The use of mobile at schoolwith polarized positions ranging from prohibition in educational facilities to the defense of its use as a pedagogical instrument, has become one of the great topics of debate of this course. It is striking that the controversy focuses here even more than on its use in the family environment. and in moments of leisure, which on the other hand probably add up to many more hours of use, and more worrying behaviors. But it is easier to limit the discussion to a controlled space, in which it is enough to preach that teachers must set standards, than to ask families to reflect on responsible use. Just as it is more comfortable search the screens for the blame for phenomena that worry us (sexual violence, loss of oral comprehension skills, eating and aesthetic disorders…), instead of looking for the underlying causes that lead to both these problems and the addictive use of new technologies.
The debate has reached the point that in Catalonia will be the subject of monographic discussions this week in the Barcelona Municipal School Council, an appearance by the Minister of Education in Parliament and, next week, an extraordinary plenary session of the School Council of Catalonia. Meanwhile, groups of families organized in Whatsapp and Telegram groups (the networks also offer adequate means to socialize and organize) have mobilized to conspire to delay access to the mobile phone, now widespread at the age of 12. In EL PERIÓDICO we have given voice these days to psychologists and educators who reflect the different existing positions. Which are not at all unanimous.
We have created a state of opinion in which After the image of a teenager looking at a screen we fear the worst (maybe because we don’t ask what he is doing). You may be reading, communicating with your friends, meeting to go out, watching a video, letting your family know, using a calculator, creating fun content to share, letting your parents know where you are, sharing a question about a school assignment. , listening to music… actions that in physical format or using various devices, not only that great funnel of activity and attention that is the mobile phone, would not raise any concerns, on the contrary. It is true that having all this and much more in the palm of your hand facilitates distraction and dispersion. Jumping from one thing to another, not being able to digest complex speeches. Is left over access to inappropriate content at an age when the personality is not formed, to content created to create addictive consumption and spread trends, which can feed sexist attitudes or increase social and aesthetic pressure on the adolescent.
To do? A question to answer, first, in the family. There is a lot to work on: setting ages for each type of consumption and spaces and moments of disconnection, recommending some uses and discouraging others, offering alternatives. Curiously, it is in school where the prohibition speech is raised. Just the space where you can work on responsible use, set limits and rules and also offer resources to confused and disoriented families. Do not turn the school into a mobile-free space, but rather about education in the use of mobile phones.