VALUING

EDUCATION:

Electronic Device Policy

ALBUQUERQUE

HIGH SCHOOL

WHY ARE WE CREATING A NEW ELECTRONIC DEVICE POLICY AT AHS?

• Albuquerque High School is dedicated to creating a culture of learning which requires students to be fully engaged in their education and interact face-to-face with their peers and teachers.

SMARTPHONE OWNERSHIP AMONG TEENAGERS

• According to a Pew Research Center Poll Conducted September through October of 2023, 95% of teens have access to a smartphone.

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• 91% of 14 year-olds own a phone
• 92% of 15 year-olds own a phone
• 95% of 16 year-olds own a phone
• 97% of 17 year-olds own a phone
• 93% of 18 year-olds own a phone

TEEN CELL PHONE USAGE

• Teenagers spend an average of 4.5 hours on their cell phones daily.
• That’s over 31 hours a week which is equivalent to the time they spend in a classroom.
• Every year, teenagers spend over 1,600 hours on their cell phones. This staggering figure shows how much of an influence the digital era and social media can have on children.
• Including smart phones, laptops, and tablets teens spend more than 7.5 hours looking at a screens each day.
• Many teenagers spend more time on their devices than with their parents, their teachers, or even sleeping!!!

Constant Companion: A week in the Life of a Young Person’s Smartphone Use. Common Sense Media, 2023

THE BENEFITS, THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS, & THE SOLUTION

• Cell phones are necessary for communication with family and friends, and have value in some social situations. They are useful for navigation, recording memories, and safety concerns when away from home. When unable to access other technology, phones can be used for learning and research, but….
• Cell phone use results in increased cyberbullying, cheating, and are a distraction to the learning process.
• Technology addiction is also a growing concern.
• Many school districts around the country and in other countries are banning cell phones from school campuses.
• Other school districts are locking phones up when students arrive to campus and returning them at the end of the day.

THE MULTITASKING MYTH

• Many teenagers (and adults) believe they are able to successfully interact on their device while listening to a teacher or working on an assignment……this is called the Multitasking Myth.
• Teenagers say they have mastered the skill of multitasking and believe that engaging in other activities (consuming media, texting, and engaging in social media, for example) while doing homework doesn’t have a negative impact on their ability to study or learn. Unfortunately for them, research has shown that the notion of effective multitasking is simply a myth.
• The Myth of Teen Multitasking - Jean Liebelt

What Multitasking Does to your Brain - video link

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TEENAGERS GET AN AVERAGE OF 237 NOTIFICATIONS A DAY

Interruptions on Our Attention and Focus

• Whether it's a buzz, bell, or ding, getting a phone notification can be pretty exciting.
• Is it your best friend messaging you back?
• Your mom ringing you for the eighth time that day?
• Your super cute crush DMing you?
• Despite not knowing what awaits you in the three short seconds it takes you to lift up your phone and look at your screen, we know that the notification will spur some sort of exhilaration.
• "The alerts from phones or even the anticipation of them, shuts off the prefrontal cortex that regulates higher-level cognitive functions, and instead, forces the brain to send emergency signals to the body." Bustle.com Nov 15, 2019
• This means that every time you get a notification, your body gets a rush, but not necessarily a good one.
• Even when phones are silenced, the effect of a lit screen or vibration due to an incoming notification has real ramifications for a student’s ability to remain focused on instruction.

Constant Companion: A week in the Life of a Young Person’s Smartphone Use, 2023

Classroom Distractions - video link

9 SHOCKING THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU GET A PHONE NOTIFICATION

• 1. You get distracted - "Studies show that when we are interrupted it takes our brains on average 23 minutes to return our focus to what we were working on before the interruption,”
• 2. You feel good - Notifications can trigger dopamine, the "reward" neurotransmitter, to be released in the brain, Dr. Jackson says. And that can make you feel good.
• 3. Your brain tries to multitask - “Most people feel they can multitask but the brain is not meant to do so ," Dr. Jackson says. "When you multitask you often do not give your best to both or all tasks you are juggling. And every time you switch back and forth from tasks you also get a rise in cortisol, a stress hormone.”
• 4. Anxiety can creep in - Thanks to the rise in cortisol, it's not uncommon to feel stressed when receiving notifications.

Carolyn Stever, Bustle.com, 2019

. . . CONTINUED

• 5. You aren’t fully present - Even if you try really hard to multitask, it's not actually possible to do two things at the same time.
• 6. You can feel angry - Notifications trigger a dopamine release, which not only feels good but can "train" you to take action and respond, Paiva psychotherapist Michele , tells Bustle. Add in serotonin, a chemical that makes you feel valued, as well as endorphins, which can provide a sense of excitement (or anxiety), and you might notice that alerts can cause quite the emotional response.
• 7. Burnout can occur - With alerts coming through on a regular basis, "your brain's dopamine and cortisol pathways can become ‘worn out’ by the constant overstimulation and you will find yourself more anxious and less happy,”
• 8. You can become addicted - Due to the release of all those aforementioned brain chemicals, and the rewarding feelings you can get from receiving notifications, it's not uncommon to experience tech addiction, Dr. Zehndorfer says.
• 9. It can mask emotional pain - Notifications can not only be used as a form of distraction, but they also provide a rush of excitement, which can be a way of masking emotional pain

ALBUQUERQUE HIGH SCHOOL

ELECTRONIC DEVICE POLICY:

• Cell phones and other personal electronic devices (e.g.: earbuds, headphones, smart watches, etc.) will be stored in a classroom pocket holder during instructional time, unless the teacher designates otherwise.
• Electronic devices may not be taken from the classroom while taking a restroom break.

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Violation of the electronic device policy will result in the following:

• 1st Violation – Teacher issues a verbal warning. The warning is issued only one time per teacher per student; not one time per day.
• 2nd Violation – Teacher documents and notifies parents/guardians of violation.
• 3rd Violation – Teacher documents, notifies parents/guardians of violation, and submits a referral to administration.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE POLICY

• If a student has any accommodations stated in their IEP, 504 plan, etc.
• During a campus emergency, students may remove their phones from cell phone pocket holder and keep them with them, especially if we are leaving the building or campus.

Albuquerque High School administration, faculty, and staff are dedicated to providing the best possible education. They are highly qualified, experienced, and passionate about learning. Minimizing distraction in the classroom for students will ensure that everyone has access to a positive culture of learning and an excellent educational experience. Go Bulldogs!