essay on the use of mobile phones in schools

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The Use of Mobile Phones in Schools

The use of cell phones in schools by students has become a fiercely debatable topic that concerns all segments of society, including students, parents, teachers, scholars, and officials. People who mostly advocate for using mobile phones consider that these devices are beneficial in providing safety and seamless connection of pupils with parents and are useful for education overall. Nevertheless, I hold to the firm conviction that the use of cell phones should be banned or maximum restricted in schools since, in most cases, they disrupt the learning process and notably impair student’s performance. Thus, in this essay, I will present valid arguments supported by statistics, credible opinions, and facts, which prove the harm of using gadgets in educational premises.

The first argument is that mobile phones disrupt the learning process by causing interruptions and distractions of students’ attention from classroom activities. It is evident that any educational material requires intense mental concentration from individuals to be adequately comprehended and memorized. This aspect is fundamental in further student’s performance and progress since one missing or misunderstood item makes it impossible to master the whole topic or even subject successfully. Moreover, because of this, students become increasingly uninterested, bored, and sometimes contemptuous towards a particular subject. Thus, the primary task and responsibility of every school or educational establishment are to create a conducive environment that promotes the learning process and helps students attain excellent outcomes.

In this context, the students who have gadgets during school classes are usually inclined to use them for communication in social networks and viewing pictures and videos on the Internet, which produces unwanted distractions. Additionally, a constant risk exists that pupils can watch embarrassing videos or content of pornographic nature via smartphones, which corrupts the students’ morals and even makes them incapable of perceiving useful, educational information. As Danielle Einstein, a clinical psychologist from the University of Sydney, asserts, the overall situation is complicated because these devices provoke dopamine release leading to strong psychological addiction (Heizer). Furthermore, Henderson, a journalist for The Independent , describes a phenomenon called phantom vibrations that occur as a result of “learned bodily behavior” (Henderson). Namely, even the slightest vibration can make an individual feel like the phone vibrates, although, in fact, vibrations were absent. Numerous phone calls from outsiders, that is, parents, relatives, and friends, also cause interruptions in learning the material taught by the teacher.

Besides, many scholars have confirmed via experiments that the presence of mobile phones in school disrupts the learning process. For example, two researchers from Western Carolina University, Lawson and Henderson, conducted the study involving 120 first-year students, which demonstrated that students who were texting during lectures obtained considerably less score regarding comprehension and performance (Lawson and Henderson 121). This study only confirmed the results of the previous similar research indicating that “texting can reduce comprehension of class material at a rate of 10–20%” (Lawson and Henderson 119). It is worth noting that these results were related to comparatively simple material.

The second argument that can be advanced against the gadgets’ use is that they can adversely affect the individual’s cognitive capabilities that are vital for students’ performance and studying. For example, the recent research performed by Ward et al. concluded that even the close location of a smartphone near the user, for instance, on the desk, can worsen cognitive capacity and fluid intelligence (140). Moreover, cognitive damage is directly proportional to the dependence from a smartphone. The research indicates that “the presence of students’ mobile devices in educational environments may undermine both learning and test performance” (Ward et al. 151). It should be mentioned that the study consisted of two experiments that involved 520 and 275 smartphone users, respectively.

The third argument is connected with cheating since many students tend to use smartphones while taking a test or even an exam. For example, according to a Pew Research Center study, 35 percent of pupils use their phones to complete tests or assignments, and 65 percent of teens reported that they see how smartphones were used by others (Morin). Overall, in the educational environment, not only does cheating make it impossible to evaluate students correctly and rightly but also allows them not to prepare for exams appropriately. This has adverse consequences for their performance and the ability to master the necessary knowledge.

Another issue that gains the increasing alert among pedagogues and parents is that cell phones can promote cyberbullying that implies threats, harassments, humiliation, or torments by means of technology. Cyberbullying can be executed through social media sites or other websites and text messages or emails. Besides, this phenomenon has various forms, including impersonation, that is, fake accounts, trolling, flaming, namely, posting derogatory comments, cyberstalking, trickery, and denigration, that is, posting gossip and rumors about someone. According to the survey conducted by the Cyberbullying Research Center in 2016, around 34 percent of middle and high school students have experienced cyberbullying; some of them cyberbullied several times (McCullum). It should be specified that cyberbullying leads to significant negative outcomes and can cause depression, anxiety, feelings of isolation, low self-esteem, loss of interest in studies, and even using alcohol and drugs. Moreover, this type of bullying is difficult for teachers to track and stop.

The last argument is correlated with disconnection from face-to-face communication and a decrease in the students’ participation in outside and social activities. Working together and leading in-person discussions about a particular topic is an indispensable part of education. Moreover, involvement in sports and social activities play an essential role in the psychological and physical development of children and adolescents. With the excessive use of gadgets, many teens tend to avoid traditional, alive conversations and outside games and prefer to communicate using smartphones, play digital games, and hang on the Internet. In this regard, secondary schools in the UK began establishing stricter rules regarding cell phones, prohibiting using them in school premises individuals under sixteen years of age (Hymas). This measure has resulted in the fact that students become more active, alert, and sociable in the school setting.

To summarize, in this essay, I have advanced valid and persuasive arguments against the use of mobile phones in schools, maintained by statistics, credible opinions, and facts. These arguments include the disruption of the learning process, the adverse effect on the individual’s cognitive capabilities, cheating, cyberbullying, and disconnection from face-to-face communication. For example, the disruption of the learning process caused by possible distractions related to phone calls or communication in social networks while cyberbullying is accompanied by threats, harassments, humiliation, or torments using technology. In conclusion, as Nick Gibb, a British politician, said, “Every hour spent online and on a smartphone is an hour less talking to family, and it’s an hour less exercise, and it’s an hour less sleep” (Austin). Thus, people, especially teachers, students, and parents, should be aware of the harm of using mobile phones in schools to prevent unfortunate consequences concerning students’ performance, education, their mental health, overall.

Works Cited

Austin, H. “ Mobile Phones ‘Should be Banned from Schools,’ Minister Says. ” Independent , 2019, Web.

Heizer, S. “ What do Five Experts Think about Mobile Phones in Schools? ” Guardian , 2018, Web.

Henderson, E. “ Phantom Vibration Syndrome: Up to 90 Percent of People Suffer Phenomenon while Mobile Phone Is in Pocket ”. The Independent , Web. 2016.

Hymas, C. “Secondary Schools Are Introducing Strict New Bans on Mobile Phones.” The Telegraph–UK , 2018.

Lawson, Dakota, and Henderson, Bruce B. “The Costs of Texting in the Classroom.” College Teaching , vol. 63, no. 3, 2015, pp. 119-124.

McCullum, K. “ Cyberbullying in School: Prevention and Support. ” Accredited Schools Online. Web.

Morin, A. “ How Teens Use Technology to Cheat in School. ” Verywell Family , 2019, Web.

Ward, Adrian F., Duke, K., Gneezy, A., and Bos, M.W. “Brain drain: The Mere Presence of one’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity.” Journal of the Association for Consumer Research , vol. 2, no. 2, 2017, pp. 140-154.

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Bans may help protect classroom focus, but districts need to stay mindful of students’ sense of connection, experts say

Students around the world are being separated from their phones.

In 2020, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 77 percent of U.S. schools had moved to prohibit cellphones for nonacademic purposes. In September 2018, French lawmakers outlawed cellphone use for schoolchildren under the age of 15. In China, phones were banned country-wide for schoolchildren last year.

Supporters of these initiatives have cited links between smartphone use and bullying and social isolation and the need to keep students focused on schoolwork.

77% Of U.S. schools moved to ban cellphones for nonacademic purposes as of 2020, according to the National Center for Education Statistics

But some Harvard experts say instructors and administrators should consider learning how to teach with tech instead of against it, in part because so many students are still coping with academic and social disruptions caused by the pandemic. At home, many young people were free to choose how and when to use their phones during learning hours. Now, they face a school environment seeking to take away their main source of connection.

“Returning back to in-person, I think it was hard to break the habit,” said Victor Pereira, a lecturer on education and co-chair of the Teaching and Teaching Leadership Program at the Graduate School of Education.

Through their students, he and others with experience both in the classroom and in clinical settings have seen interactions with technology blossom into important social connections that defy a one-size-fits-all mindset. “Schools have been coming back, trying to figure out, how do we readjust our expectations?” Pereira added.

It’s a hard question, especially in the face of research suggesting that the mere presence of a smartphone can undercut learning .

Michael Rich , an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and an associate professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, says that phones and school don’t mix: Students can’t meaningfully absorb information while also texting, scrolling, or watching YouTube videos.

“The human brain is incapable of thinking more than one thing at a time,” he said. “And so what we think of as multitasking is actually rapid-switch-tasking. And the problem with that is that switch-tasking may cover a lot of ground in terms of different subjects, but it doesn’t go deeply into any of them.”

Pereira’s approach is to step back — and to ask whether a student who can’t resist the phone is a signal that the teacher needs to work harder on making a connection. “Two things I try to share with my new teachers are, one, why is that student on the phone? What’s triggering getting on your cell phone versus jumping into our class discussion, or whatever it may be? And then that leads to the second part, which is essentially classroom management.

“Design better learning activities, design learning activities where you consider how all of your students might want to engage and what their interests are,” he said. He added that allowing phones to be accessible can enrich lessons and provide opportunities to use technology for school-related purposes.

Mesfin Awoke Bekalu, a research scientist in the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Chan School, argues that more flexible classroom policies can create opportunities for teaching tech-literacy and self-regulation.

“There is a huge, growing body of literature showing that social media platforms are particularly helpful for people who need resources or who need support of some kind, beyond their proximate environment,” he said. A study he co-authored by Rachel McCloud and Vish Viswanath for the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness shows that this is especially true for marginalized groups such as students of color and LGBTQ students. But the findings do not support a free-rein policy, Bekalu stressed.

In the end, Rich, who noted the particular challenges faced by his patients with attention-deficit disorders and other neurological conditions, favors a classroom-by-classroom strategy. “It can be managed in a very local way,” he said, adding: “It’s important for parents, teachers, and the kids to remember what they are doing at any point in time and focus on that. It’s really only in mono-tasking that we do very well at things.”

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The Use of Mobile Phones in the Classroom Can Help Students Learn Better Essay

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Introduction

It is undeniable that today’s world revolves around technology due to its growth over the past decades. Mobile phones as a part of technology have become increasingly common in modern society. Today, it is impossible to imagine an adolescent or an adult without a cell phone. Students have started to use mobile phones in classrooms, which has raised many concerns among teachers, schools’ authorities, and parents. While there are several disadvantages of the utilization of technology during classes, the advantages of it prevail.

The benefits of technology for students are evident. First, mobile phones can substitute textbooks and notebooks, which may have a positive impact on individuals’ health as they do not have to carry heavy bags to schools. Students can download learning materials in electronic form and use them during classes. Moreover, they can find the information faster and save time to perform other important tasks. Second, with the help of mobile phones, students can have access to their textbooks, lectures, and notes anywhere and at any time. They can read on the bus on their way to school, which may increase the time they dedicate to the analysis of the learning materials and help them to reflect on the topics of discussions.

Furthermore, students can use mobile phones as dictionaries in language classes. It may save their time and ensure that the long learning process does not discourage them. Also, they can download applications that are designed to assist in acquiring new language skills.

It is necessary to mention that students can use mobile phones as organizational or planning tools. They can plan their time based on the deadlines, arrange their activities and track their grades and performance in class. While many students use notebooks for such purposes, the utilization of mobile phones allows for having all the information in one place and ensuring that no important data is lost. Moreover, teachers can be involved in the organizational process too by sharing the necessary information about due dates and requirements via applications. It may improve teacher-student relationships and increase individuals’ performance in class.

