Smartphones in School

Programmes
Smartphones in School

Jolanta Kawaler

Specialist in challenging behaviours

Smartphones in School

A smartphone can distract a pupil during a lesson, but it can also record a teacher, spread content through a class chat, fuel online aggression or expose students to scams and deepfakes. This programme helps you understand why phones are so difficult for young people to put down and how digital behaviour affects attention, sleep, emotions and relationships. Learn how to set clearer boundaries, respond to difficult incidents and build practical digital safety habits with students and parents.

Essential

£49.00

£89.00

One-time · 12 months access

6 video modules
Teacher's Toolkit
Certificate
Case studies
Classroom materials
Knowledge Booster

Professional Recommended

£69.00

£129.00

One-time · 12 months access

6 video modules
31 classroom materials
8 case studies
Certificate
Teacher's Toolkit (74 pages)
Knowledge Booster (30 days)

Until 25 October 2026, this and every other programme is 45% off.

Standard price from 26 October: Essential £89, Professional £129.

Is this for you?

You deal with students who are constantly distracted by smartphones, notifications, group chats, gaming or social media.
You are tired of simple bans that turn the phone into forbidden fruit and make you feel more like a police officer than a teacher.
You want to understand why students find it so difficult to put the phone down - from dopamine loops and FOMO to sleep disruption, online disinhibition and algorithmic bubbles.
You need practical classroom strategies: debates, class contracts, gamification, digital hygiene habits and ready-to-use lesson ideas.
You want clear procedures for difficult situations, including pupils recording teachers, cyberbullying, deepfakes, phishing and AI voice-cloning scams.
You want to work with parents more effectively — not by blaming them, but by showing concrete tools, data and next steps.

We use AI as a tool to support production, but we do not hand over responsibility for the content. Our materials are based on real webinars by our trainers and are reviewed and approved by a person before publication. The videos feature an AI-generated avatar and voice of the trainer, used with her consent. Please note: This training was produced before 1 September 2026. Laws, official guidance and school policies may have changed since it was created, particularly in relation to mobile phone use in schools. Always follow the current requirements applicable in your country or jurisdiction and your school's current policies. Where these differ from the training, the current requirements take precedence.

What you'll implement?

Ready to use tomorrow
- Clear smartphone procedures
  
  Learn how to respond when a pupil records a teacher, when online content spreads through class chats, or when a digital incident needs documentation. You will work with tools such as the Intervention Procedures Card, Incident Record and Digital Safeguarding procedures.
- Better classroom conversations
  
  Replace lectures about “phone addiction” with formats that make pupils think: Oxford debate, class digital contract, filter bubble demonstrations, digital detective tasks and café-style discussions.
- Practical digital safety tools
  
  Use simple, concrete tools for online safety: checking suspicious links, recognising phishing, understanding deepfakes, using a Family Safety Password and teaching pupils that seeing or hearing something online is no longer enough to believe it.
A different way of seeing the problem
- The student’s brain under digital pressure
  
  Understand why apps are so hard to resist, how variable rewards work like a slot machine, and why a pupil may experience stress, irritation or anxiety when the phone is taken away.
- The mechanisms behind online behaviour
  
  Learn why a quiet, polite pupil can become cruel in a class group chat, how the Online Disinhibition Effect works, and why the lack of eye contact can switch off empathy.
- Smartphones, body, sleep and mental health
  
  See how smartphones affect sleep, posture, loneliness, comparison, gaming habits and emotional wellbeing — and why “at least he’s safe at home” can be one of the most dangerous parent myths.

What's inside this programme?

Video modules

6 modules · approx. 75 min total · one film per module

1

Introduction

3 min

Free preview

The programme opens by showing that smartphones are now a permanent part of school life: in pupils’ backpacks, during breaks, in peer relationships, in emotions and in everyday tensions faced by teachers. It sets the key question: not whether school should react, but what role adults should play in the digital world and where the boundaries of responsibility lie for the school, teacher and parent.
2

Foundations – understanding the opponent

16 min
Available after purchase
Why traditional bans often fail, how smartphones become forbidden fruit, who the iGeneration really is, and how apps use dopamine, uncertainty and online disinhibition to shape behaviour.

