Is a cell phone ban really the answer?
We have been seeing more and more instances of digital overwhelm in the news. In the Netherlands, the education ministry has decided to ban the use of portable digital devices when not specifically required for learning.
Dutch authorities have found that phones, tablets and smartwatches consistently interfere with students’ levels of concentration.
“Even though mobile phones are intertwined with our lives,” said education minister Robbert Dijkgraaaf, “they do not belong in the classroom.”
In Ontario, Canada there’s ongoing discussion of a full ban on cell phones while in class, and not only because of how they might impact academic performance (though studies show they do).
The way we engage with our digital devices is being recognized as a “canary in the coal mine” for how youth will establish and navigate their lifelong boundaries with their digital tools.
According to Sachin Maharaj, an assistant professor of educational leadership, policy and program evaluation at the University of Ottawa, “Schools aren't just teaching content, they're also teaching ‘habits of mind’.”
So, where do we go from here?
Our digital devices have changed the way we live, and they aren’t going away. Yet, like almost any other tool human beings have created, they aren’t inherently bad. In fact, they can have tremendous value: for many of us — not just our youth — these devices have become an integral part of how we communicate with our friends, families and loved ones. They provide convenient access to a vast supply of knowledge, help us to share our personal experiences without censorship (in most cases) and allow us to connect with ideas and conversations around the world.
But they can be programmed to seduce us, and they have tremendous power to affect the way we feel about ourselves and our lives — and the ways we work and create.
We don’t need to cut the cord to align our tech use with our values. I believe the key to thriving with technology is less about limiting screen time and more about creating the positive conditions for other, more life-giving engagements, to flourish.
If that’s what you’re looking for, here are a few ways JOMO can help:
If you’re looking for a step-by-step course, sign up for The JOMO Method, our 30-lesson program that will help you turn your digital distractions into traction on your most important goals.
If you’re a part of an organization looking to reimagine your approach to digital wellness and increase your capacity for joy, I design customized keynotes and workshops that will change the way you connect with your digital tools — and one another.
Finally, if you’re a student, faculty member, or work in the education sector, JOMO(campus) can revolutionize the way your institution engages with tech. We design comprehensive, multi-tier programs that will help your learning community re-negotiate its relationship with technology, and measurably improve mental health, productivity, and academic performance.
As always, we are so happy to be connecting with you.
