The Changing Landscape of Technology on School Campuses

Over the past decade, technology has become more and more integrated into modern education. In fact it can be seen as a crucial component of learning itself. The question is: Does this change bring benefits to students? 

The Learning Environment and Technology

Although students might be more engaged and motivated to learn when they have opportunities to use technology in the classroom, the learning environment needs to be dynamic, flexible, and inclusive for all learners. Does allowing smartphone use in the classroom become a hindrance when aiming to support all students? 

A Changing Landscape

Recently, there have been an increasing number of independent schools that are banning the use of smartphones in classrooms and on campuses. It’s unsurprising that initially, students might not be thrilled about this new rule. But, it could bring a deeper sense of social and in-person engagement. 

Remember that schools are a community, and strive to be treated as such. On some campuses with minimal guidelines on smartphone usage, this community aspect may quickly be lost but also provide a new way for students to connect and learn together. On other campuses, the strict rules surrounding the use of smartphones might increase the school’s community identity and allow for deeper student and faculty connections. 

A Private School Example: Smart Students, not Smartphones

At the private school level, the result of eliminating smartphone usage can take away valuable opportunities for students to have in-person conversations and interactions, and ask more questions. 

Let’s look at Buxton School in northwestern Massachusetts as an example. This school year, Buxton decided to eliminate the use of smartphones for students and faculty after witnessing that their usage on campus had deeply affected their school’s sense of community. 

Before implementing the smartphone ban, Buxton wondered if this type of rule would even be realistic for young adults. But now, the results are all too clear. Students don’t mind and Buxton can now work to gain their sense of community back. 

As Buxton’s Head of School, Peter Beck says, “We’re not worried that thirty-two weeks a year without a smartphone will leave anyone less prepared for anything. Indeed, we believe the opposite is true. The best preparation for anything—any college, any career, any life—is to know yourself well, and to know how to be in community. When you know your own values, ethics, aesthetics, mind, and heart, then you are ready for any kind of world.”

Creating Community Outside of Technology

Another school that has tackled the notion of ensuring community across their beloved campus is Dublin School in Dublin, New Hampshire. Why is community important to Dublin School? Together, students, teachers, and administrators strive to better respect the individual viewpoint, needs, and potential each person brings to their community. One could argue this respect and understanding of one another is important regardless of being a school, college, university, etc. 

Dublin took a unique approach by transitioning from offering multiple languages to offering Spanish as their second language on campus. All students take Spanish and in doing so, it affords an opportunity to come together as a school community around this common thread. To foster global citizenship at Dublin, students also have the opportunity to travel and experience language and culture simultaneously as one school. It’s not uncommon to visit Dublin’s campus and hear students conversing bilingually in English and Spanish in social dialogue! 

A New Perspective

Change doesn’t always have to be negative. Implementing new technology rules can help students be more present, get to know each other, and increase their social skills. With any change, especially bigger changes, careful consideration across the school community is critical for successful adaptation.

What changes has your school community made to enhance the community? How have you changed your technology policies as a result? As a parent, what technology policies do you want?