There are several drawbacks associated with the use of mobile phones in the classroom. The primary one is that they can distract students from learning, as they may prefer to play games or use social networks. Moreover, individuals can become aggressive if the teachers or school authorities try to forbid the use of technology in class. To eliminate the possible negative outcomes, it is necessary for students to learn how to avoid distraction while working with mobile phones.

For example, they can delete unnecessary applications or restrict their use during classes. Apart from that, students can improve their performance by studying the factors that can cause distraction and avoiding them. Teachers and schools’ authorities should also consider investigating the benefits of the technology to prevent the establishment of unnecessary policies related to its use in the classroom.

The use of mobile phones in the classroom can improve student’s performance and help them to have better learning outcomes. It can save their time, prevent them from carrying heavy bags with textbooks and notebooks and increase the accessibility of course materials. The possible drawbacks of the use of technology in class are individuals’ distraction and aggression. However, students can eliminate the disadvantages of the utilization of mobile phones by avoiding the factors that can cause negative learning outcomes.

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Cellphones in Schools: A Huge Nuisance and a Powerful Teaching Tool

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When Nelann Taylor lets her high school students whip out their smartphones and dive into tools like Duolingo, Quizlet, Kahoot, and Flipgrid, she knows she may be in for a classroom management headache. Some of her students “have really figured out how to self-correct and just say, ‘Well, I know that I can’t be on my own phone right now’ ” unless it is for classwork, she said. But others take advantage of the freedom to start scrolling through text messages, and Taylor has to tell them put the devices away. Cellphones are both a powerful learning tool and huge distractions for kids. Figuring out how to make the most of them is “really tricky,” said Taylor, a fan of technology in the classroom who teaches high school Spanish and web design in Louisiana’s St. John the Baptist Parish Schools. “It’s always a work in progress.” Educators like Taylor have struggled with whether to ban phones, let kids use them for classwork, or some combination of the two for more than a decade. But the need to figure out how to use cellphones for learning, rather than letting them become a distraction, has gotten more urgent since kids returned from pandemic-driven virtual learning, experts and educators say. “I think the transition from trying to learn at home using devices and having perhaps multiple devices, being distracted by them, trying to focus attention on learning, and then transition back into the classroom has been really difficult,” said Christine Elgersma, the senior editor for social media and learning resources at Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that focuses on children, technology, and media. There are some good practices, including having a schoolwide policy on devices that’s clearly communicated to students and parents at the beginning of the school year. Being vehemently anti-cellphone may backfire, Elgersma warned. Allowing kids to use the devices for classwork is a way to acknowledge that, “these are really cool tools, and that some of what kids are doing on their phones is really impressive and creative and important to them,” she said. “We don’t want to discount how woven into the fabric of their lives these devices are.” At Kansas’ Springhill Middle School, students are expected to put their phones in their lockers as soon as school begins, and not take them out until the end of the day, unless a teacher plans to use the devices in a lesson, said Trevor Goertzen, the school’s principal. A National Association of Secondary School Principals digital principal of the year, Goertzen is a champion of tech in the classroom. But he thinks it’s too easy for kids to get distracted by entertainment or social media if they have access to their phones all day. All his students have MacBooks, he said, which can be used for just about any classroom activity requiring a device. Teachers have permission to allow cellphones occasionally for specific purposes, but “most teachers realize it’s not worth opening the door for them to use their phones.”

‘Teach kids to manage their technology’

But Stevie Frank, a 5th grade humanities teacher at Zionsville West Middle School in Whitestown, Ind., views cellphones as a great student engagement tool. Her students can keep their phones with them during class, as long as they have notifications turned off, so they’re not interrupted by a dinging noise. And she incorporates them into her class assignments. For instance, Frank sets up stations around the room where kids read passages and tackle questions on, say, an author’s purpose. To check to see if their answers are right, students use their phones to scan a QR code, and up pops a video of Frank explaining the correct answer. “It’s one of those things where I was like, ‘How can I be at 12 stations at once?’ ” Frank said. “And I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, I can!’ ” Frank’s students also use their phones to record podcasts, since they tend to have better microphones than school-issued devices do. Recently, for instance, she had groups of students choose books about different identities and then create a podcast exploring themes that the text raised. One group picked a book about a person experiencing homelessness and interviewed a staffer at a local shelter for their podcast. Naturally, there are times when students use their cellphones to go off task, Frank said. But that’s all part of the lesson. She said kids need to figure out how to voluntarily distance themselves from their devices. “You’ve got to teach the kids how to manage their technology and if we’re not going to do it in school, where’s it going to be done?” Frank said. A certified yoga teacher, she’s talked to her students about mindfulness, the importance of being present in the moment, and how technology can distract from those things. If a kid has a particularly tough time putting their phone away, or keeps getting distracted while using a school laptop, Frank will ask if they’d rather have a paper copy of the assignment, or if they’d like to put their phone on their desk. Giving students the choice to disengage from their phones helps “get their buy-in,” Frank said. “They’re like, ‘yup, I need to do that.’ ” Another advantage of using a phone for class assignments: Students are already familiar with how they operate, said Kristin Daley Conti, a science teacher at Tantasqua Regional Junior High School in central Massachusetts. Her attitude on cellphones in school is essentially, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” So if her students want to use their phones to, say, time how long it takes ice to melt, she’s fine with that. Many of her students also used the cameras on their phones for a project last year on ecosystems. Students chose an outdoor area near the school and took pictures of the spot once a week, then looked at how the biodiversity in its ecosystem changed over time. Students snapped photos of flowers, squirrels, plants, insects, frogs, and more and then shared them in a digital journal that was also accessible to parents. Daley Conti’s advice to teachers who are considering using cellphones in their classroom: Listen to kids’ ideas. Ask them questions like, “Do you think we’re using our phones too much?” or “Could we use our phones in class responsibly?” “If you’re thinking about incorporating cellphone use, hear from the experts,” she said.

A version of this article appeared in the March 23, 2022 edition of Education Week as Cellphones in Schools: Huge Nuisance And Powerful Teaching

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Should Students Have Cell Phones at School?

Exploring the impact of cell phones on success in education..

Posted July 26, 2024 | Reviewed by Davia Sills

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Cell phones in classrooms—yes or no?

Do you know how long it takes a child to refocus after being on their phone?

With July cruising into its last week, the start of the school year rapidly approaches. Supplies, class lists, meetings, and more begin filling up family schedules. A new cell phone might be on your child’s supplies or wish list—but should they have access to it in school?

For parents, how would you feel if your district made a policy forbidding cell phones? Thrilled for them to get off their phones for a while? Anxious about not being able to reach them?

For teachers, would you miss having phones for some assignments, or would you breathe a huge sigh of relief? Currently, few districts or schools have explicit and/or effectively supported policies, leaving many teachers and parents to create their own systems. These systems often add up to a hodgepodge of inconsistent expectations that don’t support students or teachers.

What does the science show us about smartphones in school? Unfortunately, not much. Research has been slow to catch up on these concerns despite the urgent need for answers.

Still, some conclusions can be drawn from the existing studies combined with accumulating experiences from parents, teachers, mental health professionals, and students. Cell phones in school—and specifically in the classroom—appear to offer both potential benefits and significant risks to learning. It turns out the subject isn’t a simple choice between banning them entirely or letting kids have access without guardrails.

Some of the biggest potential benefits of cell phones in school or classrooms include improving access to and engagement in learning. Teachers can meet kids where they are and build creative lesson plans and activities that use students’ phones. For some students with disabilities, phones can be powerful tools for increasing accessibility to learning materials and classroom participation.

The other benefit that many parents value is being able to reach their child during the school day. Often, parents and students worry that in an extreme situation—such as a shooting or lockdown—they want to be able to reach each other. At the same time, easy access to phones has led to some normalizing of routine communications between students and parents during the day, which can disrupt student learning and classroom function.

Even with these potential positives, the presence of cell phones in the classroom brings significant negatives, but one is the most fundamental— distraction . “Multi-tasking” doesn’t work—especially in learning situations.

Some research has shown that once a student is on their phone (or even has a phone in their vicinity), it takes about 20 minutes for them to refocus on the material being presented. That’s about one-half of a typical high school class period—meaning students can be missing 50 percent of what is being taught. Not only are they missing material, but they also aren’t engaging in the learning process with teachers and peers. Effective learning is active, and being on their phone takes that away.

The content on cell phones effectively keeps our eyes on the screen and discourages looking away. Big Tech makes big money by creating algorithms that are meant to steal our attention . They excel at it. It’s hard enough for adults to regulate phone use, but children and teen brains don’t have anywhere near fully developed impulse control abilities. Asking them to just stop doing it—without carefully designed barriers and supports—is simply not going to work.

And for students with learning differences and disorders such as ADHD —or who are struggling with learning for any reason—the temptation to look at their phone and not participate in class is tremendous. While these students often disengage in other ways ( sleeping , staring out the window, going to the bathroom), having access to constant, algorithm-driven content creates a rabbit hole that’s all too easy for them to get deeply lost in. While phones might be helpful for specific learning tasks for students with disabilities, free-range access hurts learning and engagement.

As schools become more aware of how harmful cell phones can be to learning, attempts to limit this harm often face strong headwinds from parent concerns about being able to reach their children. Schools and districts must integrate these concerns when developing policies that would limit children’s access to their devices during the day. It’s easy to say that we can go back to calling the office if you need to get a message to your child, but fears of something like a school shooting are powerful—and, while extremely rare, difficult to dismiss.

Hammering out systems for keeping kids off phones when they are supposed to be learning will require effective communication between everyone involved, including administration, teachers, families, and (older) students. Administrators must develop mechanisms to support the implementation of policies. Expectations need to apply to all students because kids worry that if they are the only ones not on their phones, they miss out on critical social connections. Without universal policy implementation, even with children who would prefer to put their phones away (and many would), their very normal need to stay connected would win out.

Any policy enacted needs to be dynamic, flexible, and responsive to feedback. Students with disabilities will require reasonable accommodations. Well-defined and effective systems for feedback from all stakeholders will be critical to keep policies viable and successful. Evolution in technology will create new needs and opportunities.

Learning is a fundamental right for our children. Participating in school and learning is key to kids’ physical and mental health. While the debate rages on about phones in kids’ lives outside of school, it seems clear that, as hard as it will be, cell phones don’t belong in the classroom.

UNESCO. 2023. Global Education Monitoring Report 2023: Technology in education - A tool on whose terms? Paris, UNESCO

Candida Fink, M.D. , is board certified in child/adolescent and general psychiatry. She practices in New York and has co-authored two books— The Ups and Downs of Raising a Bipolar Child and Bipolar Disorder for Dummies.

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Mobile Phones in Schools: With or Without you? Comparison of Students’ Anxiety Level and Class Engagement After Regular and Mobile-Free School Days

• Original research
• Published: 24 June 2021
• Volume 27 , pages 1095–1113, ( 2022 )

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• Janka Gajdics 1 &
• Balázs Jagodics   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4100-5257 1  

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Mobile phones are important for people, especially for young adults and adolescents. As people tend to form attachments to not only social partners, but inanimate targets as well, mobile devices can become important objects that provide safety and security. This could lead to separation anxiety, also known as “nomophobia”. Constant need for mobile use may result in problematic behaviors in schools, cause distraction in class, it is important to explore the students’ relationship to devices. Our study compares state anxiety level of high school students on a regular school day and on an experimental “mobile-free day”, when participants do not carry their mobile phones during classes. We hypothesized that separation from the mobiles would increase anxiety and decrease class engagement, especially in students with higher mobile attachment scores. The sample consisted of 235 secondary school students. Results of Repeated Measures ANCOVA showed that anxiety levels increased on the mobile-free school day, but class engagement was not affected by the experiment. Linear regression analysis revealed ‘Safe Haven’ mobile attachment to be a significant predictor of state anxiety on the mobile free school day. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed that mobile use habits linked to social media and instant message services were associated with higher anxiety scores on the mobile-free school day. Our results provide more insights on both use of mobile phones in learning environment and regarding school regulations of students’ device use.

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1 Introduction

Mobile phones are important to people. As of 2018, more than 5.1 billion people have mobile phone subscription (The GSMA Mobile Economy, 2019 ) and among them there are 3.9 billion unique mobile internet subscriptions (Statista, 2019 ). Although mobiles can be used in different ways, their contribution to individual well-being may raise questions, as increased mobile phone use is often associated with lower life satisfaction (Volkmer & Lermer, 2019 ). This is especially true when the device is used excessively for pass-time activities and non-communication purposes (Chan, 2015 ). These outcomes can be explained by two processes, which affects individual well-being in opposite ways: mobile use can be a source of joy, euphoria and other positive emotions, because it can enhance communication with significant others, and thus it is able to make social support available (Chan, 2018 ). Contrarily, excessive use of the devices could be associated with maladaptive emotion regulation, lower self-esteem and even with such addiction-like symptoms as craving and feel of dependence (Billieux, 2012 ). Throughout this article we refer to mobile phones, cell phones and smartphones as mobile phones, without further seaparating them into feature-based categories.

Mobile addiction is a frequently used expression to describe problematic phone-related behaviors, which are explored in a growing number of studies (see e.g., Chen et al., 2017 ; Noë et al., 2019 ; Wolniewicz et al., 2018 ). However, the diversity of research on this field highlights that problematic mobile use is a heterogeneous phenomenon, therefore some of its forms can be distinguished from other addictions (Billieux, 2012 ). Mobile-related problem behaviors beyond excessive device use include regular checking habits (Oulasvirta et al., 2012 ) or “ringxiety”, which describes the false sensation of receiving calls and messages, leading to constantly checking the mobile phone (De-Sola Gutiérrez et al., 2016 ; Subba, 2013 ).

Nevertheless, the most frequently studied problem behavior is excessive mobile phone use, which is associated with internet addiction among adolescents. Consequently, these addictions are being linked to more frequent involvement in cyberbullying either as a victim or a perpetrator (Tsimtsiou et al., 2018 ). Moreover, the excessive use of social media platforms can be associated with a greater likelihood of developing anxiety. This form of anxiety is often linked to receiving negative feedback or cyber-bullying from peers, becoming more aware of stressful events occurring in other people's lives and internalizing the pressure to maintain social network updates (Vannucci et al., 2017 ). It is also possible that using such platforms is used as a coping mechanism for people struggling with anxiety or depression (Dhir et al., 2018 ). Besides, problematic use of mobile phones is associated with sleep disorders (Tamura et al., 2017 ), which relationship is mediated by various other factors such as lower mindfulness level (Liu et al., 2017 ). Nevertheless, problematic mobile phone use is ubiquitous, as 12–21% of the adult population of different countries report high scores on scales measuring problematic use of mobiles (Lopez-Fernandez, 2017 ). Most of the research of mobile use focus on adults (Lopez-Fernandez, 2017 ) and adolescents (Kwon et al., 2013 ; Liu et al., 2017 , 2018 ; Tamura et al., 2017 ; Tsimtsiou et al., 2018 ) when discussing problems associated with utilization of the devices, but results show that even infants and toddlers are inclined to use mobile phones regularly if their parents use the devices as a tool for behavioral regulation (Levine et al., 2019 ).

1.1 Nomophobia and Attachment

Despite the critics and limitations of the theory of ‘mobile addiction’, increasing number of studies use the term (see e.g., De-Sola Gutiérrez et al., 2016 ; Liu et al., 2018 ; Volkmer & Lermer, 2019 ) along with another mobile-related notion, nomophobia (“no-mobile-phobia”). Latter refers to the negative emotions (fear, anxiety, etc.) linked to not being able to use the device and its services (King et al., 2010 ; Tams et al., 2018 ). One core component of nomophobia is the phenomenon of “Fear of Missing Out” (FoMO; Wolniewicz et al., 2018 ), which refers to the unpleasant emotional state experienced while not being able to access to information and to communicate with others (King et al., 2013 ). Higher levels of FoMo are also associated with the higher risk of social media addiction (Blackwell et al., 2017 ). As the functions of the devices offer ways to seek social support, mobiles may become a frequently used strategy for emotional regulation (Hoffner & Lee, 2015 ). Higher levels of nomophobia are associated with lower mindfulness (Arpaci et al., 2019 ), and increased stress (Tams et al., 2018 ), beside maladaptive coping styles in case of withdrawal (Bragazzi et al., 2019 ). Other results indicate that negative emotions related to the FoMO phenomenon are associated with higher rates of smartphone addiction and problematic phone use (Wolniewicz et al., 2018 ). The notability of nomophobia is highlighted by findings that state that the negative emotions linked to withdrawal situations can be detected even on a physiologic level, such as increased heart rate (Konok et al., 2017 ) and blood pressure (Clayton et al., 2015 ).

Attachment theories offer possible explanations for the development of nomophobia. As Bowlby ( 1969 ) described, the motivation to maintain proximity to parents and peers is common among humans and many other animal species. Humans, attach not only to peers, but to material objects as well. Children often use attachment objects when alone at night (Wolf & Lozoff, 1989 ), while attachment to specific objects with affective value is also described among elder people in nursing homes (Cipriani et al., 2009 ). People form attachment towards places in different ways as well (Scannell & Gifford, 2010 ). Although developing emotions towards object is observed widely, there are differences in the way people form these attachments in one culture or another (Wallendorf & Arnould, 1988 ).

Scientific evidence indicates that mobile phones can easily become objects of emotions. Recent studies revealed similar patterns in attachment to mobiles and attachment to peers (Konok et al., 2016 ). Attachment-like reactions to mobile phones have been reported, such as proximity seeking and showing stress response when separated from the device (Konok et al., 2017 ). These reactions reveal four different aspects of mobile attachment: separation anxiety , which refers to the appearance of negative emotions when the device is not available, separation insecurity , which represents the general decrease of security in case of withdrawal, safe haven (using the mobile as a way to reduce feeling of stress) and secure base , which represents the increase of confidence when the mobile is available (Konok et al., 2017 ).

1.2 Mobile use in Schools

Mobile use in schools nowadays is a frequently debated and studied topic. Growing number of students have access to mobile devices worldwide. Although there are differences between countries in how widespread mobiles are (Lopez-Fernandez et al., 2017 ), in many regions the majority of the students possesses mobile phones, and they are regularly using it during school time. For example, statistics show that in the United States 95% of the teenagers have smartphone access (PEW Research Center, 2018 ). Data show that students tend to possess and use mobile phones especially in high schools, more frequently than in elementary- and middle schools (Gao et al., 2019 ).

In education, some aspects highlight the advantages of using information technology, such as enhancing the teacher-student communication via instant messages (Bouhnik & Deshen, 2014 ; Rau et al., 2008 ), increasing performance and accomplishment rates with using mobile-based learning websites (Chen et al., 2008 ), improving speaking skills with mobile phone video recording (Gromik, 2012 ) or strengthening learning interest and attitudes with devices (Hwang & Chang, 2011 ). Research shows teachers are generally open towards the idea of using mobile learning strategies during class. However, they often consider their abilities imperfect to implement such practices, therefore training programs are needed (Lai & Hwang, 2015 ).

In spite of the obvious advantages and future possibilities of using the newest technology in learning environment, there are also some drawbacks and obstacles in doing so. The first and most frequent problem related to mobile use in school is the distraction caused by the non-educational use of devices during classes (Campbell, 2006 ). Another possible problem caused by devices is cheating during exams, (Curran et al., 2011 ; O’Bannon & Thomas, 2015 ). Cheating with mobile phones is reported to be more frequent in high schools than in elementary schools (Gao et al., 2019 ). Investigations of teachers’ perception of students’ mobile use show that teachers are mostly annoyed when students are texting, playing games or tweeting during class (O’Bannon & Thomas, 2015 ). Experiments show that using instant message services during the learning process is proved to have a negative impact on grade and information recall. However, this effect is present only if the content of the messages is unrelated to the study material (Kuznekoff et al., 2015 ).

Regarding the regulation of mobile use in school, there are several approaches to the problem. As various studies pointed out, complete ban of mobiles from schools would make it impossible to use the devices’ advantages (Gao et al., 2014 , 2019 ). Therefore, different regulations coexist regarding students’ mobile use in school. For example, high schools are more permissive regarding mobile use, while 84% of Chinese elementary schools generally ban using such devices in school (Gao et al., 2019 ). On the other hand, student experiences show that mobile-related regulations are not implemented in practice, as majority of the students feel that they are able the “get around” those rules and use their mobiles in school eventually (Selwyn & Bulfin, 2016 ). Regarding the distracting effect of device use it is important to note that due mobile-related regulations are widespread not only in the education system, but also in corporate environment. There are growing number of best practices which restrict the use of mobile phones during meeting because of the distraction created by the devices (Forbes, 2014 ).

As mobile use is more and more widespread among students (PEW Research Center, 2018 ), and device withdrawal is revealed to be associated with anxiety and craving (Billieux, 2012 ; Chen et al., 2017 ; Noë et al., 2019 ), it seems to be important to explore the psychological consequences of strict policies in schools regarding students’ mobile use.

1.3 Current Study

The main goal of the current study was to explore the effects of a trial school program called “mobile-free school day”. We examined whether attending school without their mobile devices would affect students’ state anxiety and class engagement. State anxiety and class engagement levels were assessed after a regular school day as baseline for the comparison.

Our initial hypothesis was that anxiety levels would increase compared to a regular school day if students would be separated from their devices between their first and last classes (H1), because disunion from mobiles can induce stress (Clayton et al., 2015 ; Konok et al., 2017 ). Besides, as different components of mobile attachment re described (Konok et al., 2016 ), we assumed that the anxiety levels would increase more among students who show signs of stronger attachment to their devices (H2; Konok et al., 2016 , 2017 ). Although higher levels of anxiety decrease class engagement due to former studies (González et al., 2016 ), we stipulated that the core problem with students using their mobiles off task during classes is the decreased attention level, so we assumed increased class engagement on the mobile-free day (H3; Campbell, 2006 ; Kuznekoff et al., 2015 ). Regarding the reception of the mobile-free school day, we assumed that students who have stronger attachment to mobiles (H4), and experienced higher levels of anxiety during the experiment day (H5) were more likely to reject the idea of implementing mobile-free school regulations permanently. Finally, we assumed that those students who use their devices more frequently for instant message services and for social networks (H6) would have higher anxiety scores on the mobile-free day. The reasoning behind the expected relationship here was that these services may serve as a coping mechanism for people dealing with anxiety and taking them away may result in an increase in anxiety levels (Dhir et al., 2018 ).

2.1 Participants

The sample consisted of students of a small-town secondary school in Hungary. There were 324 students participating, but due to dropout, only 179 girls and 56 boys (N = 235) were analyzed. Their ages were between 14–20 years, and their mean age was 16.57 years (SD = 1.38). There was a 27% drop-out rate between the normal and the mobile-free day, meaning that 73% of the participants of the first stage were present during the second stage of the study as well. The mean age of the drop-out participants was 17.11 years (SD = 1.49). There were 73 girls and 16 boys among them. We did not find significant difference between the drop-out participants and the represented participants in terms of mobile attachment scores ( t (322) = 1.002, p  = 0.66), state anxiety scores ( t (322) =  −1.546, p  = 0.753), class engagement scores ( t (322) =  −2.401, p  = 0.448) and use of mobile phone for making calls ( t (322) =  −0.098, p  = 0.369), text messages ( t (322) = 0.807, p  = 0.858), surfing ( t (322) = 1.787, p  = 0.421), social media ( t (322) =  −0.271, p  = 0.364), chat ( t (322) =  −0.871, p  = 0.061) and games ( t (322) =  −1.190, p  = 0.746). In case of chatting, scores of the two sample were compared because of the low significance value. Students in the drop-out group use their mobiles for chatting less frequently (M = 4.43) than participants who were present at both T 1 and T 2 (M = 4.53). Only the participants with complete data sets are represented in the current study.

