In recent years, the debate over mobile device restrictions in K-12 schools has intensified. With the rise of smartphones and social media applications, many schools have implemented policies to limit or ban access to these technologies during instructional time. In this blog post, I briefly explore the rationale behind these restrictions, examine some current research findings, and argue for a balanced approach.
Some of the Harms Driving Mobile Device Restrictions
The increasing presence of smartphones and social media in school has been linked to adverse outcomes for students. Research indicates that excessive screen time is associated with a decline in well-being (Pagliaccio et al., 2024). The use of mobile devices in schools has been connected to inappropriate behaviors, such as cheating, cyberbullying, and sexting, which can affect students’ mental health and safety (Dickson et al., 2018). Studies have also found that smartphone addiction can yield negative learning outcomes (Sunday et al., 2021). Concerns about the harms of mobile devices and social media use have led to a widespread call for restrictions on mobile device usage in educational settings.
A Few Research Insights
More research is needed as the effectiveness of restrictions is not well understood and experiences can vary dependent on the context (OECD, 2023; Stoilova et al., 2021). In studies that have explored how mobile devices are used, there are reports that students from K-12 can make effective use of technologies for learning in meaningful and responsible ways. For example, K-grade 4 teachers reported that handheld devices were used to engage young learners in activities such as creating multimedia artifacts (Jacobsen et al., 2021). In a study with 9-to-11-year-olds, students used social media for learning and reported activities, such as searching online for information, using videos for learning, taking photos of assignments, accessing digital texts, creating digital content and communicating electronically with their peers and teachers (Sanbrooks & Brown, 2021). In a study with upper secondary students in Sweden, the students noted that a mobile phone is a tool that facilitates their schoolwork (Ott et al., 2018). Students in high schools report using cell phones for time management, accessing information, resources, responding to digital polls created by their teachers, accessing timely feedback, collaborating with others, and accessing outside experts, to name a few.
Despite the uses for facilitating schoolwork, digital technologies are also reported to be distractions in the classroom. For example, the PISA questionnaire administered to 15-year-olds every three years through the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development found that one in three students becomes distracted while using digital devices in mathematics lessons and students become distracted by their peers using digital devices (OECD, 2023). However, the same study also noted that “moderate use of digital devices in school is related to higher performance; but the relationship differs greatly according to the purpose of use” (p. 231). Read more here about the PISA results – https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/pisa-2022-results-volume-i_53f23881-en.html
The Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University describes how college students use devices and engage with media. At the college level, students can also become distracted, and they recommend instructors intentionally provide a variety of pedagogical activities and “by keeping your students engaged, thinking, and doing activities during class, they are less likely to be tempted by digital distractions.” They also highlight the importance of accessibility to assistive technologies and advocate for inclusive practices: “allowing all students access to a device in class avoids singling out students who have important reasons for using one.” Read more here – https://bokcenter.harvard.edu/technology-and-student-distraction
The Need for Balanced Approaches and Investment in Digital Literacy Programs
While restricting mobile device use in schools may seem like a straightforward solution, it is not without challenges. Implementing and enforcing these policies can place additional demands on teachers, potentially disrupting teaching and learning processes. Moreover, simply removing access to technology may not necessarily lead to improved engagement and achievement and will limit inclusion in schools. The debate over mobile device restrictions in K-12 schools highlights the complex relationship between technology and education. While there are valid concerns about the harms associated with excessive mobile device use, it is crucial to adopt balanced approaches that address these issues without hindering students’ access to technology and digital skill development. By investing in digital literacy programs and fostering responsible technology use, schools can create equitable environments where students are situated as partners in learning and can thrive academically and socially, preparing them for a digital future and using the tools of their day.
Dickson, K., Richardson, M., Kwan, I., MacDowall, W., Burchett, H., Stansfield, C., Brunton, G., Sutcliffe, K., & Thomas, J. (2018). Screen-based activities and children and young people’s mental health: A systematic map of reviews. EPPI-Centre, Social Science Research Unit, UCL Institute of Education, University College London. https://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/Default.aspx?tabid=3748
Jacobsen, M., Friesen, S., & Brown, B. (2021). Teachers’ Professional Learning Focused on Designs for Early Learners and Technology. In Information Resources Management Association (Eds.) Research Anthology on Facilitating New Educational Practices Through Communities of Learning, pp. 456-477. IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-7294-8.ch024
OECD (2023), PISA 2022 Results (Volume I): The State of Learning and Equity in Education, PISA, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/53f23881-en
Ott, T., Magnusson, A. G., Weilenmann, A., & Hård af Segerstad, Y. (2018). “It must not disturb, it’s as simple as that”: Students’ voices on mobile phones in the infrastructure for learning in Swedish upper secondary school. Education and Information Technologies, 23(1), 517–536. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-017-9615-0
Pagliaccio, D., Tran, K. T., Visoki, E., DiDomenico, G. E., Auerbach, R. P., & Barzilay, R. (2024). Probing the digital exposome: Associations of social media use patterns with youth mental health. NPP—Digital Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 2(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44277-024-00006-9
Sanbrooks, J. & Brown, B. (2021). Social media use among 9-to-11-year-old children and influences on leadership practices in schools. In M. Griffin & C. Zinskie (Eds.) Social media: Influences on education, Information Age Publishing, Inc. https://www.infoagepub.com/products/Social-Media
Stoilova, M., Edwards, C., Kostyrka-Allchorne, K., Livingstone, S., & Sonuga-Barke, E. (2021, December). The impact of digital experiences on adolescents with mental health vulnerabilities: A multimethod pilot study [Monograph]. London School of Economics and Political Science. https://www.lse.ac.uk/media-and-communications/research/research-projects/Adolescent-mental-health-and-development-in-the-digital-world
Sunday, O. J., Adesope, O. O., & Maarhuis, P. L. (2021). The effects of smartphone addiction on learning: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 4, 100114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100114