Australia prohíbe los teléfonos móviles en clase

In a move to improve learning outcomes and reduce distractions, during 2023 Australia announced a ban on the use of the use of mobile phones in classrooms, with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Meanwhile, non-state schools were permitted the discretion to decide and implement their own policies.

• Todos los estados australianos han implementado la prohibición de los teléfonos móviles en las escuelas, excepto el Territorio de la Capital Australiana (ACT).

• The ban aims to improve learning outcomes and reduce distractions caused by mobile phone use in schools.

• The ban requires students to keep their phones away for the entire school day but allows them to bring them in for contacting parents or carers before or after school hours.

• Las escuelas privadas de Australia también han implementado prohibiciones sobre el uso de teléfonos móviles para reducir las distracciones, abordar el ciberacoso y mejorar los resultados del aprendizaje.

In 2020, Victoria was the first State to implement a school mobile phone ban. This was followed by Queensland in 2021, then in 2023 South Australia and New South Wales followed suit.

The main purpose of this policy is to improve learning outcomes and reduce distractions caused by mobile phone use.

The ban caused a range of reactions from parents, students, and schools. Parents have expressed their concerns about how it will affect their children’s safety and ability to communicate with them in an emergency.

However, a year on, the results have been very positive:

• 81% say students’ learning has improved since mobile phones were banned
• 87% of principals say students are less distracted in the classroom since mobile phones were banned
• 86% of principals say socialising has improved since the mobile phone ban

Western Australia: Years K–6 in public schools may not have a phone in their possession, while Years 7–12 may, but it must be turned off and put away. Smart watches must be kept in flight mode at school.

Northern Territory: Students from preschool to Year 6 in government schools may not have a phone in their possession. Years 7–12 may have a phone at school, but it must be turned off and stored securely. Smartwatches must be in flight mode.

South Australia: Public school students must keep their mobile phones and other personal devices, such as smart watches, switched off and put away while they’re at school. Each school has its own policy on how this works in practice.

Queensland: Public school students must keep mobile phones switched off and “away for the day” during school hours. Wearable devices, such as smartwatches, must have notifications switched off. Each school has its own policy on how this works.

New South Wales: Student mobile phone use is banned in public primary and high schools. There are a variety of ways that schools can implement the ban locally.

Australian Capital Territory: Students in Years P–10 may not use or access mobile phones or other personal communications devices during the school day or during school-authorised events. Students in Years 11 and 12 can have their phones but must put their devices away during class time.Tasmania: Students from Years K–12 must have their mobile phones switched off and stored during school hours. Each school has its own policy.

Victoria: Students must have phones switched off and securely stored during school hours. Each school has its own policy on how this works in practice. Wearable devices, tablets and other personal devices must have notifications turned off..

Each school has its own policy on how the ban is implemented, including where phones, smart watches and tablets are stored, as well as the consequences for non-compliance.
Students can bring their phones to school for safety when traveling to and from school, and to be contacted before or after school.

The ban in some schools is informal, whereas others have precise ways of ensuring the ban is implemented. Here at Phone Locker, we’ve helped many schools across Australia – and the globe – with our innovative lockable phone pouch, which can only be accessed again using a magnetic unlocking station at school exits (check out how it works).

The lockable phone pouches:

• Allows the student to keep hold of their property
• Avoids confrontations with “confiscation” of phones
• Prevents cheating, and other unauthorised use
• Can have complete signal blocking ability
• Can be branded, and fit all phones

For any implementation of the Phone Locker pouches, we assist in the roll-out – and have everything from templates to write to parents, to FAQ guidelines for students. Get in touch to discuss your school for a no-obligation chat.

NSW have announced findings from a year of implementation, saying the mobile phone ban has improved student learning, concentration, and encouraged young people to socialise more.

As a result, experts are calling for a consistent nation-wide ban. Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg called for a national policy on the issue that includes private schools. He said;

“I would plead with Jason Clare to talk to principals who have done this (and consider) a consistent national ban. If you have a mobile phone ban in a school, you are going to get more social interaction, less distraction and better grades”

Meanwhile, Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas said “the evidence is in” – children are playing with each other and not on their phones and there has been “a reduction in inappropriate behaviour”.
School reporting data from the state indicates a 63% decline in “critical incidents involving social media” in the first half of this year compared to the same period in 2023 before the ban.

Further reading…

Implementation of the mobile phone ban in Queensland took effect in term one of 2021. The new ban enforced a blanket ban on mobile phone use in all Queensland state schools, while non-state schools will have the discretion to decide and implement their own policies. 95% of state schools in Queensland already had policies in place that prohibit the use of mobile phones during class times.

Una revisión realizada por la ex comisionada de Familia e Infancia de Queensland, Cheryl Vardon, recomendó la prohibición de teléfonos y ciertos dispositivos portátiles durante el horario escolar. Esto requerirá que los estudiantes mantengan sus teléfonos alejados durante todo el día escolar, pero aún pueden llevarlos para comunicarse con sus padres o cuidadores antes o después del horario escolar. Las escuelas privadas tienen la discreción de decidir e implementar sus propias políticas con respecto al uso de teléfonos móviles.

Like schools in other countries, many schools have taken the option to implement the lockable Phone Locker magnetic phone pouch, where students can keep hold of their phones, but can only access it when allowed. This deals with the issues of storing mobile phones, and prevents it feeling like a punitive measure for students.

Building on the implementation of the mobile phone ban in Queensland, other Australian states have also implemented their own bans on phone use in public schools. Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and South Australia all adopted similar policies in 2020 and 2021 respectively. In 2023, South Australia and New South Wales also implemented bans.

Parental concerns and opinions of the ban vary, but many acknowledge the potential impact on student behaviour of limiting phone use during school hours. Other countries, such as France, have implemented similar bans with varying effectiveness. Alternatives to banning phones, such as education on responsible use, were considered but ultimately deemed insufficient.

Será necesario abordar los posibles desafíos para hacer cumplir la prohibición, como el cumplimiento de los estudiantes y el seguimiento de los docentes. Sin embargo, la prohibición en las escuelas privadas queda a discreción de cada escuela. Aunque el enfoque puede diferir de un estado a otro, el objetivo es el mismo: mejorar los resultados del aprendizaje y la seguridad de los estudiantes.

Si bien las escuelas públicas de Australia han implementado prohibiciones generales sobre el uso de teléfonos móviles, las escuelas privadas tienen la discreción de decidir e implementar sus propias políticas con respecto al uso de teléfonos móviles.

Some private schools, like SCEGGS Darlinghurst in Sydney, have implemented bans on mobile phone use with the intention of reducing distractions, tackling cyberbullying, and improving learning outcomes.

Las escuelas privadas también pueden considerar el uso de teléfonos móviles para beneficios educativos bajo ciertas condiciones. La aplicación de la política puede variar de una escuela a otra, ya que se fomenta la comunicación con los padres para garantizar una implementación exitosa.

Los estudiantes pueden usar sus teléfonos por seguridad mientras viajan hacia y desde la escuela, o para comunicaciones de emergencia con los padres. Además, las escuelas pueden aprobar exenciones en circunstancias excepcionales.

A través de esto, las escuelas privadas tienen como objetivo mejorar la participación de los estudiantes y crear un entorno de aprendizaje propicio, al tiempo que permiten la comunicación necesaria entre los estudiantes.

La prohibición ha tenido un impacto significativo en la dinámica del aula. Con los teléfonos fuera de los límites, los estudiantes ahora deben concentrarse en la tarea que tienen entre manos, lo que puede mejorar la concentración y los resultados del aprendizaje.

Además, los profesores tienen la oportunidad de crear un entorno de aprendizaje más colaborativo. También se encuentran disponibles alternativas de comunicación, como sistemas de correo electrónico escolares o aplicaciones de mensajería interna.

Few Australian jurisdictions have implemented a ban on mobile phones as strictly as the other states. The ACT is the only one to not impose a blanket ban. Education Minister Yvette Berry has stated that there are no plans to introduce a ban in the territory. Instead, the ACT focuses on helping students understand appropriate behaviour both online and offline.

El ACT puede tener estrategias alternativas para abordar las distracciones y el uso inadecuado de teléfonos móviles en las escuelas. Se pueden conceder exenciones a la prohibición por condiciones de salud, dificultades de aprendizaje, traducción de idiomas o circunstancias personales. Las escuelas privadas también tienen la discreción de decidir e implementar sus propias políticas con respecto al uso de teléfonos móviles. Esto puede incluir permitir el uso de dispositivos personales en determinadas circunstancias de aprendizaje.

El enfoque de ACT sobre el uso de teléfonos móviles en las escuelas puede diferir del de otros estados y territorios. Sin embargo, el objetivo general sigue siendo el mismo: reducir las distracciones y mejorar los resultados del aprendizaje de los estudiantes.

En circunstancias excepcionales, se pueden conceder exenciones a la prohibición de los teléfonos móviles en las escuelas australianas. Se pueden aprobar exenciones por condiciones de salud, dificultades de aprendizaje, traducción de idiomas o circunstancias personales. Las escuelas tienen la discreción de decidir su propio proceso de exención y pueden considerar el uso de teléfonos móviles con fines educativos bajo ciertas condiciones. Sin embargo, los relojes inteligentes, tabletas y otros dispositivos personales también están incluidos en la prohibición.

La información detallada sobre cómo y cuándo se pueden otorgar exenciones está disponible directamente en la escuela. En algunos casos, la escuela también puede permitir el uso de dispositivos personales en determinadas circunstancias de aprendizaje. Sin embargo, esto está sujeto a las políticas escolares individuales y debe ser aprobado por la escuela antes de su uso.