2.2 Experiment Procedure

The experiment procedure consisted of two phases. At Time 1 (T 1 ) students participated in the data collection at the end of their last class on a regular school day. One week later at Time 2 (T 2 ), on the mobile-free day, the students gave their mobile phones to their form-teachers before their first class in the morning, and the devices were stored in the teachers’ room until the end of the day. The students got back their mobile phones after their last class. The idea of the mobile-free day originated from the school staff and the school principal, as the problem of students using their mobiles regularly during class had been detected previously. The procedure of the mobile-free day was executed according to the institute’s regulations. The students and their parents were informed about the upcoming mobile-free day about a month before. All parents and students agreed to participate. T 1 and T 2 did not differ in any important parameter (e.g., there were no vacations or school-breaks before and after the weeks of data collection, exams or mid-term tests were not scheduled in these weeks, etc.)

The data collection took place in the classrooms of the school on two following Fridays. This way the students met similar conditions (e. g. same teachers, same classes) during the normal and the mobile-free day. Doing so was necessary because we wanted to reduce the chance of other stimuli influencing the rate of state anxiety or class engagement. During the first day of the study, participants had to take the Mobile Usage Scale (Konok et al., 2016 ), the Mobile Attachment Questionnaire (Konok et al., 2017 ), the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S, Sipos et al., 1994 ) and a questionnaire about Class Engagement. For the second part of the study, participants had to take the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory and the questionnaire about Class Engagement again, and a questionnaire about their feedback on the mobile-free day. Participants could also express their thoughts about the mobile-free day in writing. On both days of the study participants had to write their gender, their age, their grade and the last four digits of their student card numbers so we could pair the questionnaires from the two days. In this way anonymity could be assured, as the students were unidentifiable.

Prior to data collection the school principal reviewed the aims and methods of the study, and after obtaining approval and support, the parents of the minors were sent an informed passive consent with no refusals. Then students were informed about the study, and they were asked to participate voluntarily in the data collection. They were assured about confidentiality and anonymity of data handling. The students could have decided not to participate in the study without any consequences. Data collection took place in the classes during school hours. The study procedures were carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was approved prior to data collection by the Ethical Board of the Institute of Psychology [Ethical Board of the Institute of Psychology, University of Szeged].

2.3 Materials

2.3.1 demographics.

We measured the frequency of students using mobile phones for different activities with the Mobile Usage Scale (Konok et al., 2016 ). Participants had to rate on a 5-grade scale how much they use their mobile phones for phone calls, sending text messages, surfing the internet, social media, chat and games. Besides, participants answered questions about their gender, age and grade.

2.3.2 State Anxiety

To compare the rate of anxiety on a normal day and a mobile-free day, we used the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) (Sipos et al., 1994 ). It consists of 20 statements about which participants had to decide how characteristic they were to them and they had to rate it on a 4-grade scale. The scale had excellent internal reliability both at T 1 (Cronbach α = 0.884) and T 2 (Cronbach α = 0.899).

2.3.3 Mobile Attachment Questionnaire (MAQ)

For measuring the rate of nomophobia and the attachment to mobile phone we used the Mobile Attachment Questionnaire (Konok et al., 2017 ). The questionnaire includes 14 statements about proximity seeking, separation anxiety, mobile phone as a secure base and safe haven and need for continuous contact with others through the mobile phone. Participants had to rate each statement on a 5-grade scale based on how characteristic they were to them.

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used to test the scales on the current sample. Results of EFA using maximum likelihood method with oblimin rotation revealed a four-factor structure almost identical to the original. The number of factors was determined using parallel analysis (Horn, 1965 ). One item was removed from analysis due to lower than 0.33 factor loading (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2001 ), and item was moved from Separation Insecurity scale to Safe Heaven scale. Then this modified structure was tested using CFA. Based on the modification indices correlated errors were added to the model between two item-pairs belonging to the same factors (SA2–SA3 and SI3–SI4), where high correlation between the items were justifiable based on specific item content (Brown, 2015 ). This final model proved to have good fit indices according to the cutoff criteria of Hu & Bentler ( 1999 ): χ 2 (157) = 120, p < 0.001; χ 2 /df = 2.1; RMSEA = 0.068; 0.0516 ≤ 90% CI ≤ 0.0859; SRMR = 0.047; CFI = 0.961; TLI = 0.946). The indicators of scale reliability ranged from acceptable to good (0.732 < Cronbach α < 0.827, see Table 3 ).

2.3.4 Class Engagement (CE)

To measure class engagement we created a questionnaire which consisted of 12 items about being active, being able to pay attention and the feeling of learning during the lessons. Participants had to rate the statements on a 5-point Likert-scale (1–Completely disagree, 5–Totally agree). Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) were used to test the scales on the current sample. Results of EFA using maximum likelihood method with oblimin rotation revealed a three-factor after deleting items with factor loadings lower than 0.33, or higher cross-loadings to multiple factors (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2001 ). The number of factors was determined using parallel analysis (Horn, 1965 ). First factor was Attention (3 items, e.g. “It was easy to pay attention today during classes.”), the second was Engagement (3 items, e.g. “I was active during classes today.”) and the third was Knowledge Gain (2 items, e.g. “This school day helped me learning the material”). This scale structure was tested with CFA, which results show excellent fit indices according to the cutoff criteria of Hu & Bentler ( 1999 ): χ2 (17) = 21.4, p  = 0.21; χ2/df = 1.25; RMSEA = 0.033; 0.00 ≤ 90% CI ≤ 0.0714; SRMR = 0.0278; CFI = 0.993; TLI = 0.988). The indicators of scale reliability ranged from acceptable to good (0.698 < Cronbach α < 0.773, see Table 3 ).

2.3.5 Feedback on the Mobile Free-Day

The participants experiences and thoughts about the mobile-free day were measured by a 5-item questionnaire. Participants had to rate the statements on a 5-point Likert-scale (1–Completely disagree, 5–Totally agree). Two items measured negative emotions (e.g. “I felt inconvenient because I did not have my mobile with me”), another two referred to positive emotions (e.g. “It was easier two pay attention today than on other days”) and explored the participants support for the idea of the mobile-free day for other occasions (“I would support to have mobile-free days another time”).

2.4 Statistical Analysis

SPSS for Windows 24.0. and Jamovi 0.6.9.6 (The Jamovi Project, 2019 ) software were used for statistical analysis. Data analysis consisted of four steps. First, the distribution of the data was checked using descriptive statistics. Values of skewness and kurtosis was compared to the criteria value of |2.58|, which can indicate the normal distribution of the data set in case of large sample sizes (Ghasemi & Zahediasl, 2012 ). As all measures met the criteria values, normal distribution of the dataset was assumed.

Secondly, the structure and reliability of the scales were analyzed with EFA, CFA and Cronbach α as described in the Measures section, then the mean scores of the scales were calculated. Thirdly, intercorrelations among the variables were explored using Pearson’s correlation analysis. In the final step Repeated Measures Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was applied to test hypothesizes regarding differences between T 1 and T 2 measures. When describing the results, df and p values are reported together with partial eta-squared (η 2 p ) as the measure of effect size. Beside examining the main effect of the experiment, interaction effects of gender and MAQ scores were also tested using the variables as covariates. Finally, linear regression analysis was applied to further explore the results.

3.1 Descriptive Statistics

Descriptive statistics for mobile use scores are shown in Table 1 , while data regarding feedback on mobile-free school day are available in Table 2 . Descriptive statistics for MAQ, STAI and Class Engagement are shown in Table 3 .

3.2 Intercorrelations

The intercorrelations among the variables were examined using Pearson’s correlation analysis (see Tables 1 – 3 ). Results showed the subscales of MAQ to be associated with anxiety scores positively at both T 1 and T 2 . The correlation coefficients between MAQ subscales and anxiety scores did not differ significantly at T 1 and T 2 according to Fischer transformation ( p > 0.05). This result contradicts our hypothesis (H2). Moreover, class engagement scores were linked negatively to anxiety both at T 1 and T 2. The correlation coefficients between class engagement and anxiety scores did not differ significantly at T 1 and T 2 according to Fischer transformation in case of attention and engagement ( p > 0.05), but the association was significantly stronger at T 2 in case of knowledge gain ( p  = 0.03).

Positive feedback on the mobile-free day was negatively linked to state anxiety at T 2 , but was not linked to scores on the subscales of the MAQ. On the other hand, negative emotions were positively associated with both state anxiety scores, and with all subscales of the MAQ. Support of the mobile-free school day was negatively linked to state anxiety at T 2 , but was not associated with subscales of MAQ. These results mostly supported our hypothesis (H4 and H5).

At T 1 only the frequency of using the mobiles for accessing social networks had a weak significant correlation with state anxiety scores. However, at T 2 both frequencies to use the mobile “to accessing social networks” and “instant message services” were positively linked to anxiety scores, which supported our hypothesis (H6, see Table 1 ).

3.3 Experiment Effects

The effects of the experiment were tested by repeated measures ANCOVA to compare anxiety scores at T 1 and T 2 . The results revealed significant differences between the mean scores at T 1 (M = 2.06) and T 2 (M = 2.16; F(1,217) = 7.19, p  = 0.008, η 2 p  = 0.032). These results confirmed the initial hypothesis (H1), as state anxiety scores at T 2 were significantly higher than at T 1 . Secondly, gender differences were tested by adding gender as a between-subject factor in the analysis. Results showed significant main effect (F(1,216) = 4.111, p  = 0.044, η 2 p  = 0.019). Girls scored higher than boys at both T 1 (M girls  = 2.17, M boys  = 1.96) and T 2 (M girls  = 2.27; M boys  = 2.03), but there were no significant interaction effects for gender differences (F(1,216) = 0.17, p  = 0.681, η 2 p  = 0.001). Therefore, it is assumed that gender did not affect the results of the experiment. To control the effect of mobile attachment on change in anxiety scores, hierarchical linear regression analysis was used. Model 1 contained the state anxiety score at T 1 as a dependent variable, and the four subscales of MAQ as independent variables. The analysis showed MAQ subscales predicted significant amount of variance of anxiety scores (F(4,211) = 9.06, p < 0.001, R 2 adj  = 0.13). Thus, mobile attachment scores predicted 13.0% of the variance of anxiety scores at T 1 , but the individual effect of the subscales was not significant (all p < 0.001; see Table 4 . for details). In the next step Model 2 was built with the same independent variables, but with anxiety score at T 2 as dependent variable. The subscales of MAQ predicted significant amount of variance of anxiety scores (F(4, 199) = 14.5, p < 0.001, R 2 adj  = 0.211). Thus, mobile attachment scores predicted 21.1% of the variance of anxiety scores at T 2 , 8.4% higher than at T 1 . Safe Haven subscale was positively related to anxiety score (β = 0.229; p  = 0.009). The other three subscales of MAQ were not significantly connected to anxiety scores ( p > 0.05; see Table 4 .). These results were in accordance with our hypothesis (H2). In the final step of the analysis, anxiety score at T 1 was added to the model as an independent variable. The model predicted significant amount of variance of anxiety scores (F(5, 198) = 25.8, p < 0.001, R 2 adj  = 0.38). Therefore, controlling for anxiety scores at T 1 almost doubled the explained variance in anxiety scores at T 2 , as it was positively related to the dependent variable (β = 0.442, p < 0.001). Safe Haven subscale was also positively related to anxiety scores (β = 0.177; p  = 0.023), while the three other subscales of MAQ were not significantly connected to the dependent variable ( p > 0.05, see Table 4 .).