Lessons in this module
1. Diagnosis: Why Are We Losing the Battle for Attention?
2. Who Are Your Students? A Report on the iGeneration
3. Brain Hackers: Dopamine and Invisible Waves
4. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in the Smartphone, or The Online Disinhibition Effect
3

Medical and psychological diagnosis

15 min
Available after purchase
How smartphones affect mental health, sleep, posture, self-esteem and relationships. This module also explains Gaming Disorder, digital gambling, loneliness, smartphone orthopaedics and algorithmic filter bubbles.

Lessons in this module
1. It Is Not Just a Game: Gaming Disorder and Digital Gambling
2. The Epidemic of Loneliness: When Being Connected Means Isolation
3. Smartphone Orthopaedics, or How the Screen Deforms the Body
4. Trapped in a Bubble, or How Algorithms Shape Our Views
4

Cybersecurity workshop

13 min
Available after purchase
Practical digital safety for pupils and teachers: digital footprints, phishing, fake websites, typosquatting, trust badges, deepfakes, deepnudes and AI voice-cloning scams.

Lessons in this module
1. The Digital Tattoo: Why the Internet Never Forgets
2. Verification Laboratory: How Not to Get Hooked Online
3. When Eyes and Ears Lie, or Artificial Intelligence and New Threats
5

Teaching in practice. Lesson plans

15 min
Available after purchase
Ready-to-use pedagogical tools that replace moralising with active learning. The module includes debate, intergenerational projects, café-style discussion, class contracts and gamification.

Lessons in this module
1. Words Instead of Thumbs: The Oxford Debate Scenario
2. Scrolling Experts: The Intergenerational Bridge Project
3. Taming the Monster, or Coffee, Tea and Authority
4. Not a Ban, but a Contract: The Contract Method and Gamification
6

Working with parents and procedures

13 min
Available after purchase
How to involve parents, show the real scale of screen time at home, introduce parental control tools and respond calmly when smartphone incidents become formal school matters.

Lessons in this module
1. A Mirror for the Parent, or Family Time Audit
2. The Digital Guardian Angel, or An Overview of Control Technologies
3. The Student Is Recording Me, or Intervention Procedures and the Law
4. Small Steps, Big Change: Digital Etiquette and Hygiene

Teacher's Toolkit

74-page implementation guide · PDF

The written companion to the video training. It helps you return to the key concepts, procedures and strategies whenever you need them.

Module summaries and key takeaways
Clear explanations of why bans often fail and why smartphones trigger resistance
Practical frameworks for understanding dopamine loops, FOMO, JOMO and online disinhibition
Medical and psychological context: gaming disorder, loneliness, sleep, posture and digital comparison
Cybersecurity guidance on digital footprints, phishing, fake websites, deepfakes and AI voice cloning
Ready-made classroom ideas, including debate, intergenerational work, class contracts and digital detox activities

See sample pages

Classroom Resource Library

Practical resources for real classroom situations

The Professional version gives you access to the complete library of practical resources created specifically for this programme. Inside, you’ll find ready-to-use materials that support classroom practice, behaviour analysis, communication, planning and implementation. Selected resources are available to preview for free, so you can see the format and approach before accessing the full library.

39

materials total
4

free for everyone
39

in Professional

Diagnostic tools

4 materials
- My Digital Profile Quiz
  
  Self-assessment for teachers on their own screen habits, phone use in lessons and modelling behaviours.
  
  Open
- Warning Signs Checklist
  
  Structured observation checklist covering 24 behavioural and emotional indicators of problematic smartphone use
  
  Open
- Class Digital Audit
  
  Anonymous pupil survey covering screen time, apps, sleep disruption, social comparison and family rules.
  
  Read
- Do I Have Control? Pupil Self-Assessment
  
  Private pupil self-assessment checking compulsive use, sleep disruption, comparison and ability to disengage.
  
