Navigating the Impact of Mobile Phone Bans in Schools

“On average across OECD countries, students were less likely to report getting distracted using digital devices when the use of cell phones on school premises is banned.

(OECD, 2024)

Recently I’ve been engaged in conversations in a number of schools and meetings of educators where the topic of mobile phone bans has been raised in discussion. New Zealand has recently imposed such a blanket ban for all schools in the wake of growing concerns about digital distraction and cyber-bullying, and the impact of these things on both the mental physical health of many of our young people.

These are serious concerns. As the grandfather of six grandchildren currently spread across all levels of the school system, I too am concerned as I see what’s being reported in the news from politicians and health professionals as well as educators working in classrooms.

But I’m also worried that, while the concerns around access to mobile devices in schools are indeed valid, the decision to ban them completely avoids dealing with the broader and more complex issues involved, and potentially leads to even greater concerns about the impact of this decision on the development of digital literacy and critical thinking that will be fundamental for our young people to be able to thrive into the future.

Serious Concerns and Valid Fears

Let’s start by considering what some of the key concerns are surrounding digital device use both in and out of school. This list is quite long, with researchers pointing to areas such as:

• Digital distraction: can impact negatively on academic performance. Things such as the frequent notifications and the temptation to check social media can disrupt students’ focus and concentration, leading to lower academic performance. Constant exposure to digital content can also make it harder for students to focus on longer tasks and deep learning.
• Cyberbullying: can lead to severe emotional distress, anxiety, and depression. Victims may experience feelings of isolation and helplessness. The stress from cyberbullying can manifest in physical symptoms such as headaches, stomach conditions, and sleep disturbances.
• Sleep Disturbance: Exposure to blue light from screens before bedtime can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep, leading to poor sleep quality. Poor sleep quality can result in sleep deprivation, which negatively impacts cognitive function, mood, and overall health.
• Anxiety and Depression: Social media can foster a culture of comparison, where students may feel inadequate compared to their peers, leading to anxiety and depression.Constant connectivity can also create a fear of missing out (FOMO) on social events or online activities, contributing to anxiety and stress.
• Distorted Body Image: Social media often portrays unrealistic and idealized body images, which can lead to body dissatisfaction and negative self-esteem.In some cases, distorted body image can contribute to the development of eating disorders.
• Reduced Social Interaction; Excessive use of mobile phones can reduce the time students spend in face-to-face interactions, impacting their social skills and emotional intelligence.Heavy use of mobile phones can lead to social isolation, where students may prefer virtual interactions over real-life connections.
• Privacy Concerns: Students may unknowingly share personal information online, putting their privacy at risk.In addition, there are risks of exposure to inappropriate content, sexual exploitation, and breaches of privacy.
• Addiction and Compulsive Use: there is growing evidence of students developing an addiction to their mobile phones, characterized by compulsive checking and inability to reduce usage despite negative consequences.These behaviours can interfere with daily activities, including academics, relationships, and physical health.
• Physical Health Issues: Prolonged screen time can lead to digital eye strain, characterized by dry eyes, blurred vision, and headaches.Excessive use of mobile phones can also contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, leading to physical health issues such as obesity.

These are the sorts of issues canvased in the recent 2024 report from the OECD titled Students, Digital Devices and Success that found that excessive use of digital devices for leisure in classrooms can negatively impact students’ academic performance. The introduction to the report reads (emphasis mine);

The digital environment has become an integral aspect of children’s lives. It offers many opportunities such as enhancing educational opportunities, expanding social interactions and having fun. However, the digital environment also exposes children to risks such as cyberbullying, the viewing of violent and other inappropriate content, sexual exploitation and abuse and breaches of privacy. Much current debate also centres on concerns that digital technologies can detract from human interaction and reduce the quality of children’s social and emotional experiences. All of these issues have fuelled concerns from parents, teachers, governments and young people themselves that digital technologies and social media may be exacerbating feelings of anxiety and depression, disturbing sleep patterns and distorting body image. As we integrate new digital technologies into education, we must acknowledge the challenges and complexities that arise. As stated in the OECD Recommendation on Children in the Digital Environment, it is crucial to establish conditions for a safe and beneficial digital environment. Education systems have a vital role in supporting children to navigate the risks while reaping the benefits.

The importance of a safe and beneficial digital environment is recommended by the OECD.

The Need for Digital Literacy

In today’s digitally-enabled world, the development of digital literacy skills among school-aged young people is crucial for their growth as critically engaged citizens. As technology increasingly permeates every aspect of our lives, from social interactions to professional environments, the ability to navigate, evaluate, and utilize digital resources responsibly has become an essential competency. Equipping students with these skills not only enhances their academic performance but also prepares them to participate meaningfully in a digital society, fostering informed decision-making, critical thinking, and responsible digital citizenship. In essence, digital literacy is foundational to empowering the next generation to thrive in an interconnected, digital future.

