U of M professor offers advice on cellphone policies as students return to class

MINNEAPOLIS — As thousands of students across Minnesota go back to school next week, the one thing they likely won’t forget is their cellphone.

Banning cellphones in classrooms is a hot topic, but by next March, every school district in the state will need to have a cellphone policy in place.

“This is a big ask for school districts to try and come up with and understand to that this s probably going to be a moving document,” said University of Minnesota Associate Professor and Program Coordinator and Director of School Counseling and Training Marguerite Ohrtman.

Ohrtman thinks the biggest challenge districts will face is getting everyone on board with their policy.

“It’s a whole different thing for what we use our cellphones now. It’s not just that connection piece, it’s everything. Students do their assignments on there, their Google Drive, their Dropbox, all their assignments. I had students even 15 years ago typing papers on their phones because they didn’t have a computer at home,” Ohrtman said.

She said it will be important for districts to find a balance when it comes to cellphone use in classrooms.

“They know how to use the technology the way they want to use it, so it’s better, instead of discouraging them from using it, teach them how to use it wisely, teach them how to use it constructively, teach them how to use it in moderation,” she said.