On Thursday (31), Bett Brasil participated in a meeting of the TE & TI Partners community, which discussed the use of smartphones in classrooms and the importance of clear policies regarding the use of technology in schools. The group, created to promote dialogue between education and technology professionals, brought together representatives from more than 30 schools and educational institutions at an event held at Colégio Miguel de Cervantes in São Paulo (SP).

With opening remarks by Grace Gonçalves, founder of the TE & TI Partners community, and Antonio Abello, assistant director for Extracurricular Affairs at Colégio Miguel de Cervantes, the event featured a presentation by attorney Alessandra Borelli, a specialist in digital law and data protection, who discussed the impact of cell phones on society and in schools. According to Alessandra, we need to reconnect with our relationships and emotions and put technology in its proper place.

“If our relationship with technology wasn’t exactly healthy even before the pandemic, during the pandemic it became completely out of control. And that has been a major source of concern for me—not only as a lawyer and educator, but above all as a mother,” the expert noted. “Instead of mastering technology, we are being mastered by it,” she added.

The lawyer commented on a recent study by UNESCO, an agency of the United Nations (UN), which highlighted the risks of excessive smartphone use in the classroom and its impact on learning. “The main objective of this report is to draw our attention to the need to promote safety and balance in the use of technology and the responsibility we all have to guide our children,” she noted.

Alessandra then outlined some guidelines for educational institutions on how to manage cell phone use. She emphasized the importance of striking a balance and maintaining an environment conducive to learning. “The use of technology in school must be productive. If it becomes counterproductive and starts to cause harm—such as distraction, social isolation, and health problems—it’s clear that cell phones are not welcome in the classroom,” she stated.

The digital security expert also emphasized the need to establish clear policies and consequences for everyone involved in the school community in order to minimize negative impacts and ensure the ethical and appropriate use of technology. At the end, participants had the opportunity to ask questions and share their professional and personal experiences on the subject.

Represented by its marketing and content team, Bett Brasil was also able to tour the facilities at Colégio Miguel de Cervantes and actively contribute to the discussion through an interview with professor and scientist Silvio Meira, one of the founders of Porto Digital, who explained the importance of redesigning learning processes in the classroom and the impacts of AI on education. The conversation is part of the Conexão Bett program and can be viewed here.

Photos: Miguel de Cervantes School

Share on social media: