By Anna Cristina D’Addio, GEM Report A blog last week showed that the share of countries with restrictions on the use of phones in schools has jumped from less than one in four to more than one in two in the space of two and a half years. But does this matter for learning? One […] The post Are phone bans working? appeared first on World Education Blog.
By Anna Cristina D’Addio, GEM Report
A blog last week showed that the share of countries with restrictions on the use of phones in schools has jumped from less than one in four to more than one in two in the space of two and a half years. But does this matter for learning?
One widely cited study from England found that banning phones in secondary schools led to notably better exam scores, particularly for low-achieving students. Test results improved by 0.07 standard deviations, amounting to a 14% increase for the most disadvantaged learners. In the US state of Florida, enforcing phone bans in schools led to a short-term rise in student suspensions, notably among Black students, but disciplinary actions lessened after the first year. Test scores improved in the second year, and bans also reduced unexcused absences, likely contributing to academic gains. These effects were strongest in secondary schools with higher smartphone ownership.
In India, a randomized controlled study of nearly 17,000 students found that classroom phone bans led to higher grades, especially for lower-performing, first-year, and non-STEM students, with an average increase of about 0.09 standard deviations. Additionally, students exposed to the bans showed greater support for phone-use restrictions.
Several other studies also suggest gains in academic achievement including in Belgium, China, Ghana, the Republic of Korea and Türkiye among university and college students. In Spain, test scores improved markedly in the region of Galicia following restrictions, equivalent to up to a year of learning in mathematics and science.
Many other benefits emerge. A recent review concluded that while academic gains may vary, bans often improve classroom culture. Calmer environments, fewer distractions and lower levels of bullying and cyberbullying are consistently reported. In Ecuador, a national study of over 1,000 schools found that implementing differentiated restrictions reduced mobile-related discipline incidents by nearly 70%. In lower secondary classrooms, attention and academic outcomes improved, especially in schools with strong implementation and among lower income students.
In Australia, evidence from the states of New South Wales and South Australia shows similar findings: school leaders report improved learning, fewer social media conflicts and calmer school grounds. A natural experiment in South Australia also showed small but significant reductions in psychological distress and negative emotions. In Spain’s Murcia region serious school offences dropped by 31% post ban. A study in Portugal found declines in bullying and indiscipline, alongside increases in socialization and physical activity during breaks. Robust findings from a longitudinal study of 477 middle schools highlight that bans reduce bullying and psychological consultations, improve girls’ academic performance, and increase the likelihood of choosing academic secondary school tracks.
Even partial or time-limited bans can have measurable effects. In Denmark, locking phones away during recess for just four weeks increased physical activity for boys and girls and across age groups.
But it’s not all positive
Sceptics caution against a one-size-fits-all approach. As most measures have been in place for short periods, it is difficult to assess their long term and causal impact. Many studies explore correlations rather than causality. Some studies also warn of potential unintended consequences of banning phones in schools, including discipline disparities and overreach.
Evidence on phone bans is therefore promising but not uniform; implementation quality and contexts, for example, explain discrepancies across countries. In Florida, a survey of 1,500 students aged 11 to 13 found no effect on grades, bullying or mental health. Similar results have emerged in Sweden and England, where restrictive policies showed limited or no impact on educational outcomes or well-being.
A middle path seems to emerge considering solutions that balance students’ individual rights with their safety and well-being. When implemented with fairness, clarity and support, restrictions can help reduce distraction and improve classroom culture, especially for vulnerable students.
Bans alone also are not enough. They must be part of a broader digital strategy that includes digital literacy, inclusive pedagogy and family engagement.
Recent studies even suggest that reducing phone use may be more effective than total abstinence. In Germany, an experiment found that cutting use by one hour per day produced stronger, longer-lasting mental health benefits than banning phones entirely.
A revolution with conditions
Smartphones are not going away. But in more and more classrooms, they are finally being put in their place: stored away, turned off and used only when truly needed for learning. They are not ever-present distractions, but used as occasional tools, deliberately and under guidance. It is a subtle but powerful shift and one that many believe is long overdue.
The differing conclusions in studies about when and how phones impact on learning do not lead to the need for technology to be dismissed; rather, they call for introducing intentional ‘friction’ to foster greater focus. In some low- and middle-income countries, for instance, mobile phones are still the only digital tool many students and teachers can access. For them, a ban could widen the digital divide rather than close it.
Discussions about when and how to restrict phone use in schools must therefore be sensitive to context, ensuring that efforts to protect learning time do not inadvertently cut off access to learning altogether. Balancing structure with flexibility, especially in under-resourced environments, remains a key challenge in this growing global movement.
Read part 1: The ‘quiet’ revolution in schools: more and more countries are locking up phones
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