Integrating digital literacy and digital citizenship education into the school curriculum, supported by access to digital devices, is essential for preparing students to thrive in a digital world. Some of the key arguments supporting this include:

• Digital literacy fosters critical thinking skills, enabling students to navigate the digital landscape thoughtfully and responsibly. In a world flooded with information, the ability to critically evaluate sources, discern credible information from misinformation, and understand the ethical use of digital content is paramount.
• The modern workforce demands a high level of digital competence. From basic computer skills to advanced technical knowledge, digital literacy is essential for most careers – and for life. Equipping students with these skills ensures they are prepared for future job markets and can adapt to new technological advancements.
• Digital citizenship education promotes respectful and constructive online interactions, reducing cyberbullying and other negative behaviours. As digital citizens, students must learn to engage online respectfully and ethically. This includes understanding the implications of their digital footprint, practicing online safety, and respecting others’ privacy and intellectual property.
• Educating students on how to use these tools effectively can enhance their civic participation and empower them to make a positive impact in their communities.
• Access to and use of digital tools in school and at home can facilitate collaboration and communication among students, both in and out of the classroom. Online collaboration platforms, discussion forums, and social media can enhance group projects and peer learning.
• Digital devices enable continuous learning beyond the classroom. Students can engage in self-directed learning, explore topics of interest, and pursue educational opportunities at their own pace. This fosters a culture of lifelong learning, critical for adapting to the ever-evolving digital landscape.
• Considered use of digital devices allows students to connect with peers, experts, and resources from around the world, broadening their perspectives and fostering a more global understanding. Exposure to diverse viewpoints and cultures enriches their learning experience and prepares them for a connected world.

Such arguments are also captured in this quote from the 2024 OECD report;

As much learning now takes place through a connected device, digital literacy is crucial. 21st-century literacy means checking facts before basing opinions on them. It means asking questions about sources of information: Who wrote this? Who made this video? Is it a credible source? Does it even make sense? What are my biases? All this belongs in school and teacher-training curricula. It has applications far beyond detecting false and misleading content; this is about ensuring people can make informed decisions – the basis for functioning democracies. (OECD, 2024)

This doesn’t mean, of course, that access to and use of digital devices should be left to chance, with no safety rails in place as young people learn what is required to use them safely and responsibly. The OECD report states that while some studies show a positive link between children’s literacy skills and the time they spend watching screens with families, there is a negative link if children watch screens alone. They also conclude that the digital environment offers educational opportunities but also presents risks such as cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content and privacy concerns.

So the issue is complicated, and unlikely to be constructively addressed by either banning cell phones altogether, or by taking away any form of managed use at all. There are some profoundly important things we need to learn and understand about how we, as human beings, interact with the technology, and how its use is shaping our brains and our behaviour.

“Popcorn Brain”

The concept of “Popcorn Brain” is something I’ve only recently become aware of, based on a reading from Forbes magazine titled A Psychologist Explains the Rise of Popcorn Brain which was also referred to in a recent TVNZ news item. The article begins with…

“Popcorn Brain,” a term introduced by David Levy, a researcher at the University of Washington in 2011, refers to a mental state typified by scattered thoughts, fragmented attention and a propensity for the mind to swiftly transition from one topic to another, resembling the rapid popping of popcorn kernels in a heated pot.

I found this metaphor very helpful. Imagine your brain is like popcorn popping in a microwave. Each kernel represents a piece of information or a digital notification. With so many notifications and links constantly popping up on your digital devices, your brain becomes overwhelmed and struggles to focus on any one thing for very long. This constant bombardment of information leads to what we call ‘popcorn brain,’ where your attention jumps around rapidly, similar to how popcorn pops randomly in a bag. This makes it hard to concentrate, leading to a state of ‘cognitive chaos,’ where your ability to think clearly and sustain attention is disrupted.

This condition isn’t limited to just students – many adults, including parents and teachers, suffer from the same distraction. By taking the concept of ‘popcorn brain’ seriously, educators and parents can work together to create environments that support healthy cognitive development, mental well-being, and responsible digital device use.

Effective learning requires focus and the ability to engage with content deeply. ‘Popcorn brain’ hampers this by encouraging superficial engagement with information. Ensuring children can focus for extended periods is key to meaningful and effective education.

In addition to that, constant digital distractions can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and reduced overall well-being as highlighted earlier. Addressing ‘popcorn brain’ in a more intentional and systematic way can help promote healthier mental habits and reduce the risk of digital addiction.

