Why innovative schools are choosing to empower students to use tech for good amidst new laws, like Virginia’s new cellphone ban
In a move that reflects growing concerns about student mental health and distracted learning environments, Virginia has announced a comprehensive cellphone ban for public schools, set to take effect on January 1, 2025. Under this new policy, students must turn off their cellphones and keep them stored away throughout the school day, including during lunch and between classes.
Virginia is not the first state to enact a cellphone ban for its public schools. In fact, 14 states now have laws or policies in place that restrict student cellphone use while at school. While the ban aims to create distraction-free classrooms, it raises concerns that schools might choose not to invest in education about responsible technology use in an age where students are growing up in a tech-fueled world and where social media plays an integral role in their social lives.
Forward-thinking schools recognize that students will have access to their phones once they leave school, and they will continue to grow up in a tech-fueled world. So as cellphone bans take effect in states across the country, schools are partnering with The Social Institute to empower students to navigate technology and social media in healthy, high-character ways through #WinAtSocial, The Social Institute’s positive and proactive approach to modern life skills education.
Understanding Virginia’s Cellphone Ban
The Virginia Department of Education has laid out clear school cellphone use rules. For elementary school students, the rule is simple: no cellphones are allowed during school hours. Middle and high school students can’t have their phones out during class but can use them before and after school. This policy is part of a larger trend where educators believe that cutting back on cellphone access can help students focus better and deal with the negative effects of social media on their mental health.
But there’s an important point to consider: students will still have their smartphones outside of school, and schools often issue 1:1 devices for them to complete schoolwork. With technology such a big part of their lives, schools need to figure out how to help students use their devices responsibly.
With 97% of teens reporting that they use their phones during the school day, it’s clear that schools need guidelines for how and when students can use them. However, a lot of students think that an outright ban on phone use is too far. Many students do more than just scroll through social media apps or text friends. They also use cellphones as a secondary resource to complete assignments, collaborate on projects and share documents, take photos of class PowerPoint presentations that they can study later electronically, and perhaps most importantly, communicate with families in case of emergencies. In a survey about phone use, many students had mixed feelings about regulating phone use. They preferred teachers confiscating phones during class or putting blockers on the school network to prevent social media use. However, a lot of students thought that an outright ban on phone use altogether was too far.
The Need for Modern Life Skills Education
Schools that understand these nuances of students’ experiences with tech and social media continue to prioritize education that empowers students to navigate their worlds – both online and offline – in healthy, high-character ways, even amidst cellphone bans. One way they do so is by partnering with The Social Institute to empower students to protect their privacy online, strike a balance between their time online and in-person experiences, critically evaluate the information they find online, and use tech, like artificial intelligence, in ethical ways. By integrating this peer-to-peer, collaborative learning, educators can equip students with essential skills that extend beyond the classroom.
These new cellphone regulations provide educators with an opportunity to huddle with their students and promote positive tech and social media use that, in turn, foster key modern life skills like:
Critical Thinking: The ability to distinguish between credible sources and misinformation is essential in today’s information-rich environment, especially as AI-generated content spreads.
Career Prep: Many jobs today require digital skills. Teaching these skills, even with a cellphone ban, equips students with the necessary tools and knowledge to thrive in a technology-driven job market.
Responsible Online Behavior: Helping students understand how to use tech for good promotes safe and respectful interactions on social media and other platforms.
Collaboration and Communication: Students learn to use digital tools for collaboration, such as sharing documents, participating in group projects, and communicating effectively with peers and teachers. This fosters teamwork and improves communication skills.
Access to Diverse Perspectives: The internet offers a wealth of information from various cultures and viewpoints. Digital literacy encourages students to explore and appreciate diversity, broadening their understanding of the world.
Navigating Current Events: Tech and social media have given students unparalleled access to news and current events, and promoting healthy engagement with current events, fosters civic awareness and responsibility.
The Benefits of Understanding How Students Use Cellphones and Social Media
While concerns about distraction and mental health have led to calls for cellphone bans, it is essential to recognize the benefits that smartphones and social media can offer students. These platforms can facilitate communication and collaboration among peers, provide access to a wealth of information, and serve as outlets for creative expression. For many students, social media is a space for building identity and connecting with communities that reflect their interests and experiences.
By partnering with The Social Institute, school leaders have access to more than 100 insights on how social media and tech impact their students’ learning and well-being through #WinAtSocial Insights. School and district leaders especially appreciate the ability to benchmark this data across their different schools, from elementary to high school. This allows them to make data-driven decisions that identify roadblocks to student health and learning, understand and support school culture, and inform school policies.
TSI’s Take
As Virginia moves forward with its cellphone ban in public schools, the challenge remains to balance the benefits and drawbacks of technology in education. The ban reflects a commitment to creating focused learning environments, yet it underscores the importance of teaching students to navigate a tech-driven world responsibly. By investing in modern life skills education, schools can foster collaboration between educators and families and empower students to use technology as a tool for success—both inside and outside the classroom.
Curious about what is impacting your students online? Stay ahead of the curve by subscribing to our newsletter for weekly insights on the latest trends in tech and social media. In the meantime, check out The Social Institute’s Instagram @thesocialinst for tips, trends, and highlights when it comes to social media.
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.