News
Announcing Screen Break
Oct 10, 2024
The first Canada-wide initiative to guide and support students, educators, administrators, and families, so that they can navigate a new, necessary reality – mobile phone-free schools.
Cell phones, tablets, and similar electronic devices can be valuable learning tools, but unchecked personal use can result in harmful distractions and negatively impact student wellbeing and success at school.
Research shows kids in grades seven to 12 spend up to seven hours a day on screens. Those who spend between five to seven hours per day on their phones scored 49 points lower on math tests than those who spent up to one hour a day. The same study showed kids who spend hours on smartphones report higher levels of anxiety, depression and aggression.
New research by the Dais shows that nearly eight in 10 Canadian residents support a cell phone ban in K-12 classrooms. But younger Canadians are much less supportive of a ban, with 37 percent of those aged 16-19 opposed to a ban.
In response to growing evidence and concerns from students, parents, and educators, provincial governments and school boards across Canada have introduced new policies to restrict the personal use of mobile devices in schools. However, cell phone restrictions vary not only by province but often by jurisdiction, leaving many teachers and classroom staff unsupported to enforce new measures.
A first in Canada, Screen Break (Pause d’Écran en français), will help students, educators, administrators and school boards in every province effectively limit the personal use of phones and other devices during the school day. Benefits of restricting personal cell phone use in schools can include reducing harmful distractions, improving student mental health and wellbeing, and ensuring that young people develop healthier relationships with technology.
This initiative of the Dais will focus on two tracks:
- Informing and supporting governments and school boards across Canada to put in place, and effectively track progress on, new device restrictions and related policies on screen-based technology in the classroom.
- Listening to students, parents, teachers, educational staff and policy leaders to understand cell phone restrictions in schools. And helping to build their knowledge and lift their voices, as we support them in tackling the broader challenge of how pervasive screen-based technologies are in the lives of children and youth.
“How to use technology responsibly in schools is something on the mind of almost every parent, teacher, and student in Canada,” said Karim Bardeesy, Executive Director of the Dais at TMU. “With Screen Break, we’ll focus on policies and supports for educators implementing phone-free school policies, and better and more open dialogue and training for parents, educators, policymakers, and youth to help them regain control and navigate these difficult conversations.”
“Who doesn’t need a screen break? We all do,” said Camara Chambers, Director of Leadership Development at the Dais.
The Screen Break initiative builds on the Dais’ public policy and leadership work at the intersection of technology, education and democracy. We focus on ensuring digital technology is developed and used safely and responsibly in Canada.
This project was made possible with the generous support of Waltons Trust and the Max Bell Foundation. Their sponsorship, over the next three years, will enable the Dais to scale our efforts to lead national initiatives, align policies country-wide, and convene conversations on the responsible use of technology in schools and across Canadian society.