The critical relationship between education and phone-free schools
As some states and schools begin to limit cell phone use in the classroom, schools around the country are partnering with The Social Institute to proactively equip their students with modern life skills because while removing cell phones can increase attention during class, it doesn’t remove the underlying challenges related to technology use. Social media continues to disrupt learning, A.I. continues to raise questions, and device use continues to monopolize the time students have. We’ve seen that even without cell phones in the classroom, schools recognize that their students need help navigating their learning & well-being in positive ways so they can make healthy choices in our tech-fueled world.
Our team has seen that the key to maintaining a strong school culture lies in meaningful student-teacher relationships, engaged students, and a vibrant, supportive school culture. The Social Institute’s collaborative learning platform, #WinAtSocial, is a proven approach to do just that while empowering students to navigate their social worlds – online and offline – in positive and healthy ways.
#WinAtSocial focuses on discussion-based collaborative learning
What sets #WinAtSocial apart is its unique approach centered around discussion-based collaborative learning that helps build skills like collaboration, communication, empathy, and more. Unlike traditional, lecture-heavy character development programs, our huddle-based approach empowers students to take the lead, with 89% of educators observing active student participation using #WinAtSocial. This peer-driven structure helps amplify student voices as they collaborate on topics that directly affect their lives on and offline. With or without phones in hand, #WinAtSocial’s discussion-focused Lessons foster meaningful dialogue and empower students to develop crucial social skills for real-life scenarios. With or without cell phones, #WinAtSocial students can share insights, debate real-life scenarios, and build social skills as they complete lessons.
#WinAtSocial works seamlessly on all devices
#WinAtSocial’s peer-to-peer learning platform is flexible, meaning #WinAtSocial Lessons don’t rely solely on smartphones. Educators and students can access #WinAtSocial Lessons and activities from phones, laptops, and tablets. So, while students can use their phones for interactive lessons, they certainly don’t have to. Students can huddle together, answer discussion questions, and engage with interactive activities meaningfully on classroom laptops, school-issued tablets, or even desktop computers. #WinAtSocial empowers educators to guide impactful discussions about positive and healthy ways to navigate social media, regardless of the device used.
#WinAtSocial is evidence-based and supports face-to-face interaction
A key advantage of #WinAtSocial’s design is its foundation in research and evidence-based teaching methods. #WinAtSocial’s blended technology and face-to-face learning approach fosters critical thinking, sharing ideas, and clear communication. 80% of our engagement is face-to-face, while only 20% involves digital tools such as phones, laptops, or other devices. #WinAtSocial’s gamified platform of inputting answers allows students to engage in a fun way, and it gives room for quieter, introverted students to participate in discussions. This balance ensures that meaningful, real-life interaction remains at the forefront of modern life skills education. By reducing dependency on devices, #WinAtSocial supports the development of genuine interpersonal skills and encourages students to connect more deeply with their peers by huddling in the classroom. Huddling is an activity where students discuss important topics in small groups. It helps them share ideas and experiences in a supportive environment. This method encourages participation, strengthens student-teacher relationships, and builds essential life skills by making discussions relevant to students’ lives.
Schools that have adopted #WinAtSocial, such as Fellowship Christian School and Glenlyon Norfolk School, have reported measurable improvements in healthy online habits. By prioritizing discussion-based collaborative learning, #WinAtSocial Lessons promote meaningful interaction and collaboration. These schools also saw increased student participation, demonstrating that The Social Institute’s approach effectively builds interpersonal skills — even in phone-free environments — while fostering empathy and teamwork in the classroom. These cases show how #WinAtSocial doesn’t need cell phones to spark engagement and teach students skills to behave in healthy, high-character ways.
TSI Take
#WinAtSocial’s comprehensive approach to empowering students to navigate their social world includes more than just lessons in the classroom. #WinAtSocial offers Platform PlayBooks on popular social media and tech platforms, like ChatGPT, Instagram, and Snapchat, so educators and families have extra resources to guide students on best practices on specific apps. #WinAtSocial also offers professional development opportunities for educators to equip them with best practices in empowering students to navigate social media and tech in positive and high-character ways.
#WinAtSocial thrives at the school, regardless of whether or not cell phones can be used. #WinAtSocial offers students a way to learn more about navigating social media and building tech-savvy habits. Students can access #WinAtSocial on various devices, educators can huddle with students on important topics, and the entire school community can access The Social Toolkit to actively engage students as they navigate lessons that foster empathy, understanding, and healthy online habits.
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The Social Institute (TSI) is the leader in empowering students by understanding students. Through #WinAtSocial, our gamified, peer-to-peer learning platform, we equip students, educators, and families to navigate their social world – in the classroom and beyond, online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways. Our unique, student-respected approach empowers and equips, rather than scares and restricts. We incorporate timely topics about social media, tech use, and current events that are impacting student well-being and learning. #WinAtSocial Lessons teach life skills for the modern day, capture student voice, and provide school leaders with actionable insights. Through these insights, students play an essential role in school efforts to support their own health, happiness, and future success as we enable high-impact teaching, meaningful family conversations, and a healthy school culture.