A year in, teachers' union says phone ban boosts students' focus, but more action needed

It's been nearly a full school year since Prince Edward Island introduced restrictions on cellphone use for students, and teachers say they're seeing positive results.

Andy Doran, president of the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation, said the changes have helped students focus better in class.

"They were more engaged. There was better work being done. Students were asking more questions, and [there was] an overall improvement in the engagement of the students," Doran told CBC's Island Morning.

But he believes the policy is just the beginning when it comes to addressing the larger issue of screen time.

Under the policy, students in grades K-6 must have their phones silenced and out of sight while they are at school unless they are given specific permission from a teacher.

Students in grades 7-12 are allowed to use their phones during lunch and other breaks but must follow restrictions during class time.

Island Morning8:24Cellphone restrictions in P.E.I. schools: one year later

The school year is coming to a close, and it was the first year that P.E.I. schools have had restrictions on cellphones. Kids from kindergarten to Grade 6 aren't allowed to have phones at school at all, while students from Grades 7 to 12 can only be on their phones during lunch and breaks. Andy Doran, the president of the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation, shares how the policy has impacted classrooms across the province.

While there have been some rule violations, Doran said that's expected.  

He added that younger students, in particular, have adapted well.

"The pressure was off to have to constantly respond to social media and constantly respond to friend groups and [what] helped with the implementation of the whole thing is that the students bought into it, and their parents certainly did too," he said.

Addressing broader screen time habits

Doran said school cellphone policies are only one piece of a bigger puzzle.

"When I say screen time, I'm talking about not just school. I'm talking about 24 hours a day, the issue that our young people and younger adults are spending way too much time on screens, and not enough time in conversation or social interaction with others," he said.

He said teachers are seeing the effects of excessive screen use outside of school, particularly when it comes to attendance. Some students who stay up late playing video games or using social media can struggle to attend or fully participate in school the next day.

"We're seeing a lot of our attendance is attached to screen time," he said.

That's why Doran believes education around responsible screen use should become part of the school curriculum in the coming years.

While schools and teachers play a role, families must also take responsibility, he said.

"We only have the students for six hours… But what I'm talking about is the other 18 hours a day, the other 150 days a year when the students aren't in school," he said.

"Those guidelines have to come into play at home. The parents have to take the initiative to make sure screen time is limited outside school."

They were more engaged. There was better work being done. Students were asking more questions.— Andy Doran, president of the P.E.I. Teachers' Federation

As summer approaches, Doran is encouraging families to plan ahead and help children spend more time outdoors to avoid slipping back into unhealthy habits.

"At our teachers convention last fall, a speaker got up and said that in the past, 'We'd think nothing of letting our kids walk down the street. Now, we don't let [our] kids walk down the street, but we allow them to go into their rooms with a cellphone and close the door,'" Doran said.

"That got me thinking. That's so true, how much danger there is in a cellphone when it's unsupervised. So if I was advising parents: Continue to supervise their cellphone use, continue to limit their screen time use, and have a great summer."