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https://edtechnology.co.uk/Blog/how-mobile-technology-can-benefit-learning/

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from Medwin

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At lunch time, Mia* and her friends talk to each other. The year 11 student at the Newtown High School of Performing Arts uses her phone mostly to message friends. She has a tracker on her device to monitor her time on social media, which she limits to 30 minutes a day.

Sometimes in class, she will use her phone to take a picture of notes or instructions on the board. But during lunch at school, she chats with her friends.

"No one's really on their phones," she says. "Sometimes you'll see people on their phones at lunch, but usually in a group of people, they're talking to each other."

Her father, Peter*, describes Mia's phone use as "quite frequent". But he is sanguine about its impact on her generally. "They do interact a lot through the phone, but I don't see it as taking away from other interactions," he says. "I don't think her social skills suffer from using phones or social media. It's just a tool, and not necessarily a worse tool than other ways of communicating."
You can't enforce a ban on mobile phones in the classroom - we should teach kids to hate them instead | Van Badham
Peter's confidence, however, is not widely shared.

Following this week's announcement of a ban on mobile phones in Victorian state schools, effective 2020, the federal education minister, Dan Tehan, met his state counterparts in Melbourne on Friday to push for a nationwide block.

A study by Monash University has found that 80% of Australians support a ban.

"When I talk to parents and teachers, the overwhelming majority want action on banning mobile phones in the classroom," the minister said in a statement. "They see mobile phones as a distraction from learning and are also worried about cyberbullying and other inappropriate uses."

The picture painted by Tehan is one echoed by educators around the country. The Australian Education Union's Victorian branch, which provided tentative support for the state ban, describes smartphones as a facilitator of cyberbullying and a "major distraction", affecting academic performance.

Taking a device out of the classroom is not going to stop cyberbullying,

Neil Selwyn

The Australian Secondary Principals Association (ASPA) president, Andrew Pierpoint, says principals constantly report that students are sitting in playgrounds busy on their phones and not speaking to one another.

Newington College, a private boys school in Sydney's inner west, banned phones last year. Its headmaster, Michael Parker, says he has had frequent conversations with teachers in previous schools who were concerned about the ubiquity of smartphones and the impossibility of monitoring their use.

After instituting the ban at Newington, he says, staff noticed an immediate increase in students' engagement with each other.

A decade ago, says Parker, the noise around smartphones was very positive. But things have changed following more research into the dopamine surges released by social media activity, and greater understanding about the development of adolescent brains.
Victoria to ban mobile phones in all state primary and secondary schools
Parker says it is important that teenagers spend their formative years engaging in discussion, kicking a ball around, free from the constraints and distraction of phones and social media.

He acknowledges that the problem of smartphone misuse is not limited to young people, but says adults have a duty of care to limit their potential misuse.

Pasi Sahlberg, a professor of education policy at Sydney's University of New South Wales, has attributed the decline in academic performance of students globally to rise in smartphone usage. While there is no research yet to substantiate that claim, he says there is a wealth of evidence to show that smartphones have a significant negative impact on wellbeing.

Adults 'suffer the same disease'

However, he is not in favour of a blanket ban. "We have a broader problem in society," he says. "We adults are patronising kids when we suffer the same disease ... It's almost like an alcoholic saying: 'Everyone else has to stop drinking, but not me'." This hypocrisy doesn't wash with students, he says.

He wants a more collaborative approach in setting the parameters on phone use in schools. "I trust young people much more than adults on this issue," he says.

Neil Selwyn, an education professor at Monash University, says that while bans are in place in France and Ontario, Canada, there is no way of knowing at this stage whether a state or country-wide ban will have any impact on cyberbullying, academic performance or students' wellbeing.

A study from mental health non-profit organisation Headspace found this week that 53% of teenagers had experienced some form of cyberbullying.

"There are lots of concerns about cyberbullying, about students not paying attention. These are genuine problems. But phones are a kind of easy fix. It's much easier to ban devices rather than tackle the root causes of a behaviour like bullying," Selwyn says.

"Clearly, taking a device out of the classroom is not going to stop cyberbullying, because most cyberbullying takes place outside school hours and off school premises anyway. In some ways, it's a symbolic act."

Selwyn says that if he wanted to tackle cyberbullying, he would work with a class of students with their phones, discussing respectful communications and alerting them to triggers. "You can't do that without the devices," he says.

"A lot of the discussion is about schools which have banned it, which are predominantly middle class, well-resourced schools. A ban might work brilliantly for them, but it might not work so well for a school in a different situation," he says.
Call for national mobile phone ban in public schools to face resistance
Pierpoint says decisions on smartphone policy need to respond to individual school communities. "Principals should be given the autonomy, working with their community and their P&C or P&F association, to work out what's right for their community. For example, in a rural, remote and Indigenous community, the outcome of that conversation could be completely different to that in a large metropolitan school."

At Mia's school, there are no explicit rules about mobile use. "It depends on the teacher," she says. "But they expect you not to use it in class, so most people don't really use it."

She doesn't favour a ban on phones, saying it reflects a misreading of young people. "Some politicians don't really understand that most high school kids do want to learn. Especially in year 11, we're gearing up towards the HSC, we actually do want to learn. We're not just using our phones in class. We'd rather get good grades."
Topics * Names have been changed to protect identities

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To ban or not to ban: Victoria's mobile phone move divides experts

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At lunch time, Mia* and her friends talk to each other. The year 11 student at the Newtown High School of Performing Arts uses her phone mostly to message friends. She has a tracker on her device to monitor her time on social media, which she limits to 30 minutes a day.

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from Medwin

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Schools should ban mobile phones from the classroom, the culture secretary has said.

Matt Hancock, writing in the Telegraph, said he admired schools who did not allow them, adding that more heads should "follow their lead".

In a letter to the same paper, a group of Conservative MPs said mobiles should be confiscated at the school gates.

At the moment, schools are free to set their own rules. So what are the options?

No phones here

Michaela Community School in Wembley has implemented a blanket ban - if a phone is seen or heard, it will be confiscated.

Head teacher Katharine Birbalsingh says: "We believe strongly that children should not have phones in school.

"We think they are extremely distracting for children and they interrupt their concentration, they interrupt their ability to think."

However, they don't actually ban them from the premises, as some parents want to be able to contact their children after school.

"If they had one in their bag, but if we never see them or hear them, then you don't have any problems.

"We rarely see a phone. No child would ever deliberately take their phone out here.

"They know the expectation and they agree with it. They like the fact they have freedom from the world of social media."

'The ban stops bullying'

It is a similar policy at Reepham High School and College in Norfolk. In September, it introduced a ban on phones - although they are allowed to be hidden away in school bags.

Head teacher Timothy Gibbs told 5 Live: "The reason we wanted to ban them originally is there were lots of little things going on in school during the day that we didn't like - some in lessons, and some out of lessons.

"So now at school, we have less incidents of little things like a phone vibrating during a lesson which disturbs the flow of the lesson."

Mr Gibbs added: "We don't find students now at lunchtime standing in groups, looking at screens, not really interacting with each other.

"We actually find there has been a decline in bullying between students during school hours."

However, the school does allow them to be used in the classroom if "under explicit instruction by a teacher".

Break-time only

According to the Department for Education, 95% of schools in England control the use of phones in some way.

Thomas Tallis School, a comprehensive in Greenwich, south-east London, allows pupils to use their phones during breaks.

Head teacher Carolyn Roberts says: "We believe that one of the things you do in schools is give children the skills for adult life - and one of the things adults have to know is how to manage and moderate their mobile phone use.

"Our policy is that mobile phones are allowed until they become a nuisance and then if they get in the way of learning we confiscate them."

Ms Roberts also questions how feasible a total ban would be.

"We have over 1,900 students here," she says.

"To prevent any mobile phone coming into the building we would have to search every single one of them every single day."

What are others saying?

A 2015 study by the London School of Economics found that banning phones had the effect of giving pupils an extra week's education over the course of an academic year.

Researchers looked at schools in four English cities and found test scores increased by more than 6% in those which banned phones.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Head teachers already, of course, have the power to ban mobile phones in schools and we support their right to do so."

Last week the headmaster of Eton, Simon Henderson, said schools and parents should not be scared to take smartphones away from teenagers.

But Jill Hodges, the founder of Fire Tech, which runs technology courses aimed at nine to 17-year-olds, says phones can also be good educational tools.

"There are tonnes of schools that we see where kids are using technology in good ways," she says.

"They're being creative, they're able to collaborate and communicate and share ideas they have."

Paul Howard-Jones, a professor of neuroscience and education at the University of Bristol, says schools have an important role in helping pupils learn when to use their phones.

He says: "If school and education is about preparing us for that world, then learning how to use your mobile phone - when it's appropriate, when it's not appropriate, is a very important part of that.

"Children need to learn to self-regulate. They're not being given the opportunity to do that if their phones are taken away at the start of the day."

The UK is not the only country debating the issue. French President Emmanuel Macron included a pledge to enforce a ban at schools during his campaign.

It is due to come into force in September. Critics, however, have called it a publicity stunt.

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Schools should ban mobile phones from the classroom, the culture secretary has said. Matt Hancock, writing in the Telegraph, said he admired schools who did not allow them, adding that more heads should "follow their lead". In a letter to the same paper, a group of Conservative MPs said mobiles should be confiscated at the school gates.

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These days, more and more students are bringing cell phones to class. Even elementary school-aged students have cell phones in their pockets and backpacks.

However, the news of Ontario's decision to ban cell phones in classrooms opens again the debate about whether or not students should have cellphones in school. It also brings up the question of whether it's possible for technology to exist in the classroom as a learning tool-rather than simply a distraction.

Ontario's Classroom Cell Phone Ban

Starting in September 2019, cell phones will be banned in Ontario classrooms during instructional time.

The new ban means elementary and secondary school students won't be able to use their cellphones in the classroom unless it is for educational purposes, medical reasons, or as a support for students with special needs. How the ban is enforced will be up to individual boards and schools.

By banning cellphones, Ontario's Education Ministry hopes to remove distractions so students can focus on acquiring foundational learning skills they need, including reading, writing and math.

The decision and renewed debate has many teachers and parents left wondering: can cell phones ever really benefit students in class, or are they best left tucked away?

Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of students having cell phones in school.

Cell Phone Use In The Classroom

Students check their phones in the classroom an average of more than 11 times a day. That can add up to a lot of time spent distracted from schoolwork. And when students are distracted, it's a recipe for extra stress, frustration, and catch-up time for everyone.

With students spending up to 20% of their in-class time texting, emailing, and checking social media, it's no wonder the debate about cell phones in the classroom is alive and well.

Students check their cell phones in the classroom more than 11 times a day.
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Learn more about the pros and cons of students bringing their cell phones into the classroom.

How Cell Phones Can Be Used Effectively In the Classroom

If properly managed, cell phones can be used as tools to help children learn in the classroom. The following are some of the pros of allowing cell phones in school:

1. Using educational learning apps

Cell phones give students access to tools and apps that can help them complete and stay on top of their class work. These tools can also teach students to develop better study habits, like time management and organization skills.

2. Incorporating digital platforms into lessons

Using social media can keep students interested in class and encourage them to participate in the discussion. Some teachers create twitter hashtags or message boards students can use during class discussions to share thoughts and ideas. This can be especially helpful for students who might not be comfortable speaking in class.

3. Supplementing lessons with digital materials

Teachers can take advantage of cell phones by providing students with resources to find more information about a topic. This can include videos, news stories, online discussion groups, and more. Allowing students to access these resources in class can help encourage participation and discussions.

4. Providing easy access to more information

Cell phones can give students access to more information, letting them research more about a topic while having class discussions. This is especially true for current events that have not yet been covered in school textbooks.

The Drawbacks Of Allowing Cell Phones In Classrooms

While cell phones can be used as learning tools, it is a challenge to make sure students are using them for school-related tasks. A cell phone can easily turn from "classroom learning tool" into "classroom disruption".

Cons of allowing cell phones in school include:

1. Distractions and interruptions

When students use their cell phones to check social media and text their friends in class, it leads to distractions for those students as well as for their peers. This can cause disruptions in class, particularly if the teacher is constantly telling students to turn their devices off.

2. Cyberbullying

Cell phones can also lead to increased problems with bullying on the schoolground. Cyberbullying can be harder to see than other forms of bullying, making it difficult for teachers to identify and stop when it is happening.

3. Cheating

Cell phones can be a helpful learning tool in class. But they can also be used by students to access information while taking a test, leading to cheating. Even if a student isn't caught, this can lead to him or her having a poor understanding of the material in the future, and is unfair to students who studied hard to do well.

4. Disconnection from face-to-face activities

While cell phones can help encourage participation by offering different channels, this can also lead to less in-person discussion and fewer learning opportunities. Learning to work together with others is an important part of students' education, and can be lost with too much dependence on cell phones and other digital technology.

The Bottom Line: Should Students Have Cell Phones In School?

There's no easy answer: there are both pros and cons to students having cell phones in school. Although they can be used as a learning tool in the classroom, this only works as long as students use them effectively.

This means for teachers who decide to use cell phones (or any other digital device) as part of their lessons, it's important to set ground rules and keep a close eye on how they are being used.

Where do you stand on the cell phone debate? Let us know by tweeting @oxfordlearning on Twitter!

Related Resources:

Is Multitasking Bad For Students?
How To Study Without Being Distracted

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Should Cell Phones Be Allowed In Classrooms? | Oxford Learning

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Should students have cell phones in the classroom? Learn more about the pros and cons of students having cell phones in school, and weigh in on the debate.

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heterogeneity
noun

The quality of being made of many different elements, forms, kinds, or individuals:

diverseness, diversification, diversity, heterogeneousness, miscellaneousness, multifariousness, multiformity, multiplicity, variegation, variety, variousness.

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Define heterogeneity. heterogeneity synonyms, heterogeneity pronunciation, heterogeneity translation, English dictionary definition of heterogeneity. n. The quality or state of being heterogeneous. Noun 1. heterogeneity - the quality of being diverse and not comparable in kind heterogeneousness...

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BOSTON: Parents, take note! Children who own cell phones are more likely to fall prey to cyberbullying, a study warns.

Researchers collected survey data on 4,584 students in grades 3, 4 and 5 between 2014 and 2016.

They found that overall, 9.5 per cent of children reported being a victim of cyberbullying.

Children who owned cell phones were significantly more likely to report being a victim of cyberbullying, especially in grades 3 and 4, researchers said.

"Parents often cite the benefits of giving their child a cell phone, but our research suggests that giving young children these devices may have unforeseen risks as well," said Elizabeth K Englander, a professor of psychology at Bridgewater State University in the US.

Researchers noted that across all three grades, 49.6 per cent of students reported owning a cell phone. The older the student, the more likely to report cell phone ownership: 59.8 per cent of fifth graders, 50.6 per cent of fourth graders, and 39.5 per cent of third graders reported owning their own cell phone.

They noted that cell phone owners in grades three and four were more likely to report being a victim of cyberbullying. Across all three grades, more cell phone owners admitted they have been a cyberbully themselves.

The increased risk of cyberbullying related to phone ownership could be tied to increased opportunity and vulnerability, researchers said.
Continuous access to social media and texting increases online interactions, provides more opportunities to engage both positively and negatively with peers, and increases the chance of an impulsive response to peers' postings and messages, they said.

"At the very least, parents can engage in discussions and education with their child about the responsibilities inherent in owning a mobile device, and the general rules for communicating in the social sphere," Englander said.

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Kids with cellphones at higher risk of cyber bullying

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BOSTON: Parents, take note! Children who own cell phones are more likely to fall prey to cyberbullying, a study warns. Researchers collected survey data on 4,584 students in grades 3, 4 and 5 between 2014 and 2016. They found that overall, 9.5 per cent of children reported being a victim of cyberbullying.

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Eton College is facing a backlash from teachers after banning students from using mobile phones in the classroom. Simon Henderson, headmaster at the £40,000-a-year school, wrote to parents at the start of the academic year to announce the ban, which he said would be introduced as a trial.

But the move left some of its teachers "spitting" with anger, with one senior master criticising it as "Luddite" and "Amish".

Joe Francis, an English teacher at Eton College, said the experimental ban caused some consternation among masters who see mobile phones as a useful teaching aid.

"There are some teachers who are absolutely spitting about it," Mr Francis told The Telegraph. "They tend to be the more techy teachers, maths and science people who think it is a bit Luddite and anti-progress.

"There will be people, older people particularly and humanities teachers, who applaud it. I sympathise with [them] but we have to get across this divide."

Earlier this week, the Education Secretary Damian Hinds said he supports any headteacher who chooses to ban mobile phones, saying that they get in the way of education.

But Mr Francis, who is developing a new kind of education model which will embrace the use of technology, said that mobile phones are an invaluable classroom resource.

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Eton faces backlash after banning mobile phones in the classroom

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Eton College is facing a backlash from teachers after banning students from using mobile phones in the classroom. Simon Henderson, headmaster at the £40,000-a-year school, wrote to parents at the start of the academic year to announce the ban, which he said would be introduced as a trial.

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Victorian Education Minister James Merlino's announcement mobile phones will be banned for all students at state primary and secondary schools is certainly a bold move.

The policy has been justified as a direct response to mounting levels of cyberbullying, concerns over distractions and schools struggling with discipline relating to students' misuse of phones.

Students will have to switch off their phones and store them in lockers from the start of the school day until the final bell. In case of an emergency, parents or guardians can reach their child by calling the school.

The Minister said in a statement:

The only exceptions to the ban will be where students use phones to monitor health conditions, or where teachers instruct students to bring their phone for a particular classroom activity.

What are other countries doing?

Whether to allow students to use mobile phones in school is certainly a hot topic in education. The Victorian announcement follows a French government ban on mobiles in school in 2018.

Debates on the issue are also taking place in Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

There is considerable public support for banning mobiles.

In our recently conducted survey of more than 2,000 Australian adults, nearly 80 per cent supported a ban on mobile phones in classrooms. Just under one third supported an outright ban from schools altogether.

Support for a classroom ban was remarkably consistent across different demographics, including political affiliation and age group.

But while banning phones from classrooms, and from school altogether, might seem sensible, there are a number of reasons to be cautious.

It's clear we need to carefully consider how we want to make use of digital devices being brought into schools. But previous experience, such as in New York, suggests a blanket ban might introduce even more problems.

And the little research evidence that addresses the issue is mixed.

What's the evidence?

Reports of cyberbullying have clearly gone up among school-aged children and young people over the past 10 years, but the nature and precedents of cyberbullying are complex.

Research suggests there is a large overlap between cyberbullying and traditional forms of bullying, which wouldn't then follow that digital devices are somehow causing these behaviours.

Cyberbullying also often takes place outside school hours and premises. There is a danger banning phones from classrooms might distract education staff from having to continue with efforts to address the more immediate causes of cyberbullying.

There is also a growing literature exploring the links between digital devices and classroom distractions. The presence of phones in the classroom is certainly found to be a source of multi-tasking among students of all ages - some of which can be educationally relevant and much of which might not.

But the impact of these off-task behaviours on student learning outcomes is difficult to determine. A review of 132 academic studies concluded it is difficult to determine directions and mechanisms of the causal relations between mobile phone multi-tasking and academic performance.

There is also a strong sense from classroom research that issues of distraction apply equally to laptops, iPads and other digital devices.

All told, the sense from academic literature is that the realities of smartphone use in classrooms are complex and decidedly messy.

Our own research into how smartphones are being used in Victorian classrooms highlighted the difficulties teachers face in policing student use (what some teachers described as requiring "five minutes of firefighting" at the beginning of every lesson).

But wait, there are benefits?

Despite this, we also found instances of students using smartphones for a range of beneficial purposes - from impromptu information seeking to live-streaming lessons for sick classmates.

These benefits are also reflected in classroom studies elsewhere in the world.

Research from Stanford University has demonstrated, for instance, that with proper support and preparation, teachers in even the most challenges of schools can "build on the ways students already use technology outside of school to help them learn in the classroom".

There is now a whole academic field known as " m-Learning" where researchers have explored the pedagogical and learning advantages of using mobile devices (including phones) in lessons.

But what about a blanket ban from school altogether? Experience from elsewhere suggests enforcing a mobile ban in schools may not be as easy as it sounds.

New York reversed the ban

The New South Wales Government announced a review into the benefits and risks of mobile phone use in schools in June 2018, led by child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg.

At the review's completion, the Government said it would only ban mobile phones from the state's primary schools, leaving secondary schools free to make their own choice.

We recognise that technology plays an important and increasing role as students progress through their education [...] We want to give secondary schools the flexibility to balance the benefits and risks of technology in the way that best supports their students.

Perhaps the most pertinent example is the ban enforced in New York City from 2006, that was eventually lifted in 2015.

The reasons given for this reversal highlighted several of the concerns the new ban in Victoria will likely face.

Things to watch out for

They include practical difficulties of enforcing a ban in the classroom being exacerbated by banning of phone use during break times and lunchtimes.

First, it was clear the New York ban was being inconsistently enforced by schools - with better-resourced schools in more affluent areas more likely to bend the rules and permit student use. In contrast, schools in lower-income areas with metal detectors were more likely to be rigidly enforcing the ban.

Other motivations for lifting the ban were concerns over student safety such as the need for students to contact family members during break times and lunchtimes.

Families were also incurring costs to store phones securely outside of the school.

There was also a recognition teachers should be trusted to exercise their professional judgement as to how they could be making good educational use of devices in their lessons.

At the same time, it was reckoned government resources were better directed toward supporting students to learn how to use technology responsibly through cyber-safety lessons.

All these reasons are as relevant now to Victorian schools as they were to New York City schools in 2015.

The use (and non-use) of mobile phones in schools is certainly an issue we need to have a proper conversations about. But it might not be as clear-cut as the recent policy announcements suggest.
Neil Selwyn is a distinguished research professor at Monash University. This article originally appeared on The Conversation.

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Banning mobile phones in schools not a clear-cut solution - ABC News

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Victorian Education Minister James Merlino's announcement mobile phones will be banned for all students at state primary and secondary schools is certainly a bold move. The policy has been justified as a direct response to mounting levels of cyberbullying, concerns over distractions and schools struggling with discipline relating to students' misuse of phones.

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Journalist and campaigner, Caroline Criado-Perez, shares her personal account of suffering at the hands of cyberbullies.
This article contains themes which some students may find difficult.
How it began

It started the day after I'd won my campaign. For three months I had been fronting a campaign for the Bank of England to reinstate female historical figures on their banknotes. And one day in July, the Bank finally caved. There was an explosion of media coverage; we were in all the papers, on all the radio stations; on all the channels - even international media covered it. My Twitter feed went into overdrive - I got so many messages of congratulation that my phone battery wore out in about an hour.

But things changed the next day, Thursday. I got my first rape threat. And then another. They started slowly at first and then gathered in speed, frequency and number. By Friday my Twitter mentions were a constantly updating stream of terrifyingly explicit and graphic rape and death threats. These anonymous people told me they would track me down and find me. They detailed exactly what they would do to me. What tools they would use. Which parts of me would be mutilated, slashed, burned, whipped, cut off. How I would beg to die - how I ultimately would.

Can you take action?

I reported the threats to the police as soon as they came in - I hadn't actually realised that I could, but friends, horrified by what was being sent to me, told me I could and should. It was only four days later that the police brought me in to the station to take a statement; in the meantime they had amassed over 300 A4 pages of threats made against me. They couldn't tell me who these people were, where they lived, what they were capable of. They told me they had evidence that the people harassing me were trying to track me down. They told me that I should eventually expect someone to find me.

Emails started coming in. I started to jump every time the doorbell went, every time my phone rang. I went into fight or flight mode. I was constantly on edge. Everything felt like a threat; everyone seemed like a potential attacker. I was scared to go out of my house. I moved out briefly, before the police installed a panic alarm in my house.

And then they started looking for the people who were sending me these threats - these people who found my voice so threatening that they had to terrify me into silence. They never found most of them. They never found the man who told me he would take a blowtorch to my genitals. They never found the man who told me he would pistol whip me and then burn me in front of my children. They never found the man who told me he had a sniper rifle aimed at my head and asked for my last words. These men are still out there, no doubt trying to terrorise other women into shutting up.

Of course, the accounts that sent me the threats were shut down by Twitter, but there was nothing in place to stop them from setting up another one as soon as they lost their original one. And this was what many of those who targeted me did - including two of the men who were ultimately prosecuted and imprisoned for the part they played in the campaign against me.

Isn't it just freedom of speech?

I'm often asked if I stand against freedom of speech. I don't. I believe people should have the right to disagree with me, to argue with me, to insult me - although I reserve the right to think little of those whose argument amounts to little more than personal insults. However, freedom of speech is not about silencing those with whom you disagree. But that is exactly what those who were threatening me with rape, with mutilation, with death, were doing. They didn't like what I had to say, so they decided to try to frighten me into shutting up. That is not them exercising their freedom of speech. It is them trying to take away mine.

But while what happened to me was extreme and horrific, I was luckier than most. The police did investigate my case. Some of those who were trying to silence me with their threats were prosecuted, and restraining orders have been imposed upon them. Today, I feel a little bit safer.

How do we protect the right to free speech and what are the issues that we face doing so?

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Journalist and campaigner, Caroline Criado-Perez, shares her personal account of suffering at the hands of cyberbullies. This article contains themes which some students may find difficult. How it began It started the day after I'd won my campaign. For three months I had been fronting a campaign for the Bank of England to reinstate female historical figures on their banknotes.

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44546360

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When most people think of K-12 students with constant access to their cell phones they envision students slacking off in class by scrolling through social media, texting their friends, and playing games. But the reality is this: the scenario represents a small majority of any student body, and if those students didn't have their cell phones, they would find other distractions. After all, class goofs, mindless daydreaming during math class, and causing class disruptions are behavioral types that have existed long before mobile phones even existed. Simply put, if kids didn't have cell phones in school to use as a distraction, they would find other methods of distractions.

However, the value and benefits that cell phones add to the students' experience have no substitutes. In fact, cell phones in schools do far more good than harm as they prepare students for the real world, help them learn how to be responsible, are engaging learning tools, and help promote safety.

This article is intended to help school administrators and principals learn why cell phones in schools are a good thing. You'll learn why schools should invest in a commercial cell phone charging station and charging lockers for school campuses and why they should be installed across campus.

Cell Phones Prepare Students for Future Careers

Any working professional likely uses tools like Google calendar to schedule meetings, Slack for internal communication with colleagues and clients, and platforms like Asana for task management. We're only moving deeper into a growing digital age, and students need to be prepared to manage a digital life alongside the non-digital if they want to stick to deadlines, form strong professional relationships, and stay organized.

Today's students are savvy and can use digital calendars, like Google calendar, for keeping track of homework due-dates, study times, and extracurricular activities. By having a multi-device charging station in the quad, cafeteria, library, and in every building, students can keep their cell phones and tablets charged so they can manage their student lives while preparing for their working adult lives.

Cell Phones Teach Responsibility

There is a time and a place to browse Instagram, play Candy Crush, and take selfies. Just as a working professional would never do these things in the middle of a board meeting, so too should a student never do this in class. There's a time and a place to set your phone on silent mode and ignore it (unless there's an emergency call from family). And by allowing students the freedom to keep their phones in school, they're learning a big lesson in being more responsible that will serve them well.

Cell Phones are Tools for Emergencies

There are a number of emergency levels that constitute different threats. Whether a student left their essay at home and they need to call a parent to bring it in or if there is an intruder on campus posing a threat to the safety of all students, having a powered cell phone can help prevent a disaster from getting worse.

While we don't want to expect tragedies to happen, it's important for schools to have appropriate measures in place in the event that this happens. That includes allowing them to access their cell phones during school hours. And, cell phone charging stations and charging lockers at schools can help keep campuses safe and help alert emergency services in times of need.

Contact a Commercial Cell Phone Charging Company for Schools Today!

By providing cell phone charging stations and charging lockers throughout your school, you will be improving campus safety and empowering your students to be successful. Call a company that designs cell phone charging kiosks for schools today, and learn about the various types and options available that can enrich your school.

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Why K-12 Students Should Have Access to Cell Phones and Why Cell Phone Charging Stations Matter

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When most people think of K-12 students with constant access to their cell phones they envision students slacking off in class by scrolling through social media, texting their friends, and playing games. But the reality is this: the scenario represents a small majority of any student body, and if those students didn't have their cell phones, they would find other distractions.

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These days, more and more students are bringing cell phones to class. Even elementary school-aged students have cell phones in their pockets and backpacks.

However, the news of Ontario's decision to ban cell phones in classrooms opens again the debate about whether or not students should have cellphones in school. It also brings up the question of whether it's possible for technology to exist in the classroom as a learning tool-rather than simply a distraction.

Ontario's Classroom Cell Phone Ban

Starting in September 2019, cell phones will be banned in Ontario classrooms during instructional time.

The new ban means elementary and secondary school students won't be able to use their cellphones in the classroom unless it is for educational purposes, medical reasons, or as a support for students with special needs. How the ban is enforced will be up to individual boards and schools.

By banning cellphones, Ontario's Education Ministry hopes to remove distractions so students can focus on acquiring foundational learning skills they need, including reading, writing and math.

The decision and renewed debate has many teachers and parents left wondering: can cell phones ever really benefit students in class, or are they best left tucked away?

Read on to learn more about the pros and cons of students having cell phones in school.

Cell Phone Use In The Classroom

Students check their phones in the classroom an average of more than 11 times a day. That can add up to a lot of time spent distracted from schoolwork. And when students are distracted, it's a recipe for extra stress, frustration, and catch-up time for everyone.

With students spending up to 20% of their in-class time texting, emailing, and checking social media, it's no wonder the debate about cell phones in the classroom is alive and well.

Students check their cell phones in the classroom more than 11 times a day.
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Learn more about the pros and cons of students bringing their cell phones into the classroom.

How Cell Phones Can Be Used Effectively In the Classroom

If properly managed, cell phones can be used as tools to help children learn in the classroom. The following are some of the pros of allowing cell phones in school:

1. Using educational learning apps

Cell phones give students access to tools and apps that can help them complete and stay on top of their class work. These tools can also teach students to develop better study habits, like time management and organization skills.

2. Incorporating digital platforms into lessons

Using social media can keep students interested in class and encourage them to participate in the discussion. Some teachers create twitter hashtags or message boards students can use during class discussions to share thoughts and ideas. This can be especially helpful for students who might not be comfortable speaking in class.

3. Supplementing lessons with digital materials

Teachers can take advantage of cell phones by providing students with resources to find more information about a topic. This can include videos, news stories, online discussion groups, and more. Allowing students to access these resources in class can help encourage participation and discussions.

4. Providing easy access to more information

Cell phones can give students access to more information, letting them research more about a topic while having class discussions. This is especially true for current events that have not yet been covered in school textbooks.

The Drawbacks Of Allowing Cell Phones In Classrooms

While cell phones can be used as learning tools, it is a challenge to make sure students are using them for school-related tasks. A cell phone can easily turn from "classroom learning tool" into "classroom disruption".

Cons of allowing cell phones in school include:

1. Distractions and interruptions

When students use their cell phones to check social media and text their friends in class, it leads to distractions for those students as well as for their peers. This can cause disruptions in class, particularly if the teacher is constantly telling students to turn their devices off.

2. Cyberbullying

Cell phones can also lead to increased problems with bullying on the schoolground. Cyberbullying can be harder to see than other forms of bullying, making it difficult for teachers to identify and stop when it is happening.

3. Cheating

Cell phones can be a helpful learning tool in class. But they can also be used by students to access information while taking a test, leading to cheating. Even if a student isn't caught, this can lead to him or her having a poor understanding of the material in the future, and is unfair to students who studied hard to do well.

4. Disconnection from face-to-face activities

While cell phones can help encourage participation by offering different channels, this can also lead to less in-person discussion and fewer learning opportunities. Learning to work together with others is an important part of students' education, and can be lost with too much dependence on cell phones and other digital technology.

The Bottom Line: Should Students Have Cell Phones In School?

There's no easy answer: there are both pros and cons to students having cell phones in school. Although they can be used as a learning tool in the classroom, this only works as long as students use them effectively.

This means for teachers who decide to use cell phones (or any other digital device) as part of their lessons, it's important to set ground rules and keep a close eye on how they are being used.

Where do you stand on the cell phone debate? Let us know by tweeting @oxfordlearning on Twitter!

Related Resources:

Is Multitasking Bad For Students?
How To Study Without Being Distracted

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Should Cell Phones Be Allowed In Classrooms? | Oxford Learning

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Should students have cell phones in the classroom? Learn more about the pros and cons of students having cell phones in school, and weigh in on the debate.

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Victorian education minister James Merlino's announcement mobile phones will be banned for all students at state primary and secondary schools is certainly a bold move.

The policy has been justified as a direct response to mounting levels of cyberbullying, concerns over distractions and schools struggling with discipline relating to students' misuse of phones.

Students will have to switch off their phones and store them in lockers from the start of the school day until the final bell. In case of an emergency, parents or guardians can reach their child by calling the school.

The minister said in a statement:

The only exceptions to the ban will be where students use phones to monitor health conditions, or where teachers instruct students to bring their phone for a particular classroom activity.

Whether to allow student use of mobile phones in school is certainly a hot topic in education. The Victorian announcement follows a French government ban on mobiles in school in 2018. Debates on the issue are also taking place in Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

There is considerable public support for banning mobiles. In our recently conducted survey of more than 2,000 Australian adults, nearly 80% supported a ban on mobile phones in classrooms. Just under one-third supported an outright ban from schools altogether.

Support for a classroom ban was remarkably consistent across different demographics, including political affiliation and age group.

But while banning phones from classrooms, and from school altogether, might seem sensible, there are number of reasons to be cautious. It's clear we need to carefully consider how we want to make use of digital devices being brought into schools. But previous experience, such as in New York, suggests a blanket ban might introduce even more problems.

And the little research evidence that addresses the issue is mixed.

What's the evidence?

Reports of cyberbullying have clearly gone up among school-aged children and young people over the past ten years, but the nature and precedents of cyberbullying are complex.

Research suggests there is a large overlap between cyberbullying and traditional forms of bullying, which wouldn't then follow that digital devices are somehow causing these behaviours.

Cyberbullying also often takes place outside school hours and premises. There is a danger banning phones from classrooms might distract education staff from having to continue with efforts to address the more immediate causes of cyberbullying.

Read more: Teenagers need our support, not criticism, as they navigate life online

There is also a growing literature exploring the links between digital devices and classroom distractions. The presence of phones in the classroom is certainly found to be a source of multi-tasking among students of all ages - some of which can be educationally relevant and much of which might not.

But the impact of these off-task behaviours on student learning outcomes is difficult to determine. A review of 132 academic studies concluded, it is

difficult to determine directions and mechanisms of the causal relations between mobile phone multitasking and academic performance.

There is also a strong sense from classroom research that issues of distraction apply equally to laptops, iPads and other digital devices.

All told, the sense from academic literature is that the realities of smartphone use in classrooms are complex and decidedly messy. Our own research into how smartphones are being used in Victorian classrooms highlighted the difficulties teachers face in policing student use (what some teachers described as requiring "five minutes of firefighting" at the beginning of every lesson).

Despite this, we also found instances of students using smartphones for a range of beneficial purposes - from impromptu information seeking to live-streaming lessons for sick classmates.

Read more: Schools are asking students to bring digital devices to class, but are they actually being used?

These benefits are also reflected in classroom studies elsewhere in the world. Research from Stanford University has demonstrated, for instance, that with proper support and preparation, teachers in even the most challenging schools can "build on the ways students already use technology outside of school to help them learn in the classroom".

There is now a whole academic field known as " m-Learning " where researchers have explored the pedagogical and learning advantages of using mobile devices (including phones) in lessons.

But what about a blanket ban from school altogether? Experience from elsewhere suggests enforcing a mobile ban in schools may not be as easy as it sounds.

What we can learn from others

The New South Wales government announced a review into the benefits and risks of mobile phone use in schools in June 2018, led by child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg. At the review's completion, the government said it would only ban mobile phones from the state's primary schools, leaving secondary schools free to make their own choice.

We recognise that technology plays an important and increasing role as students progress through their education [...] We want to give secondary schools the flexibility to balance the benefits and risks of technology in the way that best supports their students.

Perhaps the most pertinent example is the ban enforced in New York City from 2006, that was eventually lifted in 2015.

The reasons given for this reversal highlighted several of the concerns the new ban in Victoria will likely face. They include practical difficulties of enforcing a ban in the classroom being exacerbated by banning of phone use during break times and lunchtimes.

First, it was clear the New York ban was being inconsistently enforced by schools - with better resourced schools in more affluent areas more likely to bend the rules and permit student use. In contrast, schools in lower-income areas with metal detectors were more likely to be rigidly enforcing the ban.

Other motivations for lifting the ban were concerns over student safety such as the need for students to contact family members during break times and lunchtimes. Families were also incurring costs to store phones securely outside of the school. There was also a recognition teachers should be trusted to exercise their professional judgement as to how they could be making good educational use of devices in their lessons.

Read more: Should mobile phones be banned in schools? We asked five experts

At the same time, it was reckoned government resources were better directed toward supporting students to learn how to use technology responsibly through cyber-safety lessons.

All these reasons are as relevant now to Victorian schools as they were to New York City schools in 2015. The use (and non-use) of mobile phones in schools is certainly an issue we need to have a proper conversation about. But it might not be as clear-cut as the recent policy announcements suggest.

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Banning mobile phones in schools: beneficial or risky? Here's what the evidence says

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Victorian education minister James Merlino's announcement mobile phones will be banned for all students at state primary and secondary schools is certainly a bold move. The policy has been justified as a direct response to mounting levels of cyberbullying, concerns over distractions and schools struggling with discipline relating to students' misuse of phones.

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Negative
https://cellphones.lovetoknow.com/Cons_of_Cell_Phones_in_School

https://www.techwalla.com/articles/disadvantages-mobile-phones-schools

https://www.techwalla.com/articles/negative-effects-of-cell-phones-on-education

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I can see why it would be every teacher or parent's dream to ban phones from schools: no students on Snapchat in the classroom, no constant hands under the desk and no distracted murmurings at the latest viral Instagram post.

But this debate should focus on what really benefits students, and taking their phones away is not the answer.

Earlier this month, schools minister Nick Gibb said there should be a new policy introduced to ban phones from schools.

As a trainee teacher at my local sixth form, it is a never ending battle with the students to just get off their phones and pay attention for even one minute. If I'm not asking them why they are late to the lesson, I am issuing out warnings for phone use. But one thing that I observed is that phones play a major role in the classroom as well as outside of it.

I remember when I was in school and college, every lunch time consisted of either listening to music with your friends, texting each other funny memes or taking selfies and videos. So by banning phones from the school, we would essentially be removing Generation Z's ability to socialise.

We should see these devices as preparing students for their future and not as a hindrance to their learning.

I actually didn't have my own personal phone until my first year of university, and I don't know how I survived. Every corner of my school or my college was crowded with people with a phone in their hand. My friends used to constantly ask me where my phone was. I just shrugged.

I couldn't see the latest joke or hear the latest song until I got home and I used my house desktop computer to catch up on all the fun. At the time, I used to borrow my mother's phone to text my friends, rack up the landline phone bill calling them at night or occasionally sneaking my sister's phone to school and finally being able to fit in.

If phones had been banned for everybody, I wouldn't have felt that sense of isolation and such exclusion would be avoided for anyone else. Everyone would be equal. But nowadays it's incredibly rare that a teenager doesn't have a phone, and being allowed to use them throughout the day can really bring a friendship together. When you're laughing at the latest joke, or capturing memories, that bond is treasured. And for me, not being a part of that was a gut wrenching feeling.

But is not just the socialising that makes the phone ban in schools obnoxious, there is also an educational aspect.

Teachers know that it is crucial to embed some form of technology use into lessons. If you don't have a classroom that is kitted out with desktop computers or there are not enough laptops in the school for each student to use in the class - something that happens quite often, in my experience - the next option is to allow students to use their phone to research and do their work.

When I teach my classes, I ask students to use their phone to make notes; if I have a quiz set up on a game-based learning platform such as Kahoot, students will need their phones to complete the quiz. These apps are important to help students become more confident in giving answers instead of the traditional system of asking a question, expecting kids to put their hands up, respond and risk the embarrassment and mockery if they get it wrong.

With these apps, they become engaged and it improves the delivery of lesson content.

A US survey of university students in 2011 found that 75 per cent believed using personal devices in the classroom has improved their ability to learn and retain information. We should listen to them.

Don't get me wrong, as a teacher it is a pain seeing their thumbs vigorously tapping on their phone, and constant notifications popping up on their screen. But we should not ban something just because it is an inconvenience to teachers. We need to acknowledge the benefits of students having phones at school, both socially and educationally.

Instead of making ignorant sweeping statements about banning phones, what we should be doing is using them as a tool. Technology is in every work place; you need to know how to use some form of technology or mobile phones in a safe way. We should see these devices as preparing students for their future and not as a hindrance to their learning.

The solution is not banning, it's educating. As a teacher it can be annoying to constantly nag the students but I also want to help and educate them about the use of phones. The smart phones are continuously evolving and they are not going anywhere anytime soon. They can function as a notepad, calculator, dictionary and a portable Wikipedia. It would be irresponsible to ban something so beneficial.

MORE: I don't tell people I had childhood cancer because I know it will change how they treat me

MORE: I don't tell people I had childhood cancer because I know it will change how they treat me

MORE: Lean On Me: How do I make meaningful friendships?

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Banning mobile phones in schools would be a big mistake

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I can see why it would be every teacher or parent's dream to ban phones from schools: no students on Snapchat in the classroom, no constant hands under the desk and no distracted murmurings at the latest viral Instagram post. But this debate should focus on what really benefits students, and taking their phones away is not the answer.

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وائل حمزة

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Although much of the public debate is against it, there are pros associated with allowing cell phones in school. These advantages should not be ignored since cell phones in schools can actually add value to the educational experience, rather than simply be a detriment to it.

Instant Communication

Although you hope that you will never have to do this, you sometimes need to get in contact with your school-aged child while they are in class. This could be because of a death in the family, an accident or other family emergency that may require his or her attention or attendance.

By being able to call your child directly, you also help alleviate the workload of the school's administrative team.

Phones are also particularly useful during recess and lunch hours when students aren't in class and may be difficult to find.

The problems with knowing where your children are after school could also be reduced if parents had the ability to call them and vice versa.

Related Articles

Text messages can make communicating easy and discreet.

Learning Aid

Students who have a smartphone can use various applications designed for students to assist in learning. Many of these smartphones have programs that are similar to what is found on a laptop or desktop computer. Being able to look up facts quickly on the internet is possible on many phones.

If a student needs assistance with classwork and does not have access to a computer, a smartphone can be used in a snap. In fact, the National Education Association reports that cell phones can often be cost effective for schools that cannot afford to purchase technology for all students.

Memory Aids

Studies show that cell phones can be beneficial to students when reviewing and studying for exams or tests. Most cell phones have a camera these days, so children can use these to take pictures in class. This is great for science class, for example, where they may be exposed to certain creatures, plants and other things that they probably won't encounter anywhere else. This is much more effective that simply producing a quick sketch.

Pictures can also be useful to:

Reviewing photos later can help students better understand the procedure in metalwork, woodwork or other hands-on courses.

Voice Notes

The voice recording feature of cell phones can be beneficial to students who would like a quick way to keep track of what they need to do. After all, students may not always have immediate access to a notepad, so using a cell phone to "jot down" important information can be helpful. There are numerous voice memo apps that can be useful for both teachers and students in a classroom.

GPS Tracking

GPS tracking can be a benefit of cell phones to parents who want to be able to keep tabs on their children's whereabouts. Use GPS to track a cell phone can provide peace of mind to concerned parents and teachers if a student is reported missing or has gone somewhere of concern. GPS tracking can also inform parents that their children have arrived to and from school safely.

Classroom Collaboration

Cell phones can assist in providing a modern alternative to standard teaching and can encourage student participation. For example:

The website platform Poll Everywhere permits teachers to create poll questions to which students can respond via their cell phones.

Students can also use cell phones to collaborate with each other and also to connect with children in other schools or geographic areas.

They can also connect students to specialists in specific subjects for assistance or advice.

Promotes Student Independence

Enabling students to use their phones in the classroom inherently develops trust between the students and their teacher. Although phones can cause distraction, creating highly engaging lesson plans where the students are actively using their phones to find answers can be a great way to promote healthy cell phone usage for the purpose of learning.

Fosters Trust Between Students and Teachers

Teachers that allow students to use their cellphones in class must be able to trust that their students are participating appropriately. To do so, it's important to introduce engaging content, and monitor cell phone usage. This creates a great opportunity for teachers to model healthy cell phone usage for their students. This means that the teacher and students work together while using their cell phones during the lesson plan and disengage from using their phones when not appropriate.

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Pros of Cell Phones in School | LoveToKnow

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Although much of the public debate is against it, there are pros associated with allowing cell phones in school. These advantages should not be ignored since cell phones in schools can actually add value to the educational experience, rather than simply be a detriment to it.

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People in many schools regularly sneak around on their cell phones, trying to hide them from teachers or administrators. Cell phones were originally against school rules. Honestly it makes a lot of since for students not to be able to use their cell phones during school hours. Cell phones should be banned in schools because they distract students, allow cheating in Schools, and they can be dangerous. Cell phones distract students in school. Whenever people text in class it gets other people's attention, which makes it hard for students to learn. Also if it goes off in class it can cause the teacher to stop teaching and have everyones attention on that cell phone (Armstrong). The evidence that has been given helps support this ...show more content...

People in many schools regularly sneak around on their cell phones, trying to hide them from teachers or administrators. Cell phones were originally against school rules. Honestly it makes a lot of since for students not to be able to use their cell phones during school hours. Cell phones should be banned in schools because they distract students, allow cheating in Schools, and they can be dangerous. Cell phones distract students in school. Whenever people text in class it gets other people's attention, which makes it hard for students to learn. Also if it goes off in class it can cause the teacher to stop teaching and have everyones attention on that cell phone (Armstrong). The evidence that has been given helps support this reason by proving that it can take away education time if schools allow cell phones in school. If cell phones are allowed in schools people will not do anything but text and stay on social networks (Armstrong). This supports this reason because parents wonder why students have bad grades and never participate in class, but students will have bad grades because they will always be on their phones. Even when students sneak and use their phones when they are not supposed to, it distracts students, so if schools allowed cell phones imagine how much worse it would be. This supports my reason by showing that both being unbanned and banned, cell phones are a distraction. Cell phones can allow cheating on tests. One way cell phones can help with

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Cell Phones Should Be Banned in Schools Essay

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People in many schools regularly sneak around on their cell phones, trying to hide them from teachers or administrators. Cell phones were originally against school rules. Honestly it makes a lot of since for students not to be able to use their cell phones during school hours.

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ENGLAND'S Minister of State for School Standards, Nick Gibb, has said that kids shouldn't be allowed to take their phones into school.

There is no nationwide rule about phones in schools, as it's up to individual head teachers. They can ban phones if they want, but many say that phones and apps can be useful tools for learning in the classroom.

"While this is clearly a matter for the head teacher, my own view is that schools should ban their pupils from bringing smartphones into school or the classroom," Mr Gibb said.

Others have said that kids should at least be allowed them on the journey to and from school.

What do you think? Vote in our poll and let us know!
What do you think?

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Should mobile phones in school be banned? Vote in our poll on First News Live!

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ENGLAND'S Minister of State for School Standards, Nick Gibb, has said that kids shouldn't be allowed to take their phones into school. There is no nationwide rule about phones in schools, as it's up to individual head teachers. They can ban phones if they want, but many say that phones and apps can be useful tools for learning in the classroom.

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Just under half of UK parents, 49%, think their child's school should ban mobile phones, a survey by price comparison site uSwitch suggests.

One in eight parents said their child's school had already done so.

The survey, of just over 1,000 people, also suggested that the average value of gadgets taken to school by each child was £301.

Last year, the then-culture secretary Matt Hancock said he admired schools that had enforced mobile phone bans.

However, some have argued that bans prevent children from learning how to "self-regulate" their use of electronic devices such as smartphones.

The survey, carried out by Opinium on behalf of uSwitch, suggested that the average cost of gadgets taken to school by children was rising.

Extrapolating across the total population of UK school pupils, uSwitch estimated that the value of all gadgets taken to schools in 2019 will reach £2.3bn.

Plus, 43% of children now have a newer model of phone than their parents, and in total adults are spending £13bn every year on phone bills racked up by their offspring.

"The number of gadgets that schoolchildren are carrying into class every day is mind-boggling," said Ernest Doku, mobiles expert at uSwitch.

It was "understandable" that parents were concerned about their children being distracted by mobile phones in school, but Mr Doku said that banning the devices was not a straightforward solution.

"Children are very likely to be using a whole range of gadgets when they enter the world of work, and school is one place where they should be able to learn about technology in a safe environment," he said.

"In addition, many parents want the peace of mind of being able to contact their children in emergencies, and find out where they are if they don't appear at home at the usual time, whether by calling them or by using an app."

In 2018, the headmaster of Eton said schools and parents should not be afraid to take mobile phones away from children.

Not everyone agrees with the approach.

Some argue the world is full of gadgets, therefore children should not be cut off from the experience of using them.

"If school and education is about preparing us for that world, then learning how to use your mobile phone - when it's appropriate, when it's not appropriate, is a very important part of that," Paul Howard-Jones, a professor of neuroscience and education at the University of Bristol, told the BBC in July last year.

"Children need to learn to self-regulate. They're not being given the opportunity to do that if their phones are taken away at the start of the day."

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Half of parents 'want mobiles banned in schools'

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Just under half of UK parents, 49%, think their child's school should ban mobile phones, a survey by price comparison site uSwitch suggests. One in eight parents said their child's school had already done so. The survey, of just over 1,000 people, also suggested that the average value of gadgets taken to school by each child was £301.

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The New South Wales education minister has ordered a review into mobile phone use in schools. Rob Stokes said the review would look at the risks and rewards of social media and would ultimately decide whether to ban them in NSW schools.

A Finnish education expert, Pasi Sahlberg, also recently said he believed mobile phone-related distraction was a main reason for Australia sliding down in Pisa rankings.

Parents and teachers have similar concerns about cyberbullying and safety, as well as technology distracting from schoolwork. But do the benefits of having phones in classrooms - such as contact with parents, access to mental health text lines, and learning opportunities - outweigh the risks?

We asked five experts if schools should ban mobile phones in classrooms.

Danielle Einstein, psychologist: yes

First, mobile phones are too easily used at the expense of face-to-face communication. Teenagers can message, avoiding a more challenging conversation. Second, smartphone apps and messages prompt dopamine release, creating addiction. Third, the mere presence of one's phone consumes attention even when it's not being checked. It's been shown we have reduced working memory capacity and fluid intelligence when our phone is upside down and silent on our desk compared with when it is in another room.

Finally, the introduction of smartphones has led to a decline in people's ability to cope with uncertainty. Research shows being uncomfortable with uncertainty is associated with students feeling distracted and tense during Naplan and other tests. The more uncomfortable young people are with uncertainty, the higher the number of co-occurring psychological problems they report experiencing. Smartphone use is associated with the current epidemic of anxiety and depression.

Matthew Kearney, teacher educator: no

First, regardless of any ban, students will continue to learn with their phones off-campus, later in life in their tertiary education, and in their professional and workplace learning. Second, if students want to investigate, collect data, receive personalised and immediate feedback, record media, create, compose or communicate with peers in and beyond the classroom, using mobile apps is ideal.

Also, if they want to learn at a place, time and pace of their choosing, for example on excursions, or work on projects with friends in more informal spaces like home, on a train or in Facebook groups, mobile devices are needed.

Joanne Orlando, technology and learning: no

We should not ban mobile phones in schools because it's important to educate children to live well in the era in which they are growing up. A good education for students today is knowing how to use technology to learn, communicate and work with ideas. There is significant research ( including my own) that shows selective, quality and empowering uses of technology provides new learning opportunities and the ability for students to develop skills they will need for their careers. The ability to copy work off the blackboard into an exercise book is not a skill today's employers are looking for.

Banning students from using smartphones is a 1950s response to a 2018 state of play. Mobile phone use is a complex social activity and taking phones away will likely lead to underground and hidden use by teens. This will exacerbate issues (such as cyberbullying) this call to ban phones is trying to address.

Damian Maher, ICT educator: no

Mobile phones serve many important functions. Digital literacy is a critical aspect of young people's schooling and research shows mobile phones can play a role in supporting such learning. It's important students learn with these devices so they can effectively participate in the workforce.

The phones provide a link between students and their parents, which has an important role to play in ensuring their safety. Evidence indicates parents want this type of access.

Teachers have an important role to teach students to be safe online.

In relation to health, research shows medical apps are important to support the health of young people, such as managing diabetes, and apps need to be accessed during schools hours. Rather than suggesting bans, we should be discussing ways to support young people to use their phones.

Susan Sawyer, paediatrician: no

Mobile phones are ubiquitous for secondary school students. Beyond the 3Rs, an important aspect of their learning is about safely negotiating online environments. This means all schools need to develop policies around the use of mobile phones during school hours. Given the dynamic nature of the mobile world, regularly engaging students and parents in reviewing and revising these policies is an important part of everyone's learning.

A particular benefit of mobile phones is they can provide access to therapeutic interventions for distressed young people while they are at school. Telephone support lines have long provided crisis support but are more commonly used outside school hours. The emergence of crisis text lines means adolescents can access text messaging support in real time, an approach that many find more accessible than telephone support, let alone face-to-face support, even with trained professionals at schools.

1. Damian Maher Senior lecturer in education, use of ICT and social media, University of Technology Sydney

2. Danielle Einstein Clinical psychologist, honorary associate, University of Sydney, and psychology department, Macquarie University

3. Joanne Orlando researcher, technology and learning, Western Sydney University

4. Matthew Kearney Associate Prof, teacher education program, University of Technology Sydney

5. Susan M Sawyer Prof of adolescent health, University of Melbourne, and director, Royal Children's hospital centre for adolescent health, University of Melbourne

This article was originally published on the Conversation. Read the original here https://theconversation.com/we-asked-five-experts-should-mobile-phones-be-banned-in-schools-98708

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What do five experts think about mobile phones in schools?

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New South Wales is looking at possibly banning the technology in classrooms. Experts disagree

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Some people think that banning phones at school would help pupils to focus on learning, and also give young people a 'tech break' - time when they're not being messaged or distracted, and don't feel pressure to be constantly connected. A ban would also mean there would be less risk of phones getting lost, damaged or stolen, and people who don't have phones wouldn't feel left out.

On the other hand, lots of pupils like being able to stay in touch with parents and friends - and phones can be good for emergencies, like getting lost. Some teachers also use phones in lessons - for pupils to research online, take pictures or create videos.

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Some people think that banning phones at school would help pupils to focus on learning, and also give young people a 'tech break' - time when they're not being messaged or distracted, and don't feel pressure to be constantly connected.

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Schools should ban mobile phones from the classroom, the culture secretary has said.

Matt Hancock, writing in the Telegraph, said he admired schools who did not allow them, adding that more heads should "follow their lead".

In a letter to the same paper, a group of Conservative MPs said mobiles should be confiscated at the school gates.

At the moment, schools are free to set their own rules. So what are the options?

No phones here

Michaela Community School in Wembley has implemented a blanket ban - if a phone is seen or heard, it will be confiscated.

Head teacher Katharine Birbalsingh says: "We believe strongly that children should not have phones in school.

"We think they are extremely distracting for children and they interrupt their concentration, they interrupt their ability to think."

However, they don't actually ban them from the premises, as some parents want to be able to contact their children after school.

"If they had one in their bag, but if we never see them or hear them, then you don't have any problems.

"We rarely see a phone. No child would ever deliberately take their phone out here.

"They know the expectation and they agree with it. They like the fact they have freedom from the world of social media."

'The ban stops bullying'

It is a similar policy at Reepham High School and College in Norfolk. In September, it introduced a ban on phones - although they are allowed to be hidden away in school bags.

Head teacher Timothy Gibbs told 5 Live: "The reason we wanted to ban them originally is there were lots of little things going on in school during the day that we didn't like - some in lessons, and some out of lessons.

"So now at school, we have less incidents of little things like a phone vibrating during a lesson which disturbs the flow of the lesson."

Mr Gibbs added: "We don't find students now at lunchtime standing in groups, looking at screens, not really interacting with each other.

"We actually find there has been a decline in bullying between students during school hours."

However, the school does allow them to be used in the classroom if "under explicit instruction by a teacher".

Break-time only

According to the Department for Education, 95% of schools in England control the use of phones in some way.

Thomas Tallis School, a comprehensive in Greenwich, south-east London, allows pupils to use their phones during breaks.

Head teacher Carolyn Roberts says: "We believe that one of the things you do in schools is give children the skills for adult life - and one of the things adults have to know is how to manage and moderate their mobile phone use.

"Our policy is that mobile phones are allowed until they become a nuisance and then if they get in the way of learning we confiscate them."

Ms Roberts also questions how feasible a total ban would be.

"We have over 1,900 students here," she says.

"To prevent any mobile phone coming into the building we would have to search every single one of them every single day."

What are others saying?

A 2015 study by the London School of Economics found that banning phones had the effect of giving pupils an extra week's education over the course of an academic year.

Researchers looked at schools in four English cities and found test scores increased by more than 6% in those which banned phones.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Head teachers already, of course, have the power to ban mobile phones in schools and we support their right to do so."

Last week the headmaster of Eton, Simon Henderson, said schools and parents should not be scared to take smartphones away from teenagers.

But Jill Hodges, the founder of Fire Tech, which runs technology courses aimed at nine to 17-year-olds, says phones can also be good educational tools.

"There are tonnes of schools that we see where kids are using technology in good ways," she says.

"They're being creative, they're able to collaborate and communicate and share ideas they have."

Paul Howard-Jones, a professor of neuroscience and education at the University of Bristol, says schools have an important role in helping pupils learn when to use their phones.

He says: "If school and education is about preparing us for that world, then learning how to use your mobile phone - when it's appropriate, when it's not appropriate, is a very important part of that.

"Children need to learn to self-regulate. They're not being given the opportunity to do that if their phones are taken away at the start of the day."

The UK is not the only country debating the issue. French President Emmanuel Macron included a pledge to enforce a ban at schools during his campaign.

It is due to come into force in September. Critics, however, have called it a publicity stunt.

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Schools should ban mobile phones from the classroom, the culture secretary has said. Matt Hancock, writing in the Telegraph, said he admired schools who did not allow them, adding that more heads should "follow their lead". In a letter to the same paper, a group of Conservative MPs said mobiles should be confiscated at the school gates.

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Victorian education minister James Merlino's announcement mobile phones will be banned for all students at state primary and secondary schools is certainly a bold move.

The policy has been justified as a direct response to mounting levels of cyberbullying, concerns over distractions and schools struggling with discipline relating to students' misuse of phones.

Students will have to switch off their phones and store them in lockers from the start of the school day until the final bell. In case of an emergency, parents or guardians can reach their child by calling the school.

The minister said in a statement:

The only exceptions to the ban will be where students use phones to monitor health conditions, or where teachers instruct students to bring their phone for a particular classroom activity.

Whether to allow student use of mobile phones in school is certainly a hot topic in education. The Victorian announcement follows a French government ban on mobiles in school in 2018. Debates on the issue are also taking place in Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

There is considerable public support for banning mobiles. In our recently conducted survey of more than 2,000 Australian adults, nearly 80% supported a ban on mobile phones in classrooms. Just under one-third supported an outright ban from schools altogether.

Support for a classroom ban was remarkably consistent across different demographics, including political affiliation and age group.

But while banning phones from classrooms, and from school altogether, might seem sensible, there are number of reasons to be cautious. It's clear we need to carefully consider how we want to make use of digital devices being brought into schools. But previous experience, such as in New York, suggests a blanket ban might introduce even more problems.

And the little research evidence that addresses the issue is mixed.

What's the evidence?

Reports of cyberbullying have clearly gone up among school-aged children and young people over the past ten years, but the nature and precedents of cyberbullying are complex.

Research suggests there is a large overlap between cyberbullying and traditional forms of bullying, which wouldn't then follow that digital devices are somehow causing these behaviours.

Cyberbullying also often takes place outside school hours and premises. There is a danger banning phones from classrooms might distract education staff from having to continue with efforts to address the more immediate causes of cyberbullying.

Read more: Teenagers need our support, not criticism, as they navigate life online

There is also a growing literature exploring the links between digital devices and classroom distractions. The presence of phones in the classroom is certainly found to be a source of multi-tasking among students of all ages - some of which can be educationally relevant and much of which might not.

But the impact of these off-task behaviours on student learning outcomes is difficult to determine. A review of 132 academic studies concluded, it is

difficult to determine directions and mechanisms of the causal relations between mobile phone multitasking and academic performance.

There is also a strong sense from classroom research that issues of distraction apply equally to laptops, iPads and other digital devices.

All told, the sense from academic literature is that the realities of smartphone use in classrooms are complex and decidedly messy. Our own research into how smartphones are being used in Victorian classrooms highlighted the difficulties teachers face in policing student use (what some teachers described as requiring "five minutes of firefighting" at the beginning of every lesson).

Despite this, we also found instances of students using smartphones for a range of beneficial purposes - from impromptu information seeking to live-streaming lessons for sick classmates.

Read more: Schools are asking students to bring digital devices to class, but are they actually being used?

These benefits are also reflected in classroom studies elsewhere in the world. Research from Stanford University has demonstrated, for instance, that with proper support and preparation, teachers in even the most challenging schools can "build on the ways students already use technology outside of school to help them learn in the classroom".

There is now a whole academic field known as " m-Learning " where researchers have explored the pedagogical and learning advantages of using mobile devices (including phones) in lessons.

But what about a blanket ban from school altogether? Experience from elsewhere suggests enforcing a mobile ban in schools may not be as easy as it sounds.

What we can learn from others

The New South Wales government announced a review into the benefits and risks of mobile phone use in schools in June 2018, led by child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg. At the review's completion, the government said it would only ban mobile phones from the state's primary schools, leaving secondary schools free to make their own choice.

We recognise that technology plays an important and increasing role as students progress through their education [...] We want to give secondary schools the flexibility to balance the benefits and risks of technology in the way that best supports their students.

Perhaps the most pertinent example is the ban enforced in New York City from 2006, that was eventually lifted in 2015.

The reasons given for this reversal highlighted several of the concerns the new ban in Victoria will likely face. They include practical difficulties of enforcing a ban in the classroom being exacerbated by banning of phone use during break times and lunchtimes.

First, it was clear the New York ban was being inconsistently enforced by schools - with better resourced schools in more affluent areas more likely to bend the rules and permit student use. In contrast, schools in lower-income areas with metal detectors were more likely to be rigidly enforcing the ban.

Other motivations for lifting the ban were concerns over student safety such as the need for students to contact family members during break times and lunchtimes. Families were also incurring costs to store phones securely outside of the school. There was also a recognition teachers should be trusted to exercise their professional judgement as to how they could be making good educational use of devices in their lessons.

Read more: Should mobile phones be banned in schools? We asked five experts

At the same time, it was reckoned government resources were better directed toward supporting students to learn how to use technology responsibly through cyber-safety lessons.

All these reasons are as relevant now to Victorian schools as they were to New York City schools in 2015. The use (and non-use) of mobile phones in schools is certainly an issue we need to have a proper conversation about. But it might not be as clear-cut as the recent policy announcements suggest.

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Banning mobile phones in schools: beneficial or risky? Here's what the evidence says

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Victorian education minister James Merlino's announcement mobile phones will be banned for all students at state primary and secondary schools is certainly a bold move. The policy has been justified as a direct response to mounting levels of cyberbullying, concerns over distractions and schools struggling with discipline relating to students' misuse of phones.

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This week we bring you a discussion by 5 education experts on using mobile phones in the classroom . The overall consensus in this article is that experts don't want to ban the use of mobile phones in the classroom because the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

This discussion came about in June 2018 when the Minister for Education in New South Wales, Australia - Rob Stokes ordered a review into mobile phone use in schools.

Whilst there are concerns expressed in the article in reference to the need for human communication and the risk of cyber bullying, the positive benefits that mobile phones bring to the enhancement of the learning experience for students clearly outweigh this. There is also an opinion expressed that phones are an important access to parents, whilst banning them mightwill merely serve to make bullying more hidden.

Benefits include understanding of the multitude of different ways to communicate we now use in the present day, the importance of the phone as part of authenticity of real world context in learning, as well as the flexibility of learning available to students where they can use their phone to progress at their own pace. It does seem clear from the expert opinion in the article, that the benefits of mobile phones can be best achieved when they are included with a clear purpose. Proper guidance given to students as part of their learning experience about the use of mobile phones can positively impact not only their learning, but their overall well being and life in general.

Some quotes from the article we particularly liked:

Matthew Kearney, an Associate Professor for the Teacher Education program at the University of Technology Sydney : "if school students want to investigate, collect data, receive personalised and immediate feedback, record media, create, compose, or communicate with peers, in and beyond the classroom, then using mobile apps is ideal. "

Joanne Orlando, a Technology and Learning researcher at the Western Sydney University says, "We should not ban mobile phones in schools because it's important to educate children to live well in the era in which they are growing up." . She adds, "A good education for students today is knowing how to use technology to learn, communicate, and work with ideas."

Susan M Sawyer, a Paediatrician and Professor of Adolescent Health at The University of Melbourne: "schools need to develop policies around the use of mobile phones during school hours. Given the dynamic nature of the mobile world, regularly engaging students and parents in reviewing and revising these policies is an important part of everyone's learning."

At BSD we encourage students to use mobile phones in the classroom to document their learning by taking notes, clicking photos, to research online or test the mobile compatibility and user experience of their recently coded projects. In fact, we find internationally that students are most motivated when they fully understand the potential of technology and consequently feel empowered to use it as a tool to positively impact their communities.

are 40 ways to use mobile phones in your next classroom. Tweet us at @EducationBSD and share your stories, obstacles and opinion on allowing mobile phones in your classroom.

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Why mobile phones are a powerful learning tool - BSD Education

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Written by Mo Qureshi, BSD Education This week we bring you a discussion by 5 education experts on using mobile phones in the classroom. The overall consensus in this article is that experts don't want to ban the use of mobile phones in the classroom because the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

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One of the best actions to protect young people's mental health (Editorial, 22 September) is to ban mobile phones in schools. Progressive schools have already done so, recognising the relentless impact that social media and screen time have on the emotional and mental health of their students. Their position is that it gives children six hours of screen-free, and social media-free time, which is desperately needed in an over-saturated digital world. The reason why this is not much more widespread is because such devices help schools control their students. As we have all known since the age of television, electronic devices make great babysitters. 2,000 pupils staring at their phones in lunch breaks are much easier to control than 2,000 who are not. But schools need to wake up to the impact they are having on children, and if not, it needs to be taken up by the Department for Education as a crisis in our schools.Shannon TurnerRadstock, Somerset
Topics

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Ban mobile phones in schools to protect pupils' mental health | Letters

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One of the best actions to protect young people's mental health (Editorial, 22 September) is to ban mobile phones in schools. Progressive schools have already done so, recognising the relentless impact that social media and screen time have on the emotional and mental health of their students.

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Lots of you have been in touch about whether mobile phones should be banned in schools.

It comes after a government minister said that they should.

Nick Gibb, who looks after school standards in England, said that overuse of smartphones "drives out time for them to talk to their parents, exercise, do their homework or play with friends."

The Minister said he feels young people need to learn how to limit their time using social media and playing games on their phones.

However, there are people who disagree with Mr Gibb's ideas.

The National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) says that banning phones could cause more problems than it solves, forcing students to use their phones in secret at school.

This suggestion from Mr Gibb follows a report from Ofcom earlier this week which claimed that some young people find hanging out in real life too much effort and prefer to interact on social media.

Mr Gibb believes that too much time on smartphones is bad for students - distracting them from their work, and preventing them from interacting with others as often as he feels they should.

Children should not be spending hours and hours on their smartphones or iPads... It eats into the amount of sleep and rest children have, resulting in their coming into school the next day tired and unable to concentrate.

Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State at the Department for Education

The National Association of Head Teachers believe that instead schools should make their own choices about whether to ban phones or not, and that instead of outright bans - teaching students about how to monitor their own use of smartphones is a better thing to do.

Ultimately, schools work to prepare young people for the outside world, giving them the awareness and strategies to responsibly monitor their own screen use and the ability to identify and deal with any negative impacts or problematic content they encounter.

Phones in France have already been banned in school. Here's why.

This school in Scotland has a ban on phones during school time - what do they think about it?

Comment below and let us know if you think smartphones should be banned in school.

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Phones: Should mobiles be banned in school? - CBBC Newsround

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Lots of you have been in touch about whether mobile phones should be banned in schools. It comes after a government minister said that they should. Nick Gibb, who looks after school standards in England, said that overuse of smartphones "drives out time for them to talk to their parents, exercise, do their homework or play with friends."

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Pupils should be banned from taking smartphones into school, the minister for school standards in England has told the BBC.

Nick Gibb spoke out ahead of the government publishing new guidance for schools, expected to address internet safety, social media and online gaming.

It is expected to say children should be taught to limit the amount of time they spend online.

Schools have the power to ban phones from being taken on to the premises.

But government policy is that it is the responsibility of head teachers to determine whether this is appropriate.

Patsy Kane, executive head teacher at the Education and Leadership Trust in Manchester, said Mr Gibb's plan was "missing the point on just how fantastically useful mobile phones can be for learning."

She told BBC Breakfast her multi-academy trust encourages the responsible use of smartphones during lessons and that teachers do remove the devices if they are used inappropriately during school time.

She added: "There's a fantastic range of apps now for revision - and the students are really motivated to use them."

The trade union that represents head teachers has expressed its scepticism about outright bans.

But Mr Gibb said: "Many schools have already taken the decision to ban mobile phones from the classroom.

"While this is clearly a matter for the head teacher, my own view is that schools should ban their pupils from bringing smartphones into school or the classroom."

Katie Ivens, of the Campaign for Real Education, said she supported a classroom ban but that pupils should be allowed to carry phones to and from school for safety.

What is known as "relationships education" is to become compulsory from September 2020, with schools being encouraged to teach it from September of this year.

'Balancing time'

Last summer, the government published draft guidance about how this could be implemented.

"Children and young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly on and offline," it said.

But it acknowledged that while this presented "many positive and exciting opportunities" there were also "challenges and risks".

Since the publication of the document, which said "pupils should be taught about the benefits of balancing time spent on and offline", there have been more than 11,000 responses to it and new guidance is expected soon.

"Children should not be spending hours and hours on their smartphones or iPads. There are obviously huge benefits to the internet and there's nothing intrinsically damaging about spending time online," Mr Gibb said.

"But if the time children spend using social media or playing computer games becomes excessive, it drives out time for them to talk to their parents, exercise, do their homework or play with friends.

"It eats into the amount of sleep and rest children have, resulting in their coming into school the next day tired and unable to concentrate."

The minister, who has spent more than six years at the Department for Education, added: "Ensuring children can regulate their own use of smartphones and social media is becoming an increasingly important life skill for them to learn."

But the NAHT union, which represents school leaders, has said banning pupils from taking a mobile phone to school can be counterproductive.

Giving evidence to the Commons Science and Technology Committee in October last year, the union's senior policy adviser Sarah Hannafin said: "Mobile phone bans certainly work for some schools but there isn't one policy that will work for all schools.

"Outright banning mobile phones can cause more problems than it solves, driving phone use 'underground' and making problems less visible and obvious for schools to tackle."

She added: "Ultimately, schools work to prepare young people for the outside world, giving them the awareness and strategies to responsibly monitor their own screen use and the ability to identify and deal with any negative impacts or problematic content they encounter."

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Pupils should be banned from taking smartphones into school, the minister for school standards in England has told the BBC. Nick Gibb spoke out ahead of the government publishing new guidance for schools, expected to address internet safety, social media and online gaming.

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Pupils should be banned from taking smartphones into school, the minister for school standards in England has told the BBC.

Nick Gibb spoke out ahead of the government publishing new guidance for schools, expected to address internet safety, social media and online gaming.

It is expected to say children should be taught to limit the amount of time they spend online.

Schools have the power to ban phones from being taken on to the premises.

But government policy is that it is the responsibility of head teachers to determine whether this is appropriate.

Patsy Kane, executive head teacher at the Education and Leadership Trust in Manchester, said Mr Gibb's plan was "missing the point on just how fantastically useful mobile phones can be for learning."

She told BBC Breakfast her multi-academy trust encourages the responsible use of smartphones during lessons and that teachers do remove the devices if they are used inappropriately during school time.

She added: "There's a fantastic range of apps now for revision - and the students are really motivated to use them."

The trade union that represents head teachers has expressed its scepticism about outright bans.

But Mr Gibb said: "Many schools have already taken the decision to ban mobile phones from the classroom.

"While this is clearly a matter for the head teacher, my own view is that schools should ban their pupils from bringing smartphones into school or the classroom."

Katie Ivens, of the Campaign for Real Education, said she supported a classroom ban but that pupils should be allowed to carry phones to and from school for safety.

What is known as "relationships education" is to become compulsory from September 2020, with schools being encouraged to teach it from September of this year.

'Balancing time'

Last summer, the government published draft guidance about how this could be implemented.

"Children and young people are growing up in an increasingly complex world and living their lives seamlessly on and offline," it said.

But it acknowledged that while this presented "many positive and exciting opportunities" there were also "challenges and risks".

Since the publication of the document, which said "pupils should be taught about the benefits of balancing time spent on and offline", there have been more than 11,000 responses to it and new guidance is expected soon.

"Children should not be spending hours and hours on their smartphones or iPads. There are obviously huge benefits to the internet and there's nothing intrinsically damaging about spending time online," Mr Gibb said.

"But if the time children spend using social media or playing computer games becomes excessive, it drives out time for them to talk to their parents, exercise, do their homework or play with friends.

"It eats into the amount of sleep and rest children have, resulting in their coming into school the next day tired and unable to concentrate."

The minister, who has spent more than six years at the Department for Education, added: "Ensuring children can regulate their own use of smartphones and social media is becoming an increasingly important life skill for them to learn."

But the NAHT union, which represents school leaders, has said banning pupils from taking a mobile phone to school can be counterproductive.

Giving evidence to the Commons Science and Technology Committee in October last year, the union's senior policy adviser Sarah Hannafin said: "Mobile phone bans certainly work for some schools but there isn't one policy that will work for all schools.

"Outright banning mobile phones can cause more problems than it solves, driving phone use 'underground' and making problems less visible and obvious for schools to tackle."

She added: "Ultimately, schools work to prepare young people for the outside world, giving them the awareness and strategies to responsibly monitor their own screen use and the ability to identify and deal with any negative impacts or problematic content they encounter."

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Pupils should be banned from taking smartphones into school, the minister for school standards in England has told the BBC. Nick Gibb spoke out ahead of the government publishing new guidance for schools, expected to address internet safety, social media and online gaming.

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10 Reasons Why Cell Phones Shouldn't Be Allowed In School

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If kids are constantly on their phones at school, then what makes you think they're not going to do the same thing at home. If they're distracted throughout the day and not doing work in school, homework is less likely to get done at home.

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