Schools in the digital age: Together against smartphone addiction!

Schools in the digital age: Together against smartphone addiction!

This day, December 1, 2024, an important meeting took place in the country house, where Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner and Councilor of Education Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister discussed with numerous representatives of schools and educational institutions about increasing cell phone use in schools. The aim of the discussion round was to develop new measures for a responsible handling of smartphones, since more and more schools are confronted with the challenges such as distraction, learning difficulties and even addictive dangers. Mikl-Leitner emphasized the need to equip schools and families with suitable instruments in order to meet these problems together. This initiative is considered centrally for future school work, as well as noe.gv.at reports.

together at eye level

Christiane Teschl-Hofmeister added that the state of Lower Austria will provide increasingly support for support offers in the coming months. Instead of a strict mobile phone ban, you want to follow a balanced approach that includes both directed information about the risks of smartphone use and clear rules. Andrea Buhl-Aigner, a "smartphone coach", gave an insight into how parents and teachers can better talk to children and adolescents through their cell phone use. Under the motto "Connect with Care", schools such as the BG Klosterneuburg and the BG Bruck are already implementing practical measures to improve the school climate and promote media literacy.

In addition, there will be an important event in the House of Digitization in Tulln in December, at which experts, including the renowned Professor Spitzer, will present their findings. These events and a planned month of action in the second semester should help to illuminate the topic of cell phone use intensively and to enable everyone involved to exchange constructive exchange. Education director Karl Fritthum provided the information that a large number of educational offers are already available to actively take up topics related to the basic digital education and to support schools in their development.