Some practical ways in which this could be done include:

• Educate students about the impact of digital distractions and the importance of managing their digital environments.
• Establish clear rules for digital device use, including limits on screen time and guidelines for appropriate online behaviour.
• Encourage breaks from screens to engage in other activities, such as reading, outdoor play, and hobbies.
• Teach strategies for effective information management, such as prioritizing tasks and minimizing unnecessary digital notifications.
• Integrate technology in ways that enhance learning without overwhelming students with constant stimuli.
• Help children develop self-regulation skills by teaching them how to recognize when they are becoming overwhelmed by digital content.
• Provide tools and techniques for managing their digital environment, such as using apps that limit screen time or block distracting websites.
• Promote a balanced approach to digital device use, emphasizing both the benefits and potential drawbacks.
• Demonstrate responsible digital device use by setting limits on screen time and prioritizing face-to-face interactions. Create tech-free zones and times at home to encourage activities that do not involve screens.
• Foster critical thinking skills by discussing the content children encounter online and encouraging them to question and evaluate information. Engage in conversations about the importance of focus and the long-term benefits of developing good concentration skills.

Examining the Research

So what can we learn from the research that might help us, as educators and as parents, navigate these concerns and ensure our young people are both digitally literate, while also being protected from the potential harm that unfettered access and use can cause?

In coming to terms with both sides of the argument, then, we need to look further into what the evidence and research shows us. In doing so, it’s important that we don’t simply take hold of the ‘bits’ of evidence that suit our particular viewpoint or help defend the argument we want to make.

There is much being written about this at the moment – with many claims of an evidence base to support the perspectives being shared. This is where we need to engage our critical brain to discern between the fact and the fiction, and between association and causation.

For example, I recently read a review of Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation which proclaims “how the great rewiring of childhood Is causing an epidemic of mental illness.” The book presents as a credible source of evidence as to why we should want to ban the use of mobile phones by young people – at home and at school.

In their post titled Do smartphones really cause mental illness among adolescents? Ten problems with Jonathan Haidt’s book, the authors aren’t as convinced. They assert that Haidt cherry-picks research, infers cause from correlation, dismisses alternative explanations, generalized above the data, and more. About the review Stephen Downe’s commented that “it’s as though Haidt’s book was blended with a critical thinking textbook as a case study.”

It’s a timely reminder that simply claiming evidence to support a position isn’t sufficient to validate that position – there needs to be much more critical examination of how the evidence is being used and what justifies these conclusions.

In an opinion piece on the FLANZ blog, Dr Simon Atkinson argues that the impact of mobile phones in schools is clearly multifaceted, involving balancing safety, educational benefits, and potential distractions. He concludes that the removal of digital devices from the classroom may put the focus back on the individual teacher ‘up-front’, but it will not turn back the generational predisposition for digital stimulation. Rather, he argues, it would be better to teach responsible digital engagement in and outside of the classroom. 

This is in line with what is recommended in the OECD’s 2020 publication Education in the Digital Age: Health and Happy Children which provides a useful framework for understanding the engagement with and impact of digital technologies on the lives and learning of young people. In order to operationalise their understanding of the transformed context of childhood the authors focus on four main themes: physical health, emotional well-being, digital technologies, and peers and families as illustrated below:

This framework which is explored in more detail in the OECD report provides a helpful reminder of the range of influences on the lives of young people growing up in this digitally-enabled world, reinforcing Atkinson’s argument for teaching responsible digital engagement in and outside of the classroom. 

As stated in the OECD report that this diagram comes from:

Education must evolve and grow with our communities and children, anticipating change rather than simply reacting to problems. Delivering on this requires innovative, collaborative models that bring together parents, communities and schools to strengthen children’s resilience, lower their stress levels, enhance well-being and improve learning. (OECD, 2020)

Moving Forward With Balance

Clearly there’s room for some ‘middle ground’ thinking here. I agree with Dr Atkinson’s view that, instead of imposing a blanket ban, we need to be teaching responsible digital engagement both inside and outside the classroom. As a 2021 OECD report highlights, NZ young people are already among the highest users of digital devices both inside and outside of school.

Since last weekend when I began writing this blog post a new report has been released in New Zealand by the group at Sensible Screen Use. The report is titled Impacts of digital technologies on child and adolescent health: recommendations for safer screen use in educational settings, and is published in the NZ Medical Journal.

This report is like a breath of fresh air – the product of almost two years of research leading to the development of a set of recommendations of the use of digital technologies in schools, kura and early childhood settings.

