Smartphone Ban in Schools: Explained, pointwise

Introduction

The use of smartphones among students is rising due to digital revolution, especially post Covid-19. Recently, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has called for prohibiting smartphones in schools. A recent advisory issued by the Delhi government has highlighted the need for all stakeholders connected with school education to arrive at a consensus on the minimum use of mobile phones in the school environment. These developments have started a discussion on whether a complete smartphone ban in schools is necessary.

Which are the countries restricting mobile use in schools?

UNESCO says that one in four countries now have a ban or some sort of restriction on smartphone use in schools.

The Netherlands will ban mobile phones from classrooms in 2024. Finland announced a similar measure in June 2023.

Schools in United States’ Ohio, Colorado, Maryland, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Virginia and California banned the devices in class in 2023. Several schools in the US have had a cellphone ban since 2020.

China halted the use of mobile phones in schools in February 2021.

Schools in Australia’s Tasmania introduced a mobile phone ban in 2020.

In 2018, France prohibited mobile phones for elementary and middle school students.

The United Kingdom has earlier supported banning mobile phones in schools.

While India does not have a legal ban on smartphones in schools, state governments and school administrations take their own call on the matter.

What is the evidence from India about smartphone usage among school students?

The State of Elementary Education in Rural India report, released in August 2023, found the following:

1. Around 49.3% of students in rural India have access to smartphones.
2. However, a significant portion, 76.7% of these students primarily use their phones for entertainment purposes, such as playing video games and watching movies.
3. Only 34% of smartphone-accessible students use their devices for study-related downloads, while 18% access online learning through tutorials.

What are the arguments in favour of smartphone ban in schools?

Digital devices cause distraction in classes. UNESCO said there was evidence that excessive mobile phone use was linked to reduced educational performance. Studies using data from large-scale international assessments, such as PISA, indicate a negative association between excessive ICT use and student performance.

According to a 2015 London School of Economics research, banning mobile phones at schools resulted in higher test scores, with low-performing students benefiting the most.

Research published by the University of Chicago found that the mere presence of cellphones reduces the cognitive capacity of people.

A study conducted in Spain said that banning mobile phones in schools led to a fall in bullying incidents. Similar results were found by researchers in Norway.

UNESCO report also said that high levels of screen time had a negative effect on children’s emotional stability. Psychologists also advocate that mobile phones are addictive in nature, and can hinder concentration and social skills, and cause increased anxiety and mental illness.

The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) has repeatedly highlighted poor learning outcomes in Indian schools. In this context, use of smartphones in classrooms will further worsen the situation. 

Introducing mobile phones in schools may exacerbate existing social disparities. Not all students have equal access to smartphones or reliable internet connections outside of school. This can create a digital divide, where some students benefit from the educational advantages of mobile phones while others are left at a disadvantage. 

What are the arguments against smartphone ban in schools?

A complete mobile ban may not be a solution, especially in an increasingly digital age.

In 2014, a UNESCO study found that smartphones in developing nations could help millions to read who have no access to educational and reading material.

According to the report on mobile readers in developing countries, about 62 per cent of respondents said they were reading more using their mobile phones. The report suggested that mobile reading could potentially benefit women living in countries where they face cultural or social obstacles to accessing books.

Research by the University of Warwick in 2017 found that mobile phone apps can revolutionise school learning in developing countries where educational resources are scarce.

Mobile phones also act as a mode of communication between parents and their children in schools, and some families encourage pupils to carry the devices for safety reasons.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes the use of technology and digital learning. In this context, a complete ban on smartphones in schools will go against the NEP’s approach towards technology.  

What should be the way forward?

Instead of a complete ban, an age restriction can be put on when students can bring phones into the classroom.

More face-to-face interaction must be promoted to maintain academic integrity and to foster a healthy learning atmosphere.

Students must be given digital literacy and sensitised to the pros and cons of smartphone usage. In the age of AI, they should be made aware of how to smartly use devices.

Governments should put learners first, and policy-makers must come up with some kind of school safety policy.

Conclusion

Digital technology, including artificial intelligence, should always be subservient to a human-centred vision of education, and never replace face-to-face interaction with teachers and neglect the social dimension of education. The digital revolution holds immeasurable potential but, just as warnings have been voiced for how it should be regulated in society, similar attention must be paid to the way it is used in education.

Sources: The Hindu, Firstpost,