In recent years, the use of mobile devices in the classroom has generated a heated debate about their suitability and the risks they pose. While many advocates argue that mobile phones and tablets can be useful educational tools, this position runs up against a worrying reality: the intensive use of these devices outside the classroom already negatively affects students' academic performance. Encouraging their use inside the classroom without providing any added value does not seem appropriate.
The excessive time that young people spend in front of screens outside of school has been linked to attention problems, lack of concentration and reduced retention. Students are constantly bombarded with notifications, social networks and applications that distract their attention from their studies. This year, measures have been taken with the support of new regulations to formally limit the use of these devices during classes. We will evaluate them soon.
As if that were not enough, there is a concern, which should not be minor, that must also be considered when talking about mobile devices in the classroom: the privacy of students. The Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) has been clear in advising against the use of personal mobile phones and tablets in educational centers, especially when there are other more appropriate resources to achieve the desired pedagogical purposes. The use of these technologies can not only be distracting, but also puts the security of students at risk by collecting sensitive information.
In this sense, the AEPD warns that many of the applications used in classrooms request personal data from students, such as geolocation, leisure preferences and even information about behavior. This poses a significant risk to their security and privacy, since this data can be misused or exposed to third parties. To comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), educational centers, teachers and administrations have the responsibility to rigorously control the use of these devices and applications.
It is imperative that educational institutions ensure that the technological tools used in the classroom are secure and do not compromise the privacy of students. There are technological alternatives, such as some closed educational platforms or the own resources provided by the center itself, which offer greater guarantees in terms of data protection and are also appropriate to achieve pedagogical objectives without exposing students to unnecessary risks.