2023-10-29 14:30:02
If you ask any parent about the time their children spend on mobile devices, you will probably always hear the same thing: It is excessive. The excessive use of cell phones and social networks is linked to increased rates of depression and self-harm among adolescents, in addition to worsening students’ school performance and exacerbating disparities in academic achievement. At this moment, the question is not whether phones should be banned in classes, it is why more schools have not already done so.
The evidence about the negative impacts of mobile devices on learning is overwhelming. Wide-ranging international studies show that any more than limited use of technology in the classroom is detrimental to learning. According to a study of fourteen countries mentioned in a United Nations (UN) document, the simple fact of having a mobile phone on hand disrupts learning at any age, from preschool to university education, and students with the lowest results are the most affected.
As a result of these types of discoveries and for the sake of sanity, the UK government announced this month that it will order schools to prohibit the use of smartphones during school hours. Similar bans have already been adopted in other European countries, such as the Netherlands and France. These policies are difficult to implement, but in the countries where they have been applied, the achievements have been notable. The banning of telephones in two Spanish regions has led to an improvement in mathematics test results, equivalent to more than half a year of learning. A study carried out last year in more than 100 secondary schools in Norway found that banning mobile phones improved students’ grades and results and increased their chances of attending upper secondary school. In addition, it produced greater academic improvements than much more expensive policies, such as smaller classes or putting more computers in schools.
But despite these obvious benefits, educational centers in the United States are going in the opposite direction. In 2020, 76% of public schools stated that “non-academic” use of cell phones was prohibited during class hours, compared to more than 90% ten years earlier. Everything indicates that these prohibitions are widely disobeyed. With cell phone use increasing during the pandemic, in part due to school closures, it appears that certain school districts have given up on efforts, even apparent ones, to keep the devices out of students’ hands. In a survey released last month, 97% of US teenagers say they use their cell phones during school hours, an average of 43 minutes, most of them spent on social media, YouTube and gaming. video.
Halting this trend is critical to helping students regain lost ground and avoid a permanent deterioration in their careers and life prospects. European-style national bans would be unworkable in the United States, where schools are locally controlled. But policymakers should emphasize the urgency of the issue. State legislatures should pressure schools to ban the use of phones during the school day, including during transition periods and recess, and to confiscate them if necessary. They should offer incentives to districts that demonstrate academic gains after imposing bans on all schools. They should also help schools pay for things like electronics storage bags and phone lockers.
Schools will undoubtedly receive criticism from parents who oppose such bans. While acknowledging legitimate concerns (such as how to communicate with a student during a crisis), they must remain firm and explain that emergency contact protocols are more than enough.
At this point it is indisputable that, as essential as they are for modern life, smartphones have no place in classrooms. The sooner schools eliminate them, the better off students will be.
This note does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or of Bloomberg LP and its owners.
Read more at Bloomberg.com
#Schools #ban #mobile #phones