Source: Education Review Office
ERO finds removing cell phones from the classroom has improved learning and reduced bullying – but only half of secondary students follow the rules.
Education Review Office’s (ERO) independent review has found that removing cell phones from the classroom has improved students’ learning. From Term 2 last year, students were required to keep their phones away during the school day.
“ERO has found that removing cell phones from the classroom has had a really positive impact on students’ learning” says Ruth Shinoda, Head of ERO’s Education Evaluation Centre.
- Eight in ten secondary teachers report removing phones has improved students’ focus on schoolwork.
- Two-thirds of secondary teachers report students’ achievement has improved.
“The good news is that removing cell phones from classrooms hasn’t just improved learning, it has also improved behaviour and reduced bullying,” Ms Shinoda says. “This means that teachers can spend more time on teaching and less on managing behaviour.”
- Three-quarters of secondary teachers report removing cell phones has improved student behaviour in the classroom.
- Two-thirds of secondary leaders say bullying has decreased.
- Teachers report students are now talking more and having good social interactions during breaks now that they aren’t on their phones.
These improvements are despite only half of secondary students following the rules. