Handheld Learning - learning with mobile and ubiquitous technologies

Hi All

Saw this article on the BBC today

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6136902.stm

About the rise of bullying children from a Muslim background. Interestingly, the article really focuses on technology based bullying and the right (or should that be requirement) of schools to ban mobiles.

For me it's a good example of trying to put the over-used cliche of the genie back in the bottle. When I was lad (increasingly it seems many years ago) bullying was rife - there were no mobile phones but bullying was still mobile. Notes passed around the class, eggs thrown as you walked home, messages on toilets wall. The means of transmission may have changed but the ugly vicious circle of victimisation remains.

Probably preaching to the converted but to me the Government message of "banning the technology" seems ill thought out and knee jerk. Here is a technology that the system still can't quite cope with - of course it can be used for terrible things but that is the same with technology. Also this forum shows the wonderful side of the technology. It seems that by promoting a ban on the technology those with the powere and influence think bullying will go away but I think they will be very sadly mistaken and it will remain until the underlying issues are addressed.


Stu

Petra I agree it's always been a complex issue but I feel blaming the technology which some sectors seem keen to do is definately not part of the answer!!