.e., up to grade nine. Professor Rainer Riedel advocates for "mobile phone protection zones." He believes that these become crucial because today's children see worse, are heavier, and more clumsy due to the intensive use of digital media.
A Chess Match with Educators
From the perspective of the chairman of the State Student Council, Felix Wizowsky, it would be counterproductive to outright ban smartphones from school. Instead, if everyone agrees to hand over their mobile device before class, that's acceptable. However, Wizowsky warns, bans don't work, and only lead to a clever game between students and teachers.
While smartphones pose certain risks, they also offer numerous opportunities. The handling of mobile devices as a teaching tool should be taught in school, along with the ability to self-regulate. Nonetheless, the chairman of the State Student Council suggests that mobile devices should occupy minimal space in school up to grade six.
Preparing to Take the Wheel: The Minister of Education Weighs In
Minister of Education Simone Oldenburg (Left Party) disclosed plans for a guide for schools to help teachers handle mobile devices legally. During a meeting following the hearing, Oldenburg said, "We're ready to take up this suggestion from the public hearing in the Education Committee." This guide will offer recommendations on appropriate actions for teachers and suggest feasible regulations for different types of schools. The minister expressed opposition to an outright ban on students' personal mobile devices, tablets, or smartwatches in schools. Instead, the minister believes that considering the age, extent, and manner of use of digital devices and establishing school-specific regulations makes more sense.
- Mobile phone
- Smartphone
- Health risks
- Education
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Legal guidelines
- Student privacy rights
- The minister of education in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Simone Oldenburg, has revealed plans to create a guide for schools to help teachers handle student's mobile devices legally, emphasizing the importance of establishing school-specific regulations rather than a blanket ban.
- In Potsdam, Katharina Scheiter, a professor of digital education, stresses the need for legal guidelines for enforcing regulations, not just towards students but also parents, to support teachers in their efforts to ensure a safe and healthy learning environment.
- Some neurologists, like Rainer Riedel, advocate for "mobile phone protection zones" or clear-cut rules against the use of mobile devices during school hours, as excessive use of digital media can lead to health risks among students, such as poor posture and impaired cognitive abilities.
- Later in the evening, a student council chair, Felix Wizowsky, suggests a compromise: allowing students to hand over their smartphones before class instead of a complete ban on mobile devices in school, recognizing the risks and opportunities they present for both students and teachers in an educational setting.