The effects of the experiment on class engagement were also tested by repeated measures ANOVA, but neither of its scales showed significant differences between scores at T 1 and T 2 ( p > 0.05). These results did not support our initial hypothesis (H3), as we assumed increased class engagement on the mobile-free day.

4 Discussion

The main goal of the current study was to explore the effects of an experimental mobile-free school day on the anxiety level and the class engagement of secondary school students. Our research was built on previous findings that people tend to form attachment to their mobile phone (Konok et al., 2016 ), therefore separation from the devices can provoke stress (Clayton et al., 2015 ; Konok et al., 2017 ). The results showed that anxiety scores indeed increased on the mobile-free school day compared to the scores measured one week before on a regular school day. This supported the hypothesis that separation from the devices could lead to experiencing stress, which is in accordance with previous findings (Clayton et al., 2015 ; Konok et al., 2017 ). On the other hand, class engagement scores did not increase on the mobile free day. These findings are considered important because similar experimental studies are rarely conducted in schools, and similar research are especially lacking in the context of Hungarian education system.

The increase in anxiety scores was not mediated by gender, and we found that only one subscale of the MAQ, Safe Haven was a significant predictor of anxiety scores on the mobile-free day. The results partly supported our hypothesis that higher mobile attachment will result in higher increase in state anxiety, because anxiety scores on the mobile-free day were more strongly predicted by previous anxiety score than the components of mobile attachment. Although it seems that anxiety on the mobile-free day was not explained generally by mobile attachment, but mainly by specific aspect of attachment, Safe Haven.

Moreover, correlation analysis showed that mobile attachment scores were positively associated with anxiety scores at both T 1 and T 2 . As students are not allowed to use their mobile during classes on regular school days either, feeling separated from their devices can induce anxiety among students who form strong attachment to their mobiles. Therefore, the consequences of a regulation which promotes mobile-free school can contribute to higher anxiety levels on regular days as well.

The results regarding mobile attachment, especially Safe Haven subscale of MAQ are in line with previous studies (Konok et al., 2016 , 2017 ) which claim that students tend to use their mobile as a stress-reducing strategy in inconvenient situations, therefore not accessing to them contributes to elated anxiety. These findings are also in concordance with other results suggesting that people tend to use mobile phones to regulate negative emotions (Hoffner & Lee, 2015 ). Moreover, results revealed that anxiety levels on the mobile-free school day was linked to specific uses of the devices. Anxiety levels on the mobile-free day were higher among those students who more frequently use their mobile to access to social networks, while other aspects of mobile use were not associated with the anxiety scores. This result is in accordance with the phenomenon of FoMO (Przybylski et al., 2013 ; Wolniewicz et al., 2018 ), because those students who are used to being connected to others continuously via social media and instant message functions of their mobile phone may experience negative feelings in case of being separated from the online world, and therefore from their peers. This corresponds with other studies that found a significant mediating effect of nomophobia with separation anxiety. The participants feared of being out of touch with the events or conversations happening in their social circles (Mir & Akhtar, 2020 ). Although FoMO can result in negative outcomes because frequent checking of notifications can disrupt study activities (Rozgonjuk et al., 2019 ), based on the results of our study it seems that separating students from their devices through more strict school regulations could generate other problems instead of higher engagement, such as elevated anxiety levels.

Our findings should be interpreted considering some other aspects. As students were not used to being separated from their devices, the experience of the mobile-free day was completely unfamiliar to them. It also means that however there was a significant increase in the anxiety scores, supposedly the newness of the situation could have contributed to these results. Therefore, further research would be necessary to explore whether mobile-free school regulations increase anxiety in the long run. It can be supposed that students would accommodate to the situation in which they are separated from their devices, which could reduce anxiety levels in case of withdrawal.

In contrary to our hypothesis, results showed class engagement was unaffected by the experiment, presumably because the stress-evoking effect of the separation and the engagement-improving impact of less classroom distraction was taking opposite effects. As mobile use related to the learning process is associated to increased engagement and increased academic performance (Gómez-García et al., 2020 ; Kuznekoff et al., 2015 ), this result could implicate that best practices for utilizing the devices for the favor of studying could be more efficient than the complete ban of mobile use in schools. Such school programs are available, such as the Good Behavior Game, which is a classwide behavioral intervention method which helps students reducing the disruptive mobile use (Hernan et al., 2018 ). Moreover, there is growing support for the integration of mobiles in schoolwork as augmented reality games for primary school students are available (López-Faican & Jaen, 2020 ). Although, teachers seem to need help in form of training programs to apply these best practices (Liu et al., 2018 ; Spiteri & Chang, 2020 ). Due to the Corona virus pandemic teachers were required to be very flexible and ready to learn new technologies to be able to teach online. This might have induced a change in the attitude towards using mobile devices in school as they seemingly enhance learning (Ali, 2020 ).

These results suggest that banning mobiles from schools can increase anxiety and discourage the educational use of modern technology. On the other hand, there is a growing support among teachers and parents for such strict school policies (Selwyn & Aagaard, 2021 ). While such action may target tangible problems such as distraction, cyberbullying or addiction (Selwyn & Aagaard, 2021 ), the results of this study show the possible drawbacks of complete ban of mobiles. Therefore, integration of mobiles instead of enforced absence of the devices may imply the golden mean for the problem.

Besides, stricter school regulations lack student support. Student opinions showed the participants had more negative feelings regarding the mobile-free school day, and generally they did not support the idea of the stricter school regulations on mobile phones. The negative emotions were positively linked to all subscales of MAQ, which confirmed the hypothesis regarding the positive link between nomophobia and separation anxiety (Konok et al., 2016 , 2017 ). In future experiments it would be interesting to examine how teachers perceive mobile-free school days, as they experience the majority of the problematic behaviors related to using mobiles in the classroom. It is possible that even if the students have not reported increase in class engagement, teachers would have experienced advanced student activity and attention during the mobile-free day.

Beside the questionnaires, the participants of the study were able to express their thoughts and feelings about the mobile-free day in free writing. Although we did not conduct a qualitative analysis of these writings, we find them important for the deeper understanding of our results. Part of the students found the mobile-free school day worthless and boring. In our opinion, this may mean that these students could not really spend their free-time valuably without their mobile phones, that is why they only saw the negative side of the program. Others expressed that they did not want to repeat the mobile-free day because being separated from their phones made them anxious. Some students reported more positive emotions related to the mobile-free day as they said that they could speak to their classmates more easily, they played board games in the breaks between classes, they studied together, and this way it was not so difficult without their mobiles. Other students had quite a neutral opinion about the mobile-free day. Their only problem was that the classrooms in the school had analogical clocks, and they did not know what time it was, because they can only tell the time from digital clocks. These additional thoughts are in correspondence with the results of the statistical analysis, revealing that students reacted differently to the mobile-free school day program, but the main emotions expressed were boredom and anxiety.

5 Limitations

The current study accepts several strong limitations. To begin with, the sample size was below optimal, as a significant proportion of the students dropped out between the two measurements. Primarily the cause of the dropout was that the students were absent in either cases. Therefore, repetition of the experiment is strongly considered, preferably with more participating schools, which could enable using a control group. Another delimitation of the research design is the lack of re-test after the experiment phase (T 2 ). A third data collection a week later would have verified the differences found between T 1 and T 2 . Moreover, the statistical analysis showed low effect sizes. School tasks or interpersonal conflicts are non-controllable aspects of school life which can affect anxiety level of the students. The effects of these non-controllable factors could be decreased with repeated experiments and larger sample sizes.

6 Conclusion

The idea of having mobile-free schools emerge periodically because of problematic mobile usage during classes, which caused distraction and makes class management more difficult for teachers. Although our results indicate that separating students from their mobiles could increase their anxiety level, especially in case of those who are more attached to their devices. On the other hand, class engagement has not increased on the mobile-free day. Therefore, strict regulations for device use should be thoroughly reconsidered. Hereby mobile phones and similar devices could be integrated in the learning process, which would make the exploitation of their advantages possible.

Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Gajdics, J., Jagodics, B. Mobile Phones in Schools: With or Without you? Comparison of Students’ Anxiety Level and Class Engagement After Regular and Mobile-Free School Days. Tech Know Learn 27 , 1095–1113 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-021-09539-w

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Cell Phones in Schools Are a Complicated Issue, New Poll Finds

Published Aug 8, 2024

In July, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order to put boundaries on cell phone use in public schools. Youngkin cited research connecting high cell phone use among adolescents to poor mental health and negative academic outcomes. Whether cell phones belong in schools is a question that has been hotly debated for some time now. Virginia has made their stance clear, joining a growing list of states, including Florida and Indiana, that have established restrictions on cell phone use in schools.

The distinction between allowing cell phones in school versus the classroom might be the biggest challenge for states and school districts to tackle. Safety issues within schools have made it nonnegotiable that parents must be able to reach their children while at school. At the same time, cell phones inside the classroom are assuredly not going to aid in the ongoing effort to help students rebound from learning loss suffered during the pandemic. This complex issue will likely require a complex solution.

In this month’s poll, we re-introduced several previously asked questions about cell phones and social media. Time will tell whether more states will take action to restrict cell phone use in schools. In the meantime, getting a better understanding of how parents feel about the issue is critical. To paint a more complete picture, we’ve also posed these types of questions to teachers and teenagers earlier in the year. You can find both surveys, along with the rest of the surveys we’ve released in the last 12 months, here .

In partnership with Morning Consult, EdChoice surveyed a nationally representative sample of American adults 18 and older (N=2,258) from July 9–12, 2024. With additional sampling, we obtained responses from 1,311 parents of children currently in K–12 education. Check out the full report to read more about how parents are feeling heading into the 2024–25 school year.

While 66% of parents feel that students should be allowed to have cell phones in school, only 30% of parents say cell phones should be allowed in the classroom. This large gap in support for the use of cell phones in school versus the classroom has existed since we began asking this question in the fall of 2023.

Certain groups of parents are more supportive of cell phones being allowed in school than others, however. Nearly three in four Black parents (73%) support their children accessing their cell phones in school, seven points higher than parents on average. Furthermore, Hispanic parents are 11 points more likely than the average parent to support their child accessing their cell phone in the classroom. Perhaps less surprising, older respondents (55+) were far less supportive (-13 points) of cell phones in school than age 18–34 respondents.

When asked about how often their children use cell phones, 49% of parents said their child uses their cell phone “extremely” or “very” often. For parents of children in high school, that number increases to 65%.

Parents have mixed opinions on the effect of cell phone use on their children. Interestingly, the majority of parents feel cell phones have a positive impact on their child’s relationships with classmates (64%), relationships with family (59%), as well as their self-confidence (51%). On the other hand, parents are less likely to feel cell phones are positively impacting their child’s physical health, mental health, and academic performance.

We also asked parents questions about their feelings on a closely related topic, social media. More than one-third (37%) of parents say their child uses social media “extremely” or “very” often. For parents of children in high school, that figure jumps 15 points to 52%. Examining how social media impacts their child’s life, only 43% say it has a positive impact on their child’s self-confidence. Parents are even less likely to say social media use is positively affecting their child’s academic performance (39%), mental health (37%), and physical health (34%).

