Ban or Not to Ban: Revisiting Your District’s Cell Phone Policy
Student cell phone use has long been a topic of conversation in educational circles. While most agree, younger students should not use cell phone devices during the instructional day; the controversy persists on how to leverage the devices learning potential while underscoring their hindrance to learning for teens. Pew found that 95 percent of U.S. teens age 13 to 17 use a smart phone, and 45 percent say they are online “almost constantly.” More than half said they spend too much time on their phones.
Cyber bullying and the increase of other anti-social behaviors are of grave concern as students struggle to self-regulate. We all understand the addiction – something akin to Pavlov’s experiment. We too cannot wait to check our pings, buzzes, or alerts. This sense of urgency interferes with our concentration and pull our attention back to the mobile device. By heavily relying on cell phones, we have rewired our brains to be in instant communication or suffer immediate anxiety for fear of missing out (FOMO). One study from the University of San Diego concluded that students frequently on their cell phones were twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression or anxiety.
Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that promotes safe technology in media for children, concluded that “50 percent of teens ‘feel addicted’ to mobile devices.” The report also stated that 78 percent of teens check their devices at least hourly, and 72 percent of teens feel the need to immediately respond to texts or other notifications. It is any wonder students are experiencing the damaging effects of distraction and poor retention at school?
While cell phones can be powerful learning devices, there is much research showing the adverse effects of student multi-tasking or dividing their attention between classroom instruction and their cell phones. Educational Psychology published the first study showing the causal relationship between distractions from electronic devices and exam performance. Another study published in the Journal of Communication Education found that students without cell phones performed academically better. They wrote down 62 percent more information in their notes, were able to recall more detailed information from class and scored more than a full letter grade higher on a multiple-choice test than those who were actively using their cell phones. And most alarming, research like the study published by the University of Chicago, suggests that the mere presence of a cell phone can impair learning. That’s right, even if the cell phone is powered off, turned face down or stored away; a student’s focus and cognitive ability is reduced.
School districts in the United States, as well as across the world, grapple whether to ban cell phones for teens. Policies range from “off and out of sight” to allowing unlimited usage – and everywhere in between. Other countries like France have had success enacting widespread bans. In Australia, Victoria has joined New South Wales this year in establishing a state-wide ban during recess and lunchtime for students k-12. In Ontario, Canada, cell phones are banned in k-12 classrooms during instructional time unless it is for educational purposes.
Nationally, a handful of states have debated student cell phone restriction. Most legislation died in committee, except for California legislation allowing school districts to restrict or prohibit mobile device use in class. Many schools across the country are adopting cell phone-free policies and have found students to be less anxious and cite an increase in student social interaction and classroom engagement.
While this sounds encouraging, an outright ban on cell phone usage is unrealistic and does a disservice to our students. Today’s cell phones are tiny supercomputers that offer personalized learning that extends beyond the classroom. As more school district’s adopt a “learning anytime, anywhere” philosophy, these powerful mobile devices can play a big part in preparing students for future careers. So instead of being the cell phone police, educators should embrace the use of mobile learning or “m-learning” and add digital platforms such as Remind, Nearpod, or Polleverywhere into the classroom.
As more educators integrate cell phones into instructional practice, school districts will find it necessary to incorporate digital citizenship into the curriculum. Common Sense Media assists schools to “have a plan, not a ban.” In a survey, they found that 80 percent of schools implement some form of a cell phone policy. Although, nearly 25 percent of teachers found the policies to be difficult to follow.
Rather than an all-out war on student cell phone usage, why not ban access to mobile devices during non-class time but allow their use in class when appropriate and with permission? Such a clear policy addresses both the distraction and inappropriate use by teaching students the valuable skill of effectively managing their cell phones. This policy works well in 1:1 or BYOD districts. In both programs, students use cell phones as beneficial learning tools in the classroom but are no longer distracted by their phones during lunch, recess, or bell changes. Exceptions to the policy include medical conditions or as part of a student’s individual education plan.
While students may find it annoying and painful at first, there is more opportunity for social interaction, as well as screen-free time. For the policy to work, there must be consistent enforcement across the district, as well as coaching to help students develop their focus and self-regulation skills. The higher hurdle to overcome may be parent support. Whether out of convenience or school safety fears, parents today want to be tethered to their student. It may take some retraining for them to call the front office when there is an urgent need to reach their student instead of texting them during the school day. The lesson in moderation of cell phone usage promoted by the proposed policy just may have the added benefit of extending outside the schoolhouse.
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Keywords: Cell Phone Policies, High School, Classroom Technology, Technology Integration