The Mirepoix unit was designated as the pilot college for the experiment in the department.
Mirepoix College takes a new step in its commitment to student well-being and school climate by experiencing the “digital break”. Despite the ban on the use of phones in colleges since August 3, 2018, most students continue to use them. Céline Chemin-Janczak, CPE, explains: “Many students hide to use their phones despite the ban. This experiment will show them that they can detach from their smartphone, and parents will see that they are able to do so in less time. school hours.”
Staff believe regulation of smartphone use is necessary. Like many establishments, the college faces incivility and inappropriate behavior related to the use of mobile phones and social media. These problems encouraged the Ministry of National Education to launch the digital break experiment in voluntary colleges.
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The one from Mirepoix immediately volunteered to test this initiative. “We were selected in June as a pilot college for the department. We are currently in the phase of identifying technical solutions for the implementation of the project at the end of September”, states director Dominique Aimable.
He also emphasizes that the departmental council should support the project financially to generalize it at all levels.
The main objective is to calm the school climate and eliminate new forms of deviant behavior, sometimes violent or harassing. The use of smartphones is also seen as an obstacle to the socialization of students. This initiative should encourage students to re-establish social connections, interact more with each other and show them that they are able to focus more without screens.
“An organizational challenge”
Faced with the ubiquity of phones, the measure naturally provokes contrasting reactions. Many students currently experience it as a frustration. “It's a punishment for those who don't use their phones in class, and my parents don't agree,” says one student, for example. Implementing this measure is an organizational challenge, but staff are seeing long-term benefits.
“It's a good idea, but it requires strict organization, especially with the entry and exit times,” notes an AED. A teacher hopes this initiative will make students and parents think about the place of phones in their daily lives. He concludes: “This digital break aims to make students aware of the risks of excessive screen exposure and strike a balance that is beneficial to their concentration.”