Digital Technology

Smart watches and mobile phones in schools

Recently, I was looking for some statistics for a presentation I was doing for our HEPS staff and I came across a staggering figure around mobile phone ownership within Australia. 

• At the start of 2023 there were 32.71 million mobile connections in Australia

With a population of over 26 million, there are more mobile phone plans than people in Australia. It made me think – some of us have more than one phone! I was intrigued, yet I wondered (as I work in a school) and curious about what children owned and perhaps what they used them for. I found this -  

• 68% of kids aged from 3 – 17 own a smartphone and collectively use them for almost a whole day each week (21 hours and 48 minutes)
• Usage is spread across shooting video, taking photos and playing games
• The average age kids are getting a phone is 12
• 10-year old’s are on their phone almost 15 hours a week and this increases to 26+ by the time they hit 17.

One of my daughters started high school this year and well, she got a mobile phone. Not new, but a hand me down. She was very happy. But it made me think about what happens at her high school and what does she do with it. She kindly shared with me the processes and consequences around their use (actually, what happens when you get caught with one in your hand!) and I was impressed. Pretty tough and no room for arguments. However, what are the rules for Government primary schools and us?

In case you didn’t know, The Department of Education has robust, distinct rules and regulations around phones in schools and technology. 

• Students who choose to bring mobile phones to school must have them switched off and securely stored during school hours.  At HEPS mobile phones must be signed in at the office each morning and signed out at the end of the school day.
• Schools are required to develop a local policy on students using mobile phones, which must include how this ministerial policy will be implemented.

Regarding other devices, the Department states – 

• Wearable devices, iPads and other personal devices are excluded from the policy, however, if they are brought to school, students must switch off all notifications during the school day. Schools may choose to include wearable devices, iPads and other personal devices as part of their local policies.

Last Christmas, my niece was given a smart watch (one of those watches that she can call mum or dad with). Her parents have separated, and it is to help with all the communication between the 3 of them and her activities. Makes perfect sense, but it has made her accessible all day, every day. I asked her about it, and she showed me what it does, how she can make calls and the video calls she can do too. Once again, this made me think about a student and the possibility of it being used at school and the concerns I have as a parent, even teacher.

• Is my child being filmed or in a call with another adult?
• Given some families have said no to public images and filming/photography of their child, this breaches this.
• Why is a child being called? 
• What else do they have access to?
• Am I being filmed or recorded?

Due to these privacy issues, under no circumstance should a child be called by a parent on one of these devices. The watch should be on silent (school mode etc) and notifications turned off. Any mobile phone not handed in comes with the risk of ‘Enforcement’ within the guidelines of the Department of Education. 

I wonder now, as I walk into the BER each day, how connected children are and how many mobile phones our Level 6 students own! Today, I might pay Bridget a visit and see how many get handed in…