Valditara: cell phones out of school, tablets in

"The Istituto Superiore di Sanità has stated that smartphone addiction has become a real addiction. According to their data, over 25 percent of adolescents have a problematic use of smartphones, with negative effects on their health and relationships." This was explained in an interview with Corriere della Sera by the Minister of Education Giuseppe Valditara regarding the ban on smartphones in high schools.

"Students will not be able to keep it on in class. Normally, they are made to put them in containers hanging in the classroom and collected when they leave - he continues -. Anyone who does not comply is violating a rule of conduct and will be subject to the sanction provided for by the regulations of their institution which will comply with the circular".

There will be the possibility of using tablets in class. "From the next school year we should get close to a ratio of one tablet/pc for every two students. It was 1 for every 7 students in 2020-2021, it has dropped to 1 for every 3 this year, with a third of schools having a device for every student - he says -. All schools have an electronic blackboard. We have invested 2.1 billion to digitize them. Therefore, the cell phone for teaching purposes is practically useless".

"During civic education hours, we teach the conscious use of digital tools, including cell phones, warning young people about the risks they run on the Internet. We are also experimenting with personalized teaching with AI: the first data are very satisfactory - the minister emphasizes -. These are AI programs on tablets or PCs aimed at learning, with selected and controlled material. In short, you stay in class, you don't get distracted by external life".