Lastly, we asked parents if they are concerned about social media’s effects on their child’s mental health. Interestingly, only 39% of parents of high school students said they are “extremely” or “very” worried about the effect of social media use on their child’s mental health. This is especially noteworthy because parents of high schoolers were disproportionately more likely (+15) than school parents on average to say their children use social media at least very often. Concern is highest amongst parents of children in grades K–4 (53%) and parents of children in grades 5–8 (51%).

Visit the EdChoice Public Opinion Tracker site to access past reports, crosstabs, questionnaires , and our national and state dashboards. All are updated monthly. We also provide a more in-depth description of our research and survey methods .

Our K–12 education polls archive is updated on a rolling basis, roughly a few times each month. Please don’t hesitate to let us know if we are missing any surveys, or if there are accidental errors.

Colyn Ritter

Research associate.

Colyn G. Ritter is a Research Associate at EdChoice, where he studies school choice, polling data, public opinion in polling data, and other education related topics. As part of the Research team, he collects data on school choice programs, analyzes polling data through our monthly public opinion tracker, and assists with statewide surveys of K-12 parents and school leaders. Colyn is most curious about the future of the K-12 education landscape with regards to Gen Z, learning pods, and microschools. His work can be found on the EdChoice blog, EdChoice podcasts, as well as other education or opinion outlets. Previously, Colyn worked with youth in the St. Louis area teaching an ACT crash course, as well as with the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University. He received a bachelor's degree from Saint Louis University in Accounting and Sports Business.

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How smart is it to allow students to use mobile phones at school?

Assistant Professor of Economics, The University of Texas at Austin

Assistant Professor of Economics, Louisiana State University

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How does the presence of mobile phones in schools impact student achievement?

This is an ongoing debate in many countries today. Some advocate for a complete ban, while others promote the use of mobile phones as a teaching tool in classrooms.

So, the question is: Should schools allow the use of mobile phones?

While views remain divided, some schools are starting to allow a restricted use of mobile phones. Most recently, New York Mayor de Blasio lifted a ten-year-ban on phones on school premises, with the chancellor of schools stating that it would reduce inequality.

As researchers studying the economics of education, we conducted a study to find out what impact banning mobile phones has had on student test scores in subsequent years.

We found that not only did student achievement improve, but also that low-achieving and at-risk students gained the most. We found the impact of banning phones for these students equivalent to an additional hour a week in school, or to increasing the school year by five days .

Increased student performance

We studied mobile phone bans in England, as mobile phones are very popular there amongst teenagers. The research involved surveying schools in four cities in England (Birmingham, London, Leicester and Manchester) about their mobile phone policies since 2001 and combining it with student achievement data from externally marked national exams.

After schools banned mobile phones, test scores of students aged 16 increased by 6.4% of a standard deviation, which means that it added the equivalent of five days to the school year.

While our study was based in the UK, where, by 2012, 90.3% of teenagers owned a mobile phone, these results are likely to be significant even here in the US, where 73% of teenagers own a mobile phone.

It is important to note that these gains are prominent amongst the lowest achievers, and changing policy to allow phones in schools has the potential to exacerbate learning inequalities.

The gains observed amongst students with lowest achievement when phones were banned were double those recorded among average students. Our results also indicate the ban having a greater impact on special education needs students and those eligible for free school meals.

However, banning mobile phones had no discernible effect on high achievers. Also, interestingly, 14-year-olds were not significantly affected in either direction. This could be due to low phone use amongst this age group.

Impact on student performance

Schools in England have complete autonomy regarding their mobile phone policy. This has resulted in large differences in the timing of the introduction of mobile phone bans. This variation facilitated our study.

Our research used the differences in implementation dates across schools and noted subsequent changes in student test scores.

In 2001, none of the surveyed schools had a ban in place; by 2007 this had increased to 50%; and by 2012, 98% of schools did not allow phones on school premises (or required them to be handed in at the beginning of the day).

We compared the gains in student test scores within and across schools before and after a ban.

In addition, the administrative data gave us information on student characteristics such as gender, eligibility for free school meals, special education needs status and prior educational attainment. This allowed us to calculate the impact on students from each of these groups.

School policy on phones

Technological advancements are commonly viewed as increasing productivity. Modern technology is used in the classroom to engage students and improve performance. There are, however, potential drawbacks as well, as they could lead to distractions.

Mobile phones are a prime example of this, as they provide students with access to texting, games, social media and the internet. A review of literature in our study suggests ambiguous impact of use of technology in the classroom on student achievement.

We add to this by demonstrating that mobile phones could have a negative impact on students’ learning outcomes. The financial resources that schools would require for a similar gain in instruction time (the equivalent of restricting mobile phone use) would be quite substantial.

These findings do not discount the possibility that mobile phones and other forms of technology could be useful in schools if their use is properly structured.

However, our findings do suggest that the presence of mobile phones in schools should not be ignored.

The mayor of New York got rid of the ban on mobile phones with an argument that this would reduce inequalities. However, as our research shows, the exact opposite result is likely. Worse, allowing phones into schools would harm the lowest achieving and low income students the most.

• Mobile phones
• Free school meals
• Public schools
• New York Mayor de Blasio
• Cellphone ban
• High achievers
• Modern technology
• Learning Inequality
• Special education

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Why Schools Are Racing to Ban Student Phones

As the new school year starts, a wave of new laws that aim to curb distracted learning is taking effect in Indiana, Louisiana and other states.

By Natasha Singer

Natasha Singer covers technology in schools. She welcomes reader tips at nytimes.com/tips

Cellphones have become a school scourge. More than 70 percent of high school teachers say student phone distraction is a “major problem,” according to a survey this year by Pew Research .

That’s why states are mounting a bipartisan effort to crack down on rampant student cellphone use. So far this year, at least eight states have passed laws, issued orders or adopted rules to curb phone use among students during school hours.

The issue isn’t simply that some children and teenagers compulsively use apps like Snap, TikTok and Instagram during lessons, distracting themselves and their classmates. In many schools, students have also used their phones to bully, sexually exploit and share videos of physical attacks on their peers.

But cellphone restrictions can be difficult for teachers to enforce without schoolwide rules requiring students to place their phones in lockers or other locations.

Now state lawmakers, along with some prominent governors , are pushing for more uniform restrictions in public schools.

How Has Tech Changed Your School Experience?

Teachers, students, parents and school administrators, tell us in the form below about the technology benefits or tech-related school problems that you have observed. We’re interested in beneficial uses of school tech as well as classroom drawbacks like online learning distractions and cyberbullying.

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Essay on Mobile Phone: 100 Words, 300 Words, 500 Words

• Updated on  
• Feb 21, 2024

Mobile Phones are portable electronic devices used to make calls, browse the internet, click pictures, and do several other tasks. However, the mobile phones discovered in the early 1970s were quite different from the compact and slim devices we use today. Cell phones were invented by John F. Mitchell and Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973.

As modern humans, we all use mobile phones for our day-to-day functioning. At academic and higher education levels, students are given the task of writing an essay on mobile phones. An essay on mobile phones requires a comprehensive and detailed study of their history, major developments and the purposes it serve. In this article, we have provided essays on mobile phones for class 6,7,8.9, 10, and 12th standard students. Students can refer to these sample essays on mobile phones to write their own. Keep reading to find out essays on mobile phones and some fun facts about the device.

Table of Contents

• 1 Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (100 Words)
• 2 Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (300 words)
• 3 Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (500 words)
• 4 Essay on Mobile Phone: 5+ Facts About Smartphones

Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (100 Words)

Also Read: The Beginner’s Guide to Writing an Essay

Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (300 words)

Also Read: Essay on Importance of the Internet

Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (500 words)

Essay on Mobile Phone: 5+ Facts About Smartphones

Here we have listed some of the interesting facts about smartphones. These facts can be added to the ‘essay on mobile phones’ to make it more interesting. Below are the 5 interesting facts about smartphones:

• The most expensive smartphone in the world is the Falcon Supernova iPhone 6 Pink Diamond. It is worth  $48.5 million.
• The cheapest mobile phone in the world is the Freedom 251. It just cost INR 251.
• Apple is the world’s most popular smartphone
• The first phone greeting was “Ahoy-hoy, who’s calling please?” 
• The first smartphone was invented by IBM. It was released by IBM in 1994. The original screen name of the 1st smartphone was “Simon.” 
• The first text message in the world was ‘Merry Christmas’

Also Read: Holi Essay: Free Sample Essays 100 To 500 Words In English

A mobile phone system gets its name from diving the service into small cells. Each of these cells has a base station with a useful range in the order of a kilometre/mile.

Mobile phones have become extremely important due to the ease of communication it has brought about. Moreover, it can perform several major tasks easily and effectively. For example, a calculator. Aside from this mobile phones can help a user connect to the internet, and use social media applications, and other applications. Mobile phones can even assist in online payment. 

The full form or the meaning of a Moble is Modified, Operation, Byte, Integration, Limited, Energy”. John F. Mitchell and Martin Cooper of Motorola discovered the device in 1973. An essay on mobile phones can include the mobile phone full form.

Related Articles

Mobile phones have become an indispensable part of our lifestyle. There are several advantages and disadvantages of having a smartphone. However, the pros outweigh the cons. A mobile phone essay can be written by including both the advantages and disadvantages. To discover more articles like this one, consult the study abroad expert at Leverage Edu.

Blessy George

Blessy George is a Content Marketing Associate at Leverage Edu, boasting over a year of experience in the industry. Her expertise lies in crafting compelling content tailored to online courses, making her a go-to source for those navigating the vast landscape of digital learning. In addition to online classes, she writes content related to study abroad, English test preparation and visas. She has completed her MA degree in Political Science and has gained valuable experience as an intern.She is known for her extensive writing on various aspects of international education, garnering recognition for her insights and contributions. Apart from her professional pursuits, Blessy is passionate about creative writing, particularly poetry and songwriting.

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Home — Essay Samples — Information Science and Technology — Cell Phones — Argumentative Essay On Cell Phones In School

Argumentative Essay on Cell Phones in School

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Argumentative Essay on the Use of Mobile Phones in Schools

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Maryam Ghalib

Αργύρης Κυρίδης

The continuing and rapid evolution of mobile telephony seems to effect contemporary life and especially students life. In our research we investigate Greek high school students' beliefs and attitudes about mobile telephony and their stance on mobile phone usage. A total of 194 students of high school, participated in the study (99 boys and 95 girls). A closed form questionnaire with 16 sentences has been given. The data that has been collected analyzed using Factor Analysis method. In this way the data grouped according to their interrelation, in order to project special categories and fully describe students' attitudes. Based on the Factor Analysis five independent axes arise, which interpret the 69% of the total sample. The results show that although students consider mobile phone as a necessity, they treat it as a life style gadget. (Mobile telephony, high school, greek students) I.

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Now a day’s mobile phone usability increased in students and society. There are many benefits of using mobile phone along with excessive use of mobile phone become stress in our life. Currently use of mobile phone more concern in students and society. Various efforts have been made through research to identify increased use of mobile phone. At present, mobile phones are being used everywhere. The mobile radiations may give harmful effects, will give major problems also in males’ infertility, Ear problems, Immunity system, Eye vision problems, high blood pressure, tiredness, stress, sleep distribution, impaired concentration, memory and finally gets DNA problems.1 Key words: Impact, mobile phone, student and society.

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In 21 st century the revolution of using mobile phone is the most significant issue in the information technology of the modern world. Bangladesh is not beyond the atmospheric. Most of the people either poor or rich use this device widely. Specially the teenagers who are the learners of secondary level are addicted to this technological device. For this reason, they are becoming lag behind from academic study/performance. The research work aims at finding out the above problems and its solutions with keen observations. It also expects to make the learners of secondary level involve in classroom study. The Research work has been done according to the quantitative or some somehow mixed method. To make this research authentic, all the information has been collected from various primary and secondary sources, such as research works, journal articles, newspaper articles etc. Questionnaire with survey method has directly been followed among the learners, teachers, guardians and concerned elites. Here in the manuscript the author has desired to make a result that learners, teachers, guardians, concerned elites, the authority of educational institutions and even the government will realize the harmful effect of excessive use of mobile phone among the learners of secondary level and try to solve this problem collectively. Finally, this study established that excessive use of mobile phone among the learners of secondary level made the quality of education very less than before in Bangladesh especially in Sirajganj district of Bangladesh.

