While most technology companies are pushing teachers and schools to adopt new devices including tablets and laptops , Edward Timpson, the UK's Education Secretary, argues that this tactic is only constructive when a balance is ensured between technology use and daily activities.
In a recent speech to the House of Lords Communications Committee, he pointed out that teachers should be given the right to confiscate iPads from children when deemed necessary.
The constant use of iPads by minors leads to phenomena such as bullying and harassment. For this reason, schools must find the right balance in the use of technology to avoid situations that could lead to battlefields between teachers and students.
Many schools have adopted the use of laptops and tablets as a learning method for students, which most often leads to negative behaviors. Therefore, the right of Principals to confiscate technological devices when deemed necessary needs to be strengthened.
This is undoubtedly an issue that concerns educational centers in many countries beyond England. Furthermore, we should encourage children on a daily basis to engage in different activities outside of computers and gadgets.
It goes without saying that technology plays a major role in the educational process in schools, and Edward Timpson is not against it. What he is trying to convey is that in an era when technology sometimes makes us vulnerable, there is a need for moderation in its use, especially by minors.
