Classroom cellphone ban has down side, tech teacher says

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This article was published 15/02/2025 (206 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Keynote speaker Matt Miller told educators gathered for Friday’s Byte 2025 conference that the key to capturing students’ attention in the digital age is to understand what interests them.

“We all have an attention switch,” Miller, a technology teacher and blogger, told the crowd at the Western Manitoba Centennial Auditorium. “When it’s on, learning becomes easy and fun. But when it’s off, students disconnect, much like turning off a light switch.”

He said that educators can turn on this switch by incorporating students’ passions into their lesson plans. For instance, having students create an “unboxing video” as if they were soldiers from the Peloponnesian War “unboxing” artifacts to illustrate the life experiences of those ancient people.

During one of the break-out sessions, Miller spoke further about the role of technology in education, acknowledging both the benefits of digital tools and the distractions they can bring. As an educational technology expert, he has mixed feelings about the recent provincial ban on cellphone use in the classroom.

“I think a ban is good and bad,” Miller said. “It removes distractions, but it doesn’t teach students how to regulate their usage. Phones are an integral part of life, and we need to help students develop healthy habits rather than just take the device away.”

He also said that while laptops are available in many classrooms for educational purposes, smartphones are the best tools for certain tasks, such as capturing images or using specific apps.

However, as much as Miller sees the importance of using modern technology in education, he said that it has its limits.

“We have access to all of the world’s information at our fingertips. AI and digital tools can break down barriers to learning and improve accessibility,” he said. “But technology alone isn’t a cure-all. It can hinder true learning if students rely on it without critical thinking. The key is balance.”

Matteo Di Muro, chair of the Byte 2025 conference, told the Sun that the event has evolved over its two-decade history. Byte is Manitoba’s longest-running professional development event for teachers, having rotated between various locations before settling at Brandon University.

“This year’s theme aligns with ‘I Love to Read Week,’ focusing on technology and literacy,” Di Muro said. “Sessions ranged from media literacy and digital storytelling to robotics, all to help teachers integrate technology in meaningful ways.”

Di Muro said that there was a slight dip in attendance this year, with 196 registrants compared to 225 in 2024. The decrease, he explained, was due to the Brandon School Division not having a professional development day on the day of the conference, limiting teachers’ ability to attend.

“We hope to see numbers rise next year,” he said. “If we keep the conference in one location, people will become familiar with it, and participation will grow.”

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