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Mobile phones are widely used by university students and there is a controversial topic whether students should be able to use them freely during lectures. A survey was distributed seeking student opinions on using mobile phones in classroom. We used two-phase sampling method to reduce the nonresponse bias. There were 392 valid responses. To test the effect of different factors on students’ opinions a number of statistical techniques were utilized. The results showed Qatar University students marginally favored using mobile in classroom but using mobile phone distracted some students who are less in favor of using phone during lectures. The proportion of students who believe that student should decide to use or not use mobile in the classes is 0.635. Apparently, students expected implementation of a policy that controls the use of mobile phones in class. Recommendations include a blanket policy for the University on the use of mobile phones during class, mobile phone breaks given by...

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The study investigated the uses of a cell phone in educational activities of students at a higher level. The recommendation of National Professional Standards on the use of ICT in education provides a strong theoretical background for the study. The objectives of the study focused on the investigation of the perception of teachers and students regarding the uses of the cell phone in educational activities and effective communication between students and teachers for educational progress. Adopting a descriptive research design, a survey was carried out to investigate one hundred respondents by using a self-developed questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed through percentage and findings were tabulated consequently which show that majority of respondent uses a cell phone for instructive activities and having positive effects on students’ educational performances. Furthermore, the uses of a cell phone in educational activities facilitate teachers and students at the same level i...

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This study is an effort to investigate the “Impacts of Cell Phone Using Habits on the Studies of Students of University of Sargodha and Punjab University Lahore. The study used the survey method for data collection. A sample of 100 respondents consisting of 50 Teachers and 50 Parents was selected by using purposive and convenience sampling technique. The findings show that respondents frequently use cell phone and overwhelming majority spent lots of money in their daily lives. Respondents frequently use cell phone to contact with parents followed by friends, close friends whereas somewhat with classmates and rarely with teachers. But according to teachers and parents students mostly use cell phone to contact with parents; classmates, friends, and close friends with little difference. Students frequently use cell phone in class room not for lecture recording but for the purpose of SMS texting etc. It is also observed that students mostly use cell phone for un-educational activities and according to teachers and parents due the use of cell phone respondents are losing focus on their studies and parents are decreasing their parental control on their children due to the use of cell phone.

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Essay on Use of Mobile Phones in Education

Students are often asked to write an essay on Use of Mobile Phones in Education in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Use of Mobile Phones in Education

Introduction.

Mobile phones, once considered a distraction, are now a valuable tool in education. They provide a wealth of resources and opportunities for learning.

Learning Tools

Mobile phones offer various educational apps, like dictionaries, encyclopedias, and learning games, which aid in understanding complex topics.

Easy Access to Information

With internet connectivity, mobile phones provide instant access to vast amounts of information, making learning more dynamic and interactive.

Communication and Collaboration

Mobile phones facilitate communication between students and teachers, promoting collaboration and the sharing of ideas.

250 Words Essay on Use of Mobile Phones in Education

Mobile phones, once viewed as distractions, are now recognized as powerful tools in the realm of education. Their role in enhancing learning experiences and outcomes cannot be understated.

Transforming Learning Experiences

The ubiquity of mobile phones has revolutionized the learning landscape. They serve as portable knowledge hubs, bringing a wealth of information to students’ fingertips. With educational apps, e-books, and online courses, mobiles facilitate self-paced learning, allowing students to explore topics beyond the classroom curriculum.

Collaborative Learning

Mobile phones foster a collaborative learning environment. They enable students to engage in group discussions, share resources, and work on projects remotely, thereby promoting teamwork and enhancing communication skills.

Real-time Feedback

Mobile phones also provide platforms for real-time feedback. Teachers can monitor students’ progress, address doubts, and provide personalized guidance. This immediate feedback mechanism helps in identifying and rectifying learning gaps promptly.

Challenges and Conclusion

Despite the advantages, the use of mobile phones in education is not without challenges. Issues like digital distraction, cyberbullying, and data privacy require careful management. Moreover, the digital divide can exacerbate educational inequalities. Therefore, while leveraging mobile phones for education, it is crucial to establish a balanced and responsible approach to their use. In conclusion, when used effectively, mobile phones can significantly enrich the educational journey, transforming it into an engaging, collaborative, and personalized experience.

500 Words Essay on Use of Mobile Phones in Education

The role of mobile phones in education.

Mobile phones, with their ubiquitous presence, have become a gateway to a wealth of knowledge. The internet connectivity they provide allows students to access a plethora of educational resources and platforms. From e-books to educational apps, online courses, and interactive learning tools, mobile phones have made it possible for students to learn anytime, anywhere.

Enhancing Learning Experience

Mobile phones also enhance the learning experience by making it interactive and engaging. They support multimedia learning, enabling students to learn through videos, animations, and interactive quizzes. This multimedia approach caters to different learning styles, making education more inclusive. Mobile phones also facilitate collaborative learning. Through various apps, students can work on projects together, share notes, and engage in peer-to-peer learning.

Personalized Learning

Challenges and solutions.

Despite the benefits, the use of mobile phones in education also presents challenges. The most significant one is the digital divide. Not all students have access to smartphones or a stable internet connection, which can lead to inequalities in educational opportunities. It is crucial for educational institutions and policymakers to work towards bridging this digital divide.

Another challenge is the potential for distraction. However, with proper guidelines and digital literacy education, students can be taught to use mobile phones responsibly for educational purposes.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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Sask. moves to restrict cellphone use in all K-12 schools

Cellphones will no longer be permitted during class time, according to the ministry of education.

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Saskatchewan will introduce new rules restricting the use of cellphones in the province's schools for the upcoming 2024-25 school year. 

The new policy means cellphones will not be permitted during class time and it will apply to all schools in the province from kindergarten to Grade 12. 

"There's classrooms that I've been in in over the last year where this is already in place — cellphones are not allowed — and what this is doing is providing a consistent approach across the province,"  said Education Minister Jeremy Cockrill on Tuesday. 

He said the change puts Saskatchewan in line with other provinces. Ontario and Alberta have recently announced their own cellphone restrictions for schools, to come into effect at the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year.

• Going old school: Ottawa teen flips the script on smartphones
• Alberta government pondering whether schools need rules about smartphones, other devices

Sask. education minister speaks about province restricting cellphone use in all K-12 schools

Cockrill said the new policy will allow students to be more engaged with their teachers and be more focused on learning. 

Not everyone is welcoming the new policy.

Samantha Becotte, president of the Saskatchewan Teachers Federation, said the announcement isn't a surprise, but it's not going to solve the larger problems in the province's schools, such as classroom complexity and underfunding.

"Unfortunately, in our schools we don't have nearly enough technology to support students in some of their learning activities, and so cellphones and personal devices are often used to fill the gaps," Becotte said. 

Becotte said the STF was not consulted on the change before Tuesday's announcement. 

Exemptions possible

For grades 9 to 12, teachers will be able to seek an exemption from school administrators, according to the province. That will allow cellphone use during class when needed for a specific instructional purpose. 

If there is an ongoing requirement for mobile device as a result of medical or learning needs, school divisions will provide exemptions.

"Obviously there's going to be exemptions, certainly for medical situations as one example, but at the end of the day, when our kids are in the classroom in Saskatchewan, we want as much of their time and energy and focus [as possible] to be on their teachers and to be on learning," Cockrill said.

The Ministry of Education says each school division has procedures and the responsibility to communicate with students and parents in any case of emergency.

Breadth of consultation unclear

"This is really about the feedback that we've received from parents and teachers that cellphones do cause distractions in the classroom," said Cockrill.

Cockrill declined to specify how many people and organizations had been consulted about the ban, but confirmed there were discussions with the Saskatchewan School Board Association.

• Cellphones must be turned off in N.S. classrooms starting this fall
• One year after a cellphone ban, an N.B. high school principal is seeing results

Sarah Cummings Truskowski, board chair of Regina Public Schools, and Shauna Weninger​, board chair of Regina Catholic Schools, were at the same event as Cockrill on Tuesday.

They both confirmed that the Ministry of Education had asked for their organizations' input about a potential ban earlier in the year.

However, they declined to comment further, as they both found out about the policy when it was announced Tuesday morning.

"We have not had time to consult with our boards and we have no official position right now," Truskowski said.

Cockrill said it will be up to each school board to decide how to enforce the cellphone ban.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alexander Quon has been a reporter with CBC Saskatchewan since 2021 and is happy to be back working in his hometown of Regina after half a decade in Atlantic Canada. He has previously worked with the CBC News investigative unit in Nova Scotia and Global News in Halifax. Alexander specializes in municipal political coverage and data-reporting. He can be reached at: [email protected].

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What you should know about school cellphone bans in Michigan before school starts

While more technology is making its way into the classroom every year, school districts are increasingly asking students to leave one gadget in their lockers: their cellphones.

Numerous Michigan school districts from Flint to East Lansing have adopted policies limiting mobile phone use in the classroom and even school hallways in recent years. School administrators say devices are ultimately distracting and can even pose safety risks, with some students eager to record fights and other calamities.

"There really is no need for phones or other electronic devices like AirPods and things like that during instructional time," said Ashley Schwarzbek, principal at East Lansing High School, which adopted stricter limits to cellphone use in the 2022-23 school year after concerns about school violence and student behavior.

While smartphones have been around for decades now, the recent proliferation of sending students to school with devices has led to reckonings from districts to district in Michigan over what an appropriate policy should look like. In other states such as Florida, lawmakers have even waded into the debate, instituting statewide phone bans in public schools.

The arguments for and against devices are complicated and nuanced: Students with cellphones have been able to reach their parents in dire emergencies, such as the Oxford High School shooting. And cellphones can help document when something goes wrong. However, with the entire internet at a teen's fingertips, the devices are massively distracting.

Ananya Bhumireddy, 17, an incoming freshman at Purdue University who just graduated from Novi High School, said she understands why school leaders want phones out of students' hands: ecause some kids do misuse them. But in other instances, the devices can be crucial for emergencies, she said.

"Kids should use their phones the right way," she said.

More: Federal report urges formal apology for Native American boarding schools where 900+ died

What does a phone ban entail?

How much cellphone use is banned during school time depends on the district.

Schwarzbek said East Lansing's policy forbids phones from classrooms or campus common spaces during instructional time — students can have their phones out during lunch, she said. An increase in violence and behavioral issues at the school prompted community members to pack school board meetings and share concerns over safety measures, including cellphone use, in school.

Since banning phones and taking other measures, the principal said the climate at schools has improved.

"We saw a really positive change in our overall school culture last year, and it's hard to tell, because we implemented several other initiatives last year around positive behavior support and other interventions," Shwarzbek said. "But teachers certainly commented on the increase that they felt in instructional time by not having to constantly redirect students on phones."

Liz Kolb, a professor at University of Michigan's Marsal Family School of Education, said before the pandemic, cellphones in some settings were thought to help bridge the gap between students who could afford access to technology and students who couldn't. But with federal pandemic aid, more schools began to adopt personal device policies, because by then, most schools could afford to supply each student with their own laptop or Chromebook.

More: Report: How kids are taught to read in Michigan varies widely

"Federal funding allowed almost every school to be able to afford a laptop per child or Chromebook per child," she said. "This idea of cellphones being a way to mitigate the gap wasn't as needed or important anymore, and bring your own device policies weren't as needed anymore. And so that's where we're starting to see schools now really push back against the student's cellphone."

