This is sure to be a hot topic for many of us in ed tech spaces. This online publication frames the issue as one between teachers vs parents. For the teachers, it’s about eliminating distractions. For the parents, it’s about staying in contact with their children in an environment rife with active shooters (e.g. Uvalde ISD’s massacre is fresh in our minds).
Read The Texas Score Card
The publication, The Texas Score Card, states:
Some Texas school districts are implementing policies to restrict students’ cell phone use on campus. Generally, the policies require the phones to be turned off and placed in lockers or locked pouches that can only be opened by a school official. A state lawmaker plans to file legislation to address the issue statewide. Advocates say the move removes a major source of distraction in the classroom. Opponents say it interferes with parents’ right to monitor their children. (source)
Curious about the latest on this, I queried Perplexity.ai: for a 3-2-1 and the scientific consensus on the topic. What it revealed appears below. What are YOUR thoughts, your opinion?
My Prompt
Here’s the prompt I submitted to Perplexity.ai:
What do recently published studies say about banning smartphones in K-12 classrooms? Give me a 3-2-1 (3 facts, 2 quotes, 1 question) about the subject. Also, include the response, “What is the scientific consensus on smartphone use in the classroom to distract students from learning and/or its effectiveness compared to traditional paper-n-pencil methods?”
The results are split up into two components:
- 3-2-1 Summary
- Scientific consensus
Ok, take a moment to look at the results.
3-2-1 Summary
Here’s a 3-2-1 summary on banning smartphones in K-12 classrooms based on recent studies:
3 Facts:
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A 2024 UNESCO study recommends banning smartphones in schools for students of all ages, citing improved academic performance and reduced bullying in countries that enforce restrictions[1].
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As of 2020, 77% of U.S. schools had moved to prohibit cellphones for nonacademic purposes[3].
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Studies show that it can take up to 20 minutes for a student’s brain to refocus on learning after using a smartphone in class[2].
2 Quotes:
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“High school teachers are especially likely to see cellphones as problematic. About seven in 10 (72 percent) say that students being distracted by cellphones is a major problem in their classroom”[1].
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“The human brain is incapable of thinking more than one thing at a time. And so what we think of as multitasking is actually rapid-switch-tasking. And the problem with that is that switch-tasking may cover a lot of ground in terms of different subjects, but it doesn’t go deeply into any of them”[3].
1 Question:
How can schools balance the potential safety benefits of allowing students to have phones (e.g., during emergencies) with the academic benefits of banning them?
What’s the Scientific Consensus on Smartphones in the Classroom?
The scientific consensus generally supports the idea that smartphones can be significant distractions in the classroom, potentially hindering learning. Multiple studies have shown that smartphone use during class is associated with lower academic performance and reduced attention[1][2][3].
However, the effectiveness of smartphones compared to traditional paper-and-pencil methods is more nuanced. Some research suggests that when used purposefully for educational activities, smartphones can enhance learning experiences[4]. For instance, they can provide quick access to information, facilitate collaborative learning, and offer interactive educational apps.
That said, the majority of evidence points to smartphones being more of a hindrance than a help when it comes to classroom learning. The ability of smartphones to distract students from the lesson at hand, through notifications, social media, or other non-academic uses, often outweighs their potential benefits[1][2].
It’s worth noting that the effectiveness can vary depending on how smartphones are integrated into the curriculum and how their use is managed in the classroom. Some experts advocate for teaching students how to use smartphones responsibly rather than implementing outright bans[3].
In summary, while smartphones can have some educational benefits when used intentionally, the scientific consensus leans towards limiting their use in classrooms due to their significant potential for distraction and negative impact on learning outcomes.
Citations:
[1] www.aljazeera.com/news/2024… [2] www.bu.edu/articles/… [3] news.harvard.edu/gazette/s… [4] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic… [5] www.sciencedirect.com/science/a… [6] www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/artic…