For an overview of the report I’d recommend taking a look at the interview with lead researcher, Julie Cullen, on TVNZ earlier this week:

I had the privilege of meeting Julie a few years ago where she shared her concerns as a paediatric physiotherapist working with children and observing an increasing degree of health-related issues arising from the amount of screen time they were exposed to. This report is the fruition of the work she and her colleagues have done to raise the level of awareness around these concerns and, more than that, to provide some practical, evidence-based guidelines for use designed to mitigate these risks.

I applaud the work of this group in piecing together the information in the way they have, and from that, applying their professional expertise to identifying a set of recommendations to provide guidelines for teachers, parents – and anyone working with young people for that matter.

I particularly applaud the balanced view that Julie promotes. In her interview she points out that these concerns mustn’t be considered purely as a health issue, for example. She acknowledges technology is a great learning tool but says there needs to be “balanced use”. For her it isn’t an “either-or equation”.

So How Might We Respond?

It can be very difficult, as educators or as parents, to find a way through all of this opinion and advice. The need for balancing safety, educational benefits, and potential distractions can lead some to ignore the problem in the hope it will resolve itself, and others, to resort to eliminating the source of the problem (i.e. mobile phones) so that the broader issues don’t need to be addressed.

In pondering some ideas to suggest I’ve come up with two sets of prompts – one for educators and the other for parents…

For Educators…

• Model Responsible Digital Behaviour: Set an example by demonstrating responsible digital behaviour in the classroom. Show students how to use devices effectively for learning and emphasize the importance of balance.
• Establish Clear Classroom Expectations: Create and enforce clear expectations for digital device use in the classroom. This includes for when and how devices can be used to ensure they enhance, rather than disrupt, learning.
• Foster a Positive Digital Culture: Create a classroom culture that values respectful and constructive online interactions. Address issues like cyberbullying and promote a supportive online community.
• Integrate Digital Literacy in Curriculum: Incorporate digital literacy lessons into your curriculum. Teach students how to critically evaluate online information, understand digital footprints, and use digital resources responsibly.
• Teach Self-Regulation Skills: Help students develop self-regulation skills by teaching them how to manage their digital environments. Discuss strategies for minimizing distractions and staying focused.
• Encourage Balanced Use: Encourage students to balance screen time with other activities. Promote physical activity, face-to-face interactions, and hands-on learning experiences as part of the school day.
• Collaborate with Parents: Work with parents to create a consistent approach to digital device use. Share guidelines and resources to help families support healthy digital habits at home.
• Stay Updated on Digital Trends: Keep up with the latest digital trends and tools in education. Participate in professional development opportunities, read relevant research, and stay informed about best practices.
• Incorporate Digital Citizenship: Teach digital citizenship skills to help students understand their rights and responsibilities online. Discuss topics like privacy, digital footprints, and respectful communication.

For Parents…

• Model Responsible Device Use: Set a positive example by modelling responsible digital behaviour. Limit your own screen time and prioritize face-to-face interactions with your children to demonstrate the value of real-life connections.
• Set Clear Rules and Guidelines: Create clear rules for digital device use at home. Set limits on screen time, establish guidelines for appropriate online behaviour, and ensure that digital use does not interfere with homework, sleep, or physical activities.
• Create Tech-Free Zones: Establish tech-free zones and times in your home, such as during family meals and bedtime, to encourage conversation and quality family time. This helps children understand the importance of balancing screen time with other activities.
• Educate on Digital Literacy: Teach your children about digital literacy and the importance of critical thinking when using digital devices. Discuss how to evaluate the credibility of online information and the ethical use of digital content.
• Encourage Breaks and Other Activities: Encourage your children to take regular breaks from screens and engage in other activities such as reading, outdoor play, and hobbies. This helps to reduce the risk of digital eye strain and promotes a balanced lifestyle.
• Discuss the Risks: Have open conversations with your children about the risks associated with digital device use, such as cyberbullying, privacy concerns, and the impact on mental health. Ensure they know how to stay safe online and who to talk to if they encounter issues.
• Use Technology Together: Spend time using technology together with your children. Explore educational apps, play games, and watch documentaries that can spark meaningful discussions and enhance learning.
• Monitor and Engage: Stay engaged with your children’s digital activities. Monitor the apps and websites they use, and encourage them to share their online experiences with you. This helps to build trust and ensures they are using technology safely.
• Promote Digital Citizenship: “Teach your children about being good digital citizens. Discuss the importance of respecting others online, understanding their digital footprint, and practicing good online etiquette.
• Stay Informed: Keep yourself informed about the latest trends, apps, and technologies your children are using. Participate in workshops, webinars, and read up on current research to better understand how to support your children’s digital well-being.