Smartphone bans have little to no impact on education or bullying – study
By Cillian Sherlock, PA
Smartphone bans have little or no impact on education, online bullying and wellbeing among students, according to a study by Dublin City University (DCU).
Last week, new national guidance was issued to schools on restricting mobile phone use.
Primary schools now require a policy to ban the use of and access to mobile phones during the school day, while secondary schools require a policy to restrict mobile phone use during the school day.
€9 million in funding has been allocated for schools to look at a range of storage solutions including lockable boxes, cubby holes or drop off and collection at the school office.
It followed opposition criticism of a plan to fund “phone pouches” across secondary schools.
Researchers from DCU’s Anti-Bullying Centre found that the stricter the phone ban, the more students look for ways to subvert it.
A report published on Wednesday looked at existing international research as well as a new Irish study on the experiences of students.
In the DCU report, researchers examined existing international research on smartphone bans and related research on smartphones among children and adolescents.
It finds that that international research is “clearly mixed and somewhat conflicting”, with most studies showing that smartphone ban policies can have “little or no impact on education and wellbeing among students” in different countries.
The study finds that no current research can be said to definitively demonstrate that smartphone bans completely protect children and adolescents from online bullying or harmful content.
The Anti-Bullying Centre is also recommending that online safety and digital citizenship education should be a compulsory topic in schools.
Researchers also conducted focus groups in six schools in the east of the country.
Students reported that they were not taught enough in school about online safety and digital citizenship, leading them instead to rely on their peers for guidance and skills.
Some pupils also reported that teachers cause distractions to the learning environment with their phone use.
Others were concerned that smartphone bans may inhibit students from learning resilience and skills for life beyond school.
The report also found that students’ voices have not been included in decision-making on smartphone restrictions within schools.
Lead author of the report, Dr Megan Reynolds, said: “Our research shows that we need to listen to students on issues that directly impact them and ensure that they are included in the decision-making process regarding policies on smartphone bans and related issues.
“My hope is that this research will allow adolescents to finally have their voices heard and it will provide an opportunity for more nuanced conversations on smartphones.”
Director of DCU Anti-Bullying Centre and Unesco chair on Bullying and Cyberbullying, Professor James O’Higgins Norman, added: “Students have also indicated that there are more pressing issues for students than smartphones in schools that they believe require action, including vaping.”