Classroom technology can support learning, but unmanaged devices can quickly disrupt a lesson. Simple routines—such as putting away phones, using clear cues, and practicing screen transitions—help students stay focused. Insights from education experts explain how these norms keep instruction moving and device use purposeful.
5 educators answered this one
I set the norm in a simple, non-negotiable way: devices do not sit on desks during instruction. The routine that works most reliably is a "phones out of the room" setup, not on silent and not face down, but physically placed outside the learning space before the lesson starts. I make it part of the opening minutes so it feels like a standard procedure, not a punishment. If a student needs a device for a specific task, it comes out only for that window and goes right back when the task ends. That clarity reduces arguments because the rule is about the room setup, not about policing individual behavior. It also protects students from the constant pull of notifications that breaks their focus mid-lesson. When the environment removes the temptation, you spend less time in conflict and more time teaching.
Veronica Moyachildren’s wellness expert, author & entertainer · MIndful VStudents follow technology norms more reliably when the rule protects learning rather than policing a device. I recommend a predictable opening cue: phones and laptops rest during direct instruction, then the class takes a 30 to 60 second collective reset with a breath, stretch, or quiet noticing before the lesson begins. The teacher can say, "Phones sleep here so our brains can listen. We will tell you when they are needed." For laptops, use a visible signal such as screens down or at a ninety degree angle until the task begins. If a device reappears, use a calm private redirect: "Please park it and rejoin us." Avoid public shaming and offer a clear repair path. A routine works best when every adult uses the same language, the purpose is explained, and students know exactly when technology returns. As a children's mindfulness educator and creator of Mindful V, I teach short playful settling practices that help attention become a shared classroom habit, not a test of willpower.
DJ Callum GracieProfessional Event DJ · DJ Callum GracieIn a music lesson, I would begin with screens face down and instruments ready. For recording or a reference track, I would give a clear start and stop cue for phone use. Practise that transition once, then repeat it each lesson so students know what to expect. The device has a purpose, and the teacher can move between playing and screen use without repeatedly debating the rule.
Mark DixonCo-founder and Grade 1 Flight Instructor · Fly OzI set a single, simple rule: all lesson materials must be accessed on a preconfigured "lesson" virtual desktop and students switch back to it at set points during class. At the start of each session I open that desktop, show where the materials live, and model returning to it after any break or side task. I keep communications and admin tools on separate desktops so students do not run into distracting chats or tabs while learning. Rather than policing each device, the routine trains a habit that makes it clear where work belongs and keeps instruction focused.
Ambria SalavantisDirector · Wilkes-Barre AcademyI run a K-8 school where every classroom has Smart Boards and dedicated tech tools, so device norms aren't theoretical for me -- they're something I've had to build into the actual culture of how we operate daily.
The shift that made the biggest difference was treating technology access as earned within a lesson, not assumed from the moment students walk in. Smart Boards stay teacher-led at the start of class. Students only open devices when the task specifically calls for it -- research, a PowerPoint build, an Excel exercise. That sequencing alone cut the drift significantly.
The physical piece that actually holds: devices stay closed on the desk until the teacher names the moment they open. It sounds obvious, but the consistency of that single trigger -- hearing it said out loud every time -- is what makes it stick without conflict. Students stop guessing, and guessing is where the negotiation and pushback live.
Our parent portal also reinforces this indirectly. Because parents can see daily progress by subject in real time, students know accountability doesn't disappear when a screen opens. That transparency from home applies quiet pressure that no classroom rule fully replicates on its own.