The recent Department for Education guidance on mobile phones in schools provides a good opportunity to reflect on approaches to mobile phone usage in post-16 settings. Whilst schools are able to take many options including an outright ban on mobiles, this is more complex when students move on to college education. Corbett (2018) is referenced in this article from Impact which stresses our responsibility to teach responsible use of such devices. Doug King, Vice Principal at Oldham Sixth Form College, explains how important it is to model high expectations to students and have consistency across all classrooms.
There is a delicate balance to be had with the ‘issue’ of mobile phones in classrooms. At Oldham Sixth Form College we strive to develop independent learners with the ability to self-regulate and develop positive learning behaviours both in and out of the classroom. However, this needs to be considered against a backdrop where a mobile phone is an integral part of the lives of 16 – 19 year olds and social media companies are battling for their attention to the extent that some young people are displaying worryingly addictive behaviours with their phone. We also need to contextualise the government guidance where, for example, it suggests that phone use should be prohibited at breaks and lunchtimes. With the complexities of post-16 timetables this is simply not realistic.
Our approach is to ensure that teaching and learning is not disrupted by mobiles and we are helping students develop a healthy relationship with their phone use.
Ensuring teaching and learning is not impacted by mobile phone use means the fundamentals of behaviour management are crucial. When looking at how we would get 16 – 19 learners on-board with our mobile phone expectations the EEF Improving Behaviour in Schools Guidance Report provided us with some important guidance to help establish routines and habits that minimise the mobile phone related disruption in the classroom.
