A Technology Tale of Two Schools, What We Witnessed Recently

Over the years, through our school programs at The White Hatter, we have had the opportunity to work directly with more than 680,000 youth and teens across Canada. That access gives us something data alone cannot provide, the ability to observe how youth and teens actually use technology in real environments and to ask them, directly, what they think about it.

Recently, we delivered in-person digital literacy and internet safety presentations at two large inner-city high schools in British Columbia. Both schools operate under the Ministry of Education’s current restricted cellphone guidelines. This policy limits personal cellphone use during “class time” while still allowing teachers to approve devices for learning when it makes sense. That balance is one we have consistently supported, rather than a full ban bell-to-bell. To be clear, both schools allowed for the use of personal technology outside of class.

Because we presented both morning and afternoon sessions at each school, we spent a fair amount of time moving through hallways, common areas, and outdoor spaces. We were able to observe student behaviour between classes and during lunch, and to speak informally with teens about their experiences.

What we saw and heard did not match the popular narrative we hear and read in media.

Between bells, some students were on their phones checking messages, however, most were not. The majority were talking with friends, moving between classes, or simply heading where they needed to go.

At lunch, the gyms were busy. Students were shooting hoops, lifting weights, and being active together. Band rooms were full of teens playing instruments, talking, and collaborating. Theatres were occupied by drama students laughing, rehearsing, and socializing.

In the lunchrooms, students sat together eating and talking. Some had laptops open. A few were finishing homework. Others were working in groups on shared projects, using technology as a tool rather than a distraction.

In hallways, we often saw what we jokingly call “teen pods,” groups of five or six students sitting in circles. Many had phones out, but when we approached and asked what they were doing, they were usually playing games together or sharing content as a group. This was not individual doom-scrolling , it was social.

We also noticed a smaller number of students sitting alone, using social media platforms such as TikTok or YouTube. These students stood out precisely because they were far fewer in number.

Taken together, what we observed at both schools was the vast majority of teens were not disengaged, isolated, or glued to their screens at the expense of human connection. They were interacting with one another, and in some cases, using technology to support those interactions rather than replace them.

We also spent time asking students how they felt about their school’s cellphone policy. Without exception, the teens we spoke to supported restrictions on personal cellphone use during class without the permission of a teacher. Many openly admitted that before the policy, phones could become a distraction when peers used them for personal reasons during lessons.

At the same time, students were clear about something else. Rules only work when they are applied consistently. Several teens mentioned that some teachers did not always address cellphone misuse in class, which made it harder for others to stay focused. Interestingly, students noted that this lack of enforcement tended to come more often from younger teachers rather than veteran ones.

That feedback matters. It tells us that teens are not asking for unlimited access. They are asking for reasonable boundaries that are applied enforced fairly.

Overall, our experience at these two schools reinforced something we have seen time and again. Teens are still being teens. They are social, curious, and engaged with one another. They are not wandering school hallways as “tech zombies,” disconnected from the world around them.

Yes, there will always be some students who spend time alone. That was true when we were in school as well. The difference today is not the behaviour, but the medium. Where one student once read a book, listened to music on their walkman/diskman, or sketched quietly in a hallway when we were in high school, today they now scrolls on a phone. Technology did not invent adolescence, it has simply become part of how it is lived today.

For parents and caregivers, the takeaway is important. Broad assumptions about youth, teens, and their use of technology often miss what is actually happening on the ground. What makes a difference is not blanket bans or fear based narratives, but thoughtful rules, consistent enforcement, and ongoing conversations that respect both the realities of modern life, and the developmental needs of young people, and that balance is where youth and teen digital literacy lives.

Digital Food For Thought

The White Hatter

Facts Not Fear, Facts No Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech