@TeacherToolkit
Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit in 2007, and today, he is one of the ‘most followed educators’on social media in the world. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ by The Sunday Times as a result of…
Read more about @TeacherToolkit
Are mobile phones in class causing more harm than good?
Students who spend more time on their phones in class perform significantly worse academically, with in-class phone use doubling the negative impact.
Do mobile phones help or hinder learning?
This research examines the impact of mobile phone usage on student academic performance (n = 43).
The study used smartphone tracking data (Felisoni & Godoi, 2018) and discovered that every 100 minutes of daily phone use resulted in a 6.3-point drop in class ranking.
If students used their phones during lessons, the effect was twice as damaging.
Students check their phones every 5–7 minutes, even in lessons. While some argue that mobile phones support learning, this study found the opposite.
Using real-time tracking apps (“Moment” and “App Usage Tracker”), researchers found a clear negative link between phone use and grades. The more time students spent on their phones, the worse they performed academically. In-class phone use was particularly damaging—doubling the negative impact.
This raises an important question for teachers:
Are mobile phones helping students learn, or are they silently eroding their academic success?
Using phones isn’t just about distraction—it’s about cognitive overload. Students often think they can multitask, but research suggests otherwise. Switching between tasks reduces deep learning and retention (Thornton et al., 2014).
What can teachers do about mobile phone use?
Even having a phone on your desk, without using it, can lower attention and task performance. Why? Because the brain is subconsciously anticipating notifications, messages, and distractions.
If students are missing key explanations, struggling to focus, and absorbing less material, their academic outcomes will suffer. For teachers already competing for students’ attention, this is a major challenge. I often argue to early career teachers, that their biggest challenge isn’t managing less planning or behaviour, it’s commanding their students’ attention. So, what can teachers do?
How can schools manage mobile phone distractions?
Banning phones entirely isn’t always realistic, but structured policies and strategies can help:
- Set clear boundaries – Have a school-wide policy on mobile phone use. Keep it consistent and enforceable.
- Use ‘phone-free zones’ – Encourage students to keep phones in their bags during lessons. Some schools use ‘phone hotels’ where devices are stored at the start of class.
- Make mobile use intentional – If phones are allowed, use them for structured tasks like quizzes or research. Unstructured use leads to distraction.
- Teach digital self-regulation – Help students track their phone usage. Once they see their screen time, they may rethink their habits.
- Model expectations – Teachers and school leaders should consider their own phone use. If teachers are on their phones during lessons, what message does that send?
Mobile phone policies shouldn’t be a battle—they should help!
This visual (chart 2) supports the study’s claim that high phone usage negatively impacts academic performance. The stronger the dependence on mobile phones, the greater the potential learning loss.
Credit: Felisoni & Godoi, 2018
CPD questions for teachers:
For school leaders considering their classroom policies, here are some key questions to reflect on:
- How often do students check their phones during lessons in your school?
- Does your school have a clear mobile phone policy—and is it enforced?
- Are students aware of how much time they spend on their phones each day?
- How do teachers balance allowing technology use while minimising distractions?
- Could digital self-regulation strategies help students manage their phone use?
- Would structured ‘phone breaks’ help students focus better in class?
- How does phone use in your school compare to policies in other countries?
- Could phone-free lessons improve student engagement and performance?
- How do students themselves feel about mobile phone policies?
- What role do parents play in reinforcing responsible phone use?
The research concludes:
“Each 100 minutes spent using mobile phones per day corresponds to a reduction in a student’s class ranking of 6.3 points, and when used in class, the negative impact is even greater.”
To understand the full details, download the paper.
Image credit: Depositphotos
Like this:
Like Loading…
