Technology is changing learning in schools — for better and for worse

As the State exams begin, a debate is needed around our children’s use of smartphones, says Luke Saunders

CAN you remember the last time you saw your child without a smartphone or a tablet in their hands? In fact, have you seen them go a single day without accessing a device of some sort? I haven’t.

As a teacher, I have witnessed first-hand the irreversible impact smartphones are having on our children — changing the way they behave at home, in the classroom and with each other. And some of this change isn’t good at all.

This Wednesday, more than 60,000 students will sit the Leaving Certificate, with a further 60,000 tackling the Junior Certificate.

I believe this will be the first truly ‘Smartphone Leaving Cert’ — a moment of inflection in Ireland’s history that has seen smartphones transforming home and school life.

There can be no doubt that smartphones help students — but they also wreak havoc in our classrooms, interrupting and distracting children.

Constant phone use causes stress and worry at home, adding to the already great stresses caused by our exam system. There needs to be a frank debate on the impact of technology on our children.

While access to the internet opens up huge learning and teaching opportunities, I believe that the smartphone is the biggest challenge facing the teaching profession and parents today. The relationship between technology and our youth is a key concern.

As recent as five years ago, it would be rare to see a firstor second-year student with a smartphone. Today, it would be unusual to come across a student without one. In a recent survey of 2,500 second-level students, conducted on Studyclix.ie, of which I am co-founder, 54pc of students admitted to having checked their phone in class while their teacher was not looking.

Over these five years, I have seen huge changes in young people. Students seem more anxious, more self-conscious, something which seems hard to not blame on the rapid evolution of mobile phones and social media. It is undoubtedly difficult for a student to feel comfortable and confident about themselves if every hour on Instagram and Facebook, they see a picture of the “perfect beach body” or Photoshopped models.

It’s been tough for teachers to accept some of the changes the smartphone has had on the school dynamic in Ireland over the past 10 years.

Where once a group of students may have sat having a conversation at lunch break, now it’s common to see a group of silent children on their phones. People talk about connecting, but this truly is disconnection in action.

But as I said, there are huge benefits to the online revolution. In the past, teachers relied mainly on books and physical demonstrations to explain a concept. Now, I can bring my geography class to life with a YouTube video, or enable my science class to code their own animations using freely available software.

Technological aids help accommodate all learners, as not all students learn in the same way. Some respond to watching a video, while others respond to learning that engages them through action.

Furthermore, social media, online learning communities such as Studyclix, and other online resources have modernised the way students learn. Studyclix.ie allows thousands of students communicate with one another; sharing tips, notes and advice. Now, a girl in Cork can get real-time help with an exam issue from a teenage boy in Donegal, creating a very beneficial and rewarding experience. So that’s the good stuff. The negative side carries concerns for parents, teachers and students alike. Our Studyclix.ie survey showed that 60pc of students are worried about how often they use their phones. Adults are just as guilty of checking phones on an alarmingly regular basis. But why are we so obsessed?

The reasons vary from generation to generation. As adults, we tend to use our phones as a social shield. Why stand awkwardly waiting in line when you can take out your phone and look occupied?

Our teenagers have perhaps even more to worry about. Take FOMO for one, the “Fear Of Missing Out” — if students check their phone at regular intervals, it reassures them that they are still in the loop. Other studies suggest that students feel anxious if they are not available 24/7.

Schools have tried to tackle students’ phone use. Some have opted for an outright ban, and even run detentions for students caught with phones.

Others have opted for a more tolerant policy, with students allowed to use phones at break-times. It’s clear, though, that many ignore the rules.

As students are worried about how often they use their phones, it means they are aware of the issue.

This awareness could be the first step towards finding a solution. If students are willing to change their habits, then teachers and parents must support and enable that.

If not, we stand on the brink of a behavioural sea change that threatens the entire fabric of school life.

We owe it to our children to find a balance between the positive, transformative power of technology and the very great harm it can do.

‘At break-time, you see groups of silent pupils on their phones’