A recent study has revealed that imposing strict bans on mobile phones in educational institutions has minimal impact on student learning, with no significant evidence indicating improvements in attendance or incidents of online bullying. The research, conducted by scholars from prominent US universities such as Stanford and Duke, analyzed nearly 1,800 American schools where students’ phones were stored in locked pouches. The findings showed negligible differences in academic outcomes compared to similar schools that did not enforce strict phone restrictions.
The report stated that in schools implementing phone bans, the average effects on academic performance, particularly test scores, were consistently found to be close to zero. This outcome may disappoint educational unions and advocates in England who have supported the government’s recent initiative to limit mobile phone usage in schools, with a ban expected to be enforced next year.
Professor Thomas Dee from Stanford University’s graduate school of education, a contributor to the report, cautioned against interpreting these results as a rationale to abandon mobile phone restrictions. He expressed concern that the study might lead policymakers to disregard phone bans as a viable reform option, which he believes would be a significant error. Dee emphasized that there are positive trends emerging amid the mixed results, noting that reduced phone usage has been observed, and as schools gain more experience with bans, there seems to be a shift towards more favorable outcomes.
The study was published by the National Bureau of Economic Research and focused on secondary schools that mandated students to place their phones in magnetic pouches. It found a notable decrease in phone activity by the third year of the ban, based on GPS data analyzed by the researchers. However, this reduction in phone usage did not correlate with any measurable enhancements in academic performance or other non-academic indicators.
The researchers concluded that the average effects on standardized test scores were minimal, with similar small or nonexistent impacts on attendance, classroom engagement, and reported online bullying. They noted a few modest positive effects on math scores among older students but negative outcomes for younger pupils. Additionally, the study observed an increase in suspensions and a decline in students’ overall wellbeing during the first year following the implementation of the ban as schools adjusted to the new policy. Nevertheless, over time, these disciplinary effects diminished and student wellbeing improved, becoming positive in subsequent years.
Last month, the UK’s Department for Education declared its intention to make mobile phone restrictions a legal requirement for state schools in England. Recent findings from England’s children’s commissioner indicated that over 90% of schools already had policies against phone usage; however, the new regulations are expected to strengthen these policies by mandating that phones be submitted or secured during school hours.
The Girls’ Day Schools Trust, which oversees 25 private and state institutions, announced a ban on phones for students up to Year 11 starting this September, citing the detrimental effects on girls in particular. Philip Purvis, the trust’s director of education, commented on the increasing body of research highlighting the potential dangers associated with mobile phone and social media use, especially concerning teenage girls facing issues from addiction to negative mental health outcomes.
As the A-level and GCSE examination period approaches, England’s exam regulator has issued a warning to students against bringing mobile phones or smartwatches into examination halls, following the disqualification of over 500 candidates last year. Ian Bauckham, the chief regulator of Ofqual, stated, “Being found with a smart device during an exam can lead to serious consequences, including loss of marks or disqualification from the subject. Avoid becoming part of those statistics and jeopardizing your qualifications and future opportunities. Keep your phone out of the exam hall.”
