Is the Ontario ban on smartphones in classrooms effective?

 Ontario made the decision to ban smartphones in school starting in September 2024. This was done to minimize distractions and improve focus in classrooms. In the past couple of years, students have become addicted to their smartphones and neglected their education by spending little to no time on their schoolwork to have more screen time. Despite the province's efforts, is this ban really effective? 

I believe that this ban is ultimately ineffective for multiple reasons. Firstly, students still find ways to use their smartphones discreetly, regardless of the ban. Secondly, smartphones, when used responsibly, can be a valuable learning tool. Today, most class work is done online and having a smartphone can be used to research and complete your school work. Lastly, there are still distractions found in school that are beyond smartphones. Banning smartphones would not completely rid schools of distractions. Studies on smartphone bans show mixed reports, as some schools claim that the banning of smartphones did not improve the student's overall focus in class. On the contrary, some schools have reported that the ban has improved students' focus.

Perhaps banning smartphones from entering the school would be a more effective way of getting rid of distractions in school or teaching students to use their smartphones in a responsible way that would support their education.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Free School Lunches Should Be A Necessity

Image
One in five Canadian students goes to school hungry due to a lack of food at home. To combat food insecurity, schools should provide free nutritional lunches to all students, regardless of their family's financial situation. There are multiple reasons as to why this is a necessity. Firstly, proper nutrition is very important for children as it is essential to their physical health, mental well-being and development. Having a proper nutritional diet also improves a student's academic performance as a lack of healthy food can result in the deterioration of a student's focus, learning abilities and participation in school activities. Secondly, offering free school lunches can eliminate the barrier between students who can and can not afford nutritious food. Students with families that can not afford lunches can cause insecurity which negatively affects their mental health and their ability to succeed at school. Free lunch programs can rid this stigma ensuring students have a f...
Read more

The TTC Needs to Improve

Image
The Toronto Transit Commission is relied on by many Torontonians, serving as a primary mode of transportation for many students and adults. While being one of the largest and most populated cities in North America, Toronto's transit system is one of the worst compared to other major cities like London, Tokyo and New York. The TTC is often overcrowded, unreliable, and at times dangerous. On the average weekday, the TTC is packed and overcrowded. The TTC also experiences frequent delays, making it difficult for commuters to arrive at their daily schedules on time. The TTC has also become a hotspot for incidents ranging from harassment to theft. To combat these problems, the TTC should first improve their infrastructure. New and improved buses and subways should be added to routes to rid the buses of overcrowding and frequent delays. Adding law enforcement to TTC buses and subway stations will decrease the number of these violent incidents and add a sense of security when riding the T...
Read more

Housing affordability in Toronto

Image
House prices across the GTA have skyrocketed in Toronto over the last few years. Many young people who once dreamed of owning a home now face the harsh reality that they will never be able to afford it. According to a study by Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto is now the 6th most expensive city in the world regarding rental pricing. The average monthly rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $3,036.  This has occurred because of multiple reasons. There is limited housing in Toronto, rapid population growth, and while house prices keep increasing, wages on the other hand do not. The Canadian government should make an effort to address the housing crisis in Toronto. There should be a cap on the number of immigrants entering the country while they fix the housing crisis. Another action the federal government of Canada should take is to build new homes and lower the construction cost. Relating to this, the government should prevent people from purchasing homes to sell them at a much h...
Read more