Here are the policies for some of the biggest districts in the state:

• Detroit Public Schools Community District : Detroit's official adopted policy requires students to keep smartphones and other personal devices out of reach during instructional time.
• Utica Community Schools : Students can carry phones and other personal devices during the school day, but they can only take them out in the classroom if a teacher gives them permission to use for educational purposes.
• Dearborn City School District : Dearborn's policy depends on the school level . Elementary students can have phones with parent permission, while middle and high school students can have phones, but they should remain off during school hours. However, individual high schools are permitted to institute their own policies allowing phones during lunch or other times.
• Plymouth-Canton Community Schools : Elementary and middle school students can have a device at school if it "remains off and concealed" throughout the school day. High school students can have a device, but they can only use it before and after school, as well as during lunch periods.

Statewide policies adopted in other parts of U.S.

Florida and Ohio have adopted limits to cellphone use by students in schools, while a handful of lawmakers in other states have introduced bans.

Florida's law, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in May 2023, prohibits students from using wireless communication devices during class time, though students can still bring devices to school.

Such a proposal hasn't been introduced this year in Michigan. However, in 2022, a Michigan lawmaker proposed a law that would similarly ban devices during school hours, according to Chalkbeat Detroit . The bill wasn't considered in a committee and died.

It's unclear whether a similar proposal would make it in Michigan, where many schools and families prize local control of districts, which means it's up to individual public school districts to set many important policies and choose curricula. Kolb said because school communities are vastly different, she believes it's better that the state stays away from adopting a one-size-fits-all policy.

"If there's one thing I know about students and learning in schools is that each school is different, and the demographics, the culture, the community, all play a role in how important or less Important cellphones might be for learning, for safety," she said. "I think instead of the government making a decision about cellphones, it should be each school district ... to make a decision that makes sense for their community and their teachers and their students."

Contact Lily Altavena: [email protected].

Uses of Mobile Phones Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on uses of mobile phones.

Mobile phones are one of the most commonly used gadgets in today’s world. Everyone from a child to an adult uses mobile phones these days. They are indeed very useful and help us in so many ways.

Mobile phones indeed make our lives easy and convenient but at what cost? They are a blessing only till we use it correctly. As when we use them for more than a fixed time, they become harmful for us.

Uses of Mobile Phone

We use mobile phones for almost everything now. Gone are the days when we used them for only calling. Now, our lives revolve around it. They come in use for communicating through voice, messages, and mails. We can also surf the internet using a phone. Most importantly, we also click photos and record videos through our mobile’s camera.

The phones of this age are known as smartphones . They are no less than a computer and sometimes even more. You can video call people using this phone, and also manage your official documents. You get the chance to use social media and play music through it.

Moreover, we see how mobile phones have replaced computers and laptops . We carry out all the tasks through mobile phones which we initially did use our computers. We can even make powerpoint presentations on our phones and use it as a calculator to ease our work.

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Disadvantages of Mobile Phones

While mobile phones are very beneficial, they also come to a lot of disadvantages. Firstly, they create a distance between people. As people spend time on their phones, they don’t talk to each other much. People will sit in the same room and be busy on their phones instead of talking to each other.

Subsequently, phones waste a lot of time. People get distracted by them easily and spend hours on their phones. They are becoming dumber while using smartphones . They do not do their work and focus on using phones.

Most importantly, mobile phones are a cause of many ailments. When we use phones for a long time, our eyesight gets weaker. They cause strain on our brains. We also suffer from headaches, watery eyes, sleeplessness and more.

Moreover, mobile phones have created a lack of privacy in people’s lives. As all your information is stored on your phone and social media , anyone can access it easily. We become vulnerable to hackers. Also, mobile phones consume a lot of money. They are anyway expensive and to top it, we buy expensive gadgets to enhance our user experience.

In short, we see how it is both a bane and a boon. It depends on us how we can use it to our advantage. We must limit our usage of mobile phones and not let it control us. As mobile phones are taking over our lives, we must know when to draw the line. After all, we are the owners and not the smartphone.

FAQs on Uses of Mobile Phones

Q.1 How do mobile phones help us?

A.1 Mobile phones are very advantageous. They help us in making our lives easy and convenient. They help us communicate with our loved ones and carry out our work efficiently. Furthermore, they also do the work of the computer, calculator, and cameras.

Q.2 What is the abuse of mobile phone use?

A.2 People are nowadays not using but abusing mobile phones. They are using them endlessly which is ruining their lives. They are the cause of many ailments. They distract us and keep us away from important work. Moreover, they also compromise with our privacy making us vulnerable to hackers.

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Cell Phones in School: Should Be Banned, Restricted or Allowed?

Why Cell Phones in School Should Be Banned?

The use of mobile phones in schools has attracted the attention of many individuals, state organizations, learning institutions, the media and the society at large. Different views have been raised on the positive impacts and the negative repercussion that come as a result of the use of mobile phones in schools. Although some positive aspects can be drawn from the use of mobile phones in schools, the negative impacts are saddening and the need to be looked at with great caution. Poor school performance of children and cheating in exams can be attributed to the use of mobile phones in schools.

School children with mobile phones tend to have a short span of attention in class due to various activities, as surfing the internet, playing games and texting. These children are also likely to cheat in exams by searching for answers through the internet or texting their colleagues for answers. Likewise, cases of mobile phone theft increase due to the urge of getting better phones to those who already have and the desire of having a phone to the poor children who cannot afford it. These should thus give an alarm to the school board to ban the use of mobile phones.

One of the major reasons why the use of mobile phones by school children should be banned is because it promotes cheating during exams. The mobile phones may provide good avenues for the children to cheat in exams and thus earn undeserved credits. Children use the taken pictures of class notes, videos, text messaging as well as wireless earbuds to gain access to materials that assist them during the exams. According to the National School Resource Officer Survey in 2004 by NASRO, it was estimated that more than 41 percent had reported handling cases of students using mobile phones improperly. The officers reported that among the improper ways school children had used mobile phones included cheating in exams, particularly through text messaging and the internet.

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Another reason why the school board should ban the use of mobile phones is due to the short span of attention by the children. Student’s concentration in class is distracted on various occasions in the presence of mobile phones. In certain instances, the disturbance can be carried on to the rest of the children in class if the phone rings out loud. This is more likely to happen and cause a lot of distraction, hampering the learning process if these phones are not put in silent mode. Moreover, if a phone is put in silent mode or on vibration, it distracts the owner leading to a short attention span in class. If a call or message, for instance, comes in, the student loses concentration and diverts their attention towards reading the message or answering the call. These lower the student’s understanding of things taught in class and in turn results in poor performance.

It is essential for the school board to note that the use of mobile phones by children promotes theft. The changing technology results in the production of more attractive and expensive mobile phones that not every child can afford. Theft complaints are thus not going to stop anytime soon if the use of mobile phones in schools will not be banned. Despite the fact that some of the children already own mobile phones, they will be tempted to steal the more sophisticated ones from their friends. The poor children who cannot afford a cell phone are no exemption and they are most likely to steal any type of phone for them to own one. It is best if schools ban their use to prevent such cases of theft.

It is thus justifiable to conclude that the school board has a big part to play in making the learning environment suitable for all the children. The ban on the use of mobile phones will be very beneficial to all and would lead to better performance. The children’s concentration span in class would improve, cheating in exams would be minimized and cases of mobile phone theft in schools would be forgotten. If the school board embraces the idea of making it illegal to use mobile phones, the society will benefit and the school children will all have a favorable environment to learn.

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Why Cell Phones in School Should Be Restricted?

People create different devices and machines due to the constant growth of human needs and demands. It is connected with the appropriate improvement in the quality of life. In fact, the creation of such a modern device as a cell phone refers to great wonders of the twenty-first century, even if its use at school is under great concern. Thus, the development of the cell phone and its regular use can improve the process of studying at school, but it can also destruct the way students thinking and learning.

The cell phone makes a revolution in education. It widens children’s outlook and suggests new ways and approaches for learning more information in different subjects through video use. It becomes evident that “allowing students to use cell phones in the classroom for specific, academic purposes has the power to increase student engagement and allow teachers to more effectively assess learning on a daily basis” (Giambalvo).

It means that the particular use of this device contributes to the development of creativity and interactive experience. Students can get free access to a large number of sources which can be essential in studying. In this case, juniors are motivated to set their goals and reach them observing different videos based on the learning topics. Additionally, this issue includes social and emotional aspects that show how an individual can assess himself/herself to reveal the appropriate persistence and diligence. Thus, modern teachers consider cell phones as a useful tool for learning, which makes studying easier and more interesting.

The cell phones provide new effective ways of learning for those who try to overcome the difficulties with the second language. In this case, it’s primary purpose is to improve the limits of students’ vocabulary. With the help of mobile dictionaries, students can memorize many new words including their translation and spelling. They also develop their vocabulary while writing a test after reading the assignment, which seems to be rather difficult (Lu 515). The point is that students do not have any limitation to learn more words every time they look up a new one and its various meanings. It is known that lexical information improves the intellect, and students’ speech becomes better. Therefore, the effectiveness of cell phone use is obvious, and it is necessary to further develop this approach.

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On the other hand, cell phones cause cheating and unceasing ringing that destroys classroom policies at school. Many teachers claim that “the technology is considered a serious source of distraction in the classroom” because it has a negative impact on academic performance (Campbell 280). In such a way, plagiarism becomes a common problem that exists among students. After finishing high schools, they are not ready to develop and create their own ideas. Students have boundless access to the Internet, thus they simply copy and paste the suggested information. It brings harm to the students’ studying as they do not make any considerable effort to develop their own intellectual skills and abilities in the process of learning. Additionally, teachers often complain that they cannot concentrate on the representation of new material due to the ringing in the class.

Moreover, parents notice that their children stop paying much attention to the school assignments but talk over the phone all the time. Perhaps, it is a precise result of parents’ numerous requests to allow their children to use mobile phones at school as they are against the past ban (Taylor). Thus, the cell phone becomes children’s obsession as they gradually begin to depend on this advanced technology.

In conclusion, the use of the cell phone improves the quality of studying as teachers can apply various teaching videos. Students can also learn the second foreign language via the cell phone by consulting the dictionary and memorizing new words as well as establishing communication and interacting with each other. However, the use of cell phones has several disadvantages while studying: the main one is cheating. This leads to reducing students’ own knowledge because they are out of practice. Therefore, it is necessary to restrict the use of cell phones at school in order to avoid plagiarism which is not good for students studying.

Why Cell Phones in School Should Be Allowed?

In terms of using cell phones in school, various improvements have been established at different schools, which benefited students since their privacy has been improved as well as an effective and essential means of communication was implemented. Schools are trying out various policies that allow having cell phones at schools with some permitting students to use their phones only during breaks or at lunchtime. Other schools are encouraging students to have cell phones at school in order to enhance the educational process, the main purpose of which is to improve understanding in the classroom.

This is helpful in various ways since it provides suitable platforms for enhancing educational understanding. Other policies that were implemented allow students to carry cell phones to school and use them after classes and at breaks. The phones should be kept in lockers or backpacks during classes. This is unlike the policy of some schools that allow phones and encourage students to carry them to school and use them in class for their educational advantage.

Cell phones use in high school during break times should, therefore, be allowed because of personal rights, privacy issues, and effective and essential communication. The use of cell phones during breaks prevents students from losing attention in class and allows them to maintain necessary communications with their parents as well as provides them with the advantages of e-learning tools. Allowing students to use cell phones at school gives students the right to personal life and privacy. In addition, cell phones enhance research and improve students’ understanding since they have more access to information that is available on the Internet.

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