Banning smartphones in schools is meaningful when pedagogically guided
New study at the Chair of School Pedagogy delivers a clear result.
Banning smartphones in schools has a measurable effect on the social well-being and learning of school students. This is the result of a meta-analysis recently published in the journal Education Sciences conducted by the Chair of School Pedagogy at the University of Augsburg. Smartphones are omnipresent in today’s society, even among children and young people. Whether this ought to be viewed positively or negatively in a pedagogical context is controversial. On the one hand, there is the fear that smartphones disturb the learning environment and reduce children’s ability to concentrate. On the other hand, digital literacy has to be integrated into and promoted in everyday school life. Banning smartphones in schools is being discussed in many places, and in some countries and individual schools such bans are already in place. “A discussion about such wide-ranging measures is only meaningful once the results of empirical educational research have been considered,” says Klaus Zierer, professor for school pedagogy at the University of Augsburg. Together with his academic colleague Tobias Böttger, he has conducted research into the effects of smartphone bans in schools on social well-being and academic performance. The results of their work were recently published in the journal Education Sciences. To supplement the social debate with academic insights, Zierer and Böttger conducted a rapid review, which is a simplified meta-analytical process that has the advantage of taking less time, meaning that results can be achieved more quickly. The authors came to a clear result following the analysis of five studies from Norway, Spain, Czech Republic, England, and Sweden: A smartphone ban has measurably positive effects, above all else on the social well-being of students, and to lesser degree also on their learning. “The result confirms the experience of many teachers: that smartphones in pockets or on tables can hinder the learning and educational process. Smartphones can also effect the social climate of schools, making them worse, fuelling interpersonal conflicts.” Although the rapid review showed the positive effects of a smartphone ban, the two authors emphasise the need for educational guidance. “An outright ban is not enough. It is important that children and young people learn how to use this technology responsibly.” The authors therefore recommend combining the ban with educational measures that promote student media literacy. “It is important to speak with students about the ban, to explain the rules and to reflect on them, and to gradually open up the opportunity for the development of media literacy,” explains Zierer. Through such a combination the positive effects of the smartphone ban will be strengthened, which then initiates more and more self-responsibility as students get older. “The goal is to promote the responsible use of smartphones while minimising their negative effects,” says Böttger. The study calls for more research in order to understand the long-term effects of a smartphone ban and to better understand and develop effective pedagogical strategies. “It is only through continual evaluation and adapting measures that we can be sure that the social and academic advantages are maximised,” say the authors. 
Students learn better without smartphones
Educational guidance is the key to success
More research needed
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