  Open
Case studies

8 materials
- Mr Henderson: The Café-Style Lesson
  
  Rebuilding authority with a difficult Year 10 group through structured informal discussion
  
  Read
- Jake, Yr 8: The Dopamine Loop
  
  Covert checking, 3 a.m. scrolling and the difference between use and dependency
  
  Read
- Olivia, Yr 10: The Comparison Algorithm
  
  Self-image, Instagram, social comparison and algorithmic content selection
  
  Read
- Ethan, Yr 11: “At Least He’s Safe at Home”
  
  Gaming escalation, parental minimisation and safeguarding concerns
  
  Read
- Year 9 Class: Two Truths and a Filter Bubble
  
  A class divided into two information ecosystems without knowing it
  
  Read
- Tyler, Yr 9: A Pupil Records the Lesson
  
  Recording a teacher, online sharing, evidence preservation and intervention steps
  
  Read
- Mia, Yr 8: Deepnude in the Group Chat
  
  AI-generated intimate image, safeguarding response and support for the victim
  
  Read
- Greenfield Academy: From One-Off Training to Lasting Culture Change
  
  An SLT-level case study on embedding digital wellbeing over time
  
  Read
Awareness and communication resources

5 materials
- Digital Vocabulary Glossary
  
  25 key terms explained in pupil-friendly language, including FOMO, phishing, typosquatting and digital footprint
  
  Open
- Dopamine Loop Infographic
  
  Visual explanation of variable reward, dopamine anticipation and compulsive checking
  
  Open
- Gaming Disorder Signals Infographic
  
  Visual checklist based on WHO Gaming Disorder criteria, adapted for school observation
  
  Open
- How to Spot a Deepfake
  
  Practical verification guide with visual signs of AI-generated content and checking steps
  
  Open
- Digital Citizenship Poster
  
  Classroom poster with eight principles of responsible digital citizenship, such as verify before sharing and protect your privacy
  
  Coming soon
Classroom tools and lesson plans

5 materials
- Oxford Debate - Lesson Plan
  
  Structured debate on smartphone policy, with motions, preparation scaffolding, timing guide and debrief questions
  
  Open
- Intergenerational Bridge Project
  
  Four-week project connecting pupils with older adults through digital skills, interviews and shared reflection
  
  Open
- The Silence Experiment
  
  45-minute lesson comparing focus with phones present and with phones removed from the room
  
  Open
- Class Digital Contract
  
  Editable agreement template for co-creating smartphone rules with pupils
  
  Coming soon
- Digital Detective Worksheet
  
  Cybersecurity activity in which pupils investigate suspicious URLs, possible deepfakes and phishing messages
  
  Coming soon
Cybersecurity and safety procedures

4 materials
- Family Safety Password
  
  Step-by-step family guide for creating a private safety password against AI voice-cloning scams
  
  Open
- Intervention Procedures Card
  
  Four-step teacher procedure for the moment a pupil records a lesson
  
  Open
- Incident Record: Digital Safeguarding
  
  Formal record form for digital incidents, including platform, evidence, people involved, actions taken and DSL notification
  
  Open
- Policy Implementation Plan
  
  12-week whole-school programme for embedding digital wellbeing policy across SLT, staff, pupils and parents
  
  Coming soon
Parent engagement tools

3 materials
- Time Colouring Sheet
  
  Visual parent workshop tool showing how a child’s day is divided between sleep, school, screens and family time
  
  Coming soon
- Digital Guardian Angel
  
  Illustrated step-by-step parental control guide for iPhone, Android, Windows and MacOS
  
  Open
- Digital Evening Template
  
  Complete 90-minute parent/carer session with facilitation notes, activities, Q&A guidance and take-home resources
  
  Open
Games and simulations

4 materials
- Escape Room: Cybersecurity
  
  Paper-based puzzle game on fake URLs, deepfakes, Family Safety Password and intervention steps
  
  Open
- Role Cards: Difficult Digital Conversations
  
  Role-play cards for class chats, phones at dinner, viral videos, late-night messages and phone bans.
  
