© Shutterstock
Nicole Belloubet, the resigning Minister of National Education, announced at her back-to-school press conference a measure that will certainly get people talking: the introduction of a “digital break” in schools and colleges across France. More specifically, she wants to ban mobile phones in schools.
This initiative, which aims to reduce young people's exposure to screens during school hours, did not come out of nowhere. It follows an expert report on the impact of screens on young people, commissioned by President Emmanuel Macron and submitted on April 30. The conclusions of this report clearly weighed heavily in the balance, pushing the ministry to take concrete action.
The experiment will begin from the start of the 2024 school year in nearly 200 middle schools. If all goes as planned, the measure will be generalized to all establishments from January 2025. In concrete terms, students will have to leave their smartphone in a locker when they arrive at school. An approach that goes further than the regulations current, which simply prohibits the use of telephones within the premises of establishments.
This decision obviously raises questions. How will students react to this temporary deprivation of their precious device ? Will all parents agree with this measure ? And what about emergency situations where a student needs to contact their family ?
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000Nicole Belloubet was keen to point out that this was not about “refuting the educational use of digital technology”. On the contrary, the minister spoke of the importance of artificial intelligence in education, calling for the creation of a specific roadmap for its use in schools and colleges. “Teachers must be allowed to use artificial intelligence”, she said, thus opening the door to new teaching methods.
The implementation of this digital break also raises practical questions. How will schools logistically manage the deposit and collection of hundreds of phones every day? What will the sanctions be for students who do not respect the rule? These aspects will need to be clarified before the measure is generalized. The test phase in the 200 pilot schools should make it possible to adjust these details.
This French initiative is part of a broader movement of reflection on the place of digital technology in education. Many countries have already implemented similar restrictions, with varying results. Some studies have shown an improvement in concentration and social interactions among students, while others have highlighted the difficulties of implementation and the dissatisfaction of some parents.
📍 To not miss any Presse-citron news, follow us on Google News and WhatsApp.
Before his PSG match against Brest, young Bradley Barcola attracts praise from the media who…
Before his PSG match against Brest, young Bradley Barcola attracts praise from the media who…
© Warner Bros After two particularly successful feature films, Stephen King's It Saga will be…
© Renault It’s always interesting to know where products that we can use on a…
The fire that broke out in the massif of Aspres Thursday, is now fixed. On…
À the origin of the The Mazan rape case, Dominique Pélicot had first attracted attention…