Following a provincial-level ministerial order, officials with Wild Rose School Division (WRSD) are looking to formalize guidelines surrounding student use of personal electronic devices on school property.

According to the Alberta government, the new standards will be implemented by Sept. 1, 2024, to ensure personal mobile devices and social media do not disrupt learning.

To safeguard student mental health and reduce distractions, officials say personal mobile devices will no longer be permitted during class time and access to social media sites will be restricted.

WRSD superintendent, Brad Volkman, says the schools within division already have procedures governing the use of electronic devices.

“It’ll be more about getting procedure together so its consistent across the whole division,” says Volkman. “Right now its each school doing its own thing. To different degrees, they’re already making sure kids can’t use their phone any time they want.”

Current rules in different schools vary widely at the moment, says Volkman, with some teachers asking students to put their phone in a container so they’re out of reach during class time, while others take devices away if students are caught using them during class.

In the meantime, WRSD will take some time in the fall to engage with teachers, students and parents to see what appropriate guidelines could look like, says Volkman.

While the new standards will come into play at the start of the 2024/2025 school year, a Provincial spokesperson says it wanted to give school boards more time to develop localized rules that suit students needs, while also respecting the Provincial standards.

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READ MORE: Phones banned from Alberta classrooms starting fall 2024

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In an earlier interview with 94.5 Rewind Radio News, Jennifer Lefebvre, Director of Instruction at Wild Rose School Division (WRSD) said social media certainly does have an impact on classrooms.

“Students love their phones. Students use social media quite a bit. Sometimes it can be a very positive thing, sometimes it can be a very negative thing,” says Lefebvre. “Students are very much dependent on their phones and families are very much dependent on their phones. So there definitely is an impact, but it really is a case-by-case on whether it’s a positive or negative.”

Lefebvre also notes there can be positives to social media in the classroom, as it can be a powerful tool to keep parents informed.

“Often the best way to send messages to our parents, whether that’s the busses are cancelled or the basketball game got moved to six o’clock, is to do it through social media. It’s a great way to share quick things that are happening in the school,” said Lefebvre.

Government officials say the new standards on personal mobile devices will establish restrictions, enforcement procedures and exceptions for Alberta’s K-12 public, separate, francophone, public charter, independent school authorities, and early childhood services operators. Exceptions will be made province-wide for students using mobile devices for health and medical needs, to support specialized learning needs, and for educational purposes.

Alberta government quick facts:

• Alberta school authorities currently have the autonomy to set their own policy on how students use cellphones in schools. Policies vary widely across the province.
• In recent years, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia have all announced province-wide restrictions or bans on cellphone use in schools, with certain exceptions in place.
• Alberta Education engaged with students, parents and education partners.
• A survey for parents and school stakeholders received over 68,000 responses. Almost 90 per cent of respondents shared concern over student cellphone use at school.
• Diverse education stakeholders took part in two virtual engagement sessions.

Volkman says the government has given the Board a Jan. 1, 2025 deadline to have rules in place.

(With files from rdnewsNOW)