Schools 'need to embrace new technology'

January 10 2011

Schools need to move with the times and integrate phones and other internet-enabled devices into the classroom.

This is according to Steve Bonnick, director of Toucan Computing, who noted that many pupils own expensive tablet computers and smartphones that could be put to good use if they were not banned from the classroom.

"Most schools that I know, for a whole variety of reasons, are paranoid about IT. As a result, in most schools IT is a very locked-down experience. Some of that is totally reasonable, but by the same token the extent to which it's locked down is kind of absurd," he commented.

"Schools ought to be educating kids with a reasonable use policy with devices and the internet. Rather than saying, 'no, you can't bring your phone or your handheld or your iPod Touch into school'."

Students should be educated on how to use the technology they have appropriately, Mr Bonnick added.

A recent study by the International Centre for Media and Public Agenda found that some US college students suffered withdrawal symptoms after being without their phones and laptops for a day.

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