  Open
- Ethics Design Committee
  
  Tech ethics simulation on infinite scroll, push notifications, age verification, loot boxes and mental health data
  
  Open
- Trial of a Comment
  
  Courtroom simulation exploring online hate speech, evidence, responsibility and legal consequences
  
  Open
Lesson plans

4 materials
- Tech Neck & the Body
  
  Lesson on posture, neck angle load, blue light, eye strain and corrective habits
  
  Open
- Digital Witness
  
  Lesson on cyberbullying bystanders, action steps and class witness protocol
  
  Coming soon
- The Comparison Trap
  
  Lesson on social media, self-esteem, algorithmic comparison and private reflection
  
  Open
- My Digital Will: Letter to My Future Self
  
  Reflective end-of-programme activity helping pupils define their own digital habit commitment
  
  Open
Extensions and adaptations

2 materials
- Oxford Debate Junior Version
  
  Simplified debate format for pupils aged 11–13, with shorter speeches, scaffold cards and mediator role
  
  Open
- Do I Have Control? Pupil Self-Assessment
  
  Pupil reflection tool for recognising warning signs of compulsive digital use and screen-time loss of control
  
  Open

Knowledge Booster

The Professional version includes the Knowledge Booster, which helps you return to the programme after completing the video course - step by step, without trying to implement everything at once. Inspired by Ebbinghaus’s forgetting curve, it uses short emails sent at the right intervals to help you remember and apply what you learn.

Professional: 11 emails over 30 days

1

Day 1

Course philosophy
2

Day 4

iGeneration report
3

Day 7

Brain hackers (dopamine)
4

Day 10

Gaming Disorder
5

Day 13

Smartphone orthopaedics
6

Day 16

Digital Tattoo
7

Day 19

Deepfake / voice cloning
8

Day 22

Intergenerational Bridge Project
9

Day 25

Class Digital Contract
10

Day 28

Digital Guardian Angel
11

Day 30

Phubbing, Sacred Sleep

You control when it starts. Activate from your account whenever you're ready - it won't start automatically.

Certificate of completion

Each Edutimo programme includes a short end-of-programme test. After completing the modules, take the test to confirm what you have learned and download your certificate of completion. The test is included in the programme and can be retaken if needed.

Ready? Take the test and get your certificate.

10 questions · approx. 10 min · available after completing all modules

Your trainer

Jolanta Kawaler

Teacher, trainer, mediator and deputy counselling centre director, valued for practical behavioural strategies, creativity and humour.

challenging behaviours
motivation
teaching methodology
addiction prevention
classroom discipline

What teachers say?

Trusted by teachers across Europe

Shannon Carter

Assistant Headteacher

"What I found particularly valuable about Edutimo was how closely the programme connected professional learning with what actually happens in the classroom. The training is clear and practical, with real classroom examples and strategies that I can use straight away. I often found myself going back to particular modules when planning lessons, and some of the approaches have now become part of my everyday teaching. The Challenging Behaviour training has completely changed the way I approach difficult situations in the classroom. I found it particularly useful to understand what sits behind challenging behaviour and how to respond calmly when situations escalate. It has given me more confidence in knowing what to do and what to say when things become difficult. It genuinely feels like a programme created by people who understand the realities of teaching. Rather than just giving you theory, Edutimo gives you ideas that you can actually take into your classroom and put into practice straight away."

Isabella A.

Teacher

"The trainer has a calming voice and manner. I will use paraphrasing in conversations with students and approach "comebacks" more boldly :) I will also try out the teddy bear method in the first grade."

Anna C.

Teacher

"Excellent training course, with many interesting ideas and practical solutions to use."

Questions about this programme

FAQ

What's the difference between Essential and Professional?

Essential includes the full video programme, the Teacher’s Toolkit ebook and a certificate of completion. Professional includes everything in Essential, plus the complete Classroom Resource Library and the Knowledge Booster.
How long do I have access?

You receive 12 months of access to the programme after purchase.
Does the programme include ready-to-use materials?

Yes. Depending on your package, you receive templates, scripts, cards, procedures, case studies and classroom tools.
What is the Knowledge Booster?

It is a 30-day email sequence that helps you revisit the most important ideas from the programme and apply them step by step.
Do I receive a certificate?

Yes. After completing the programme, you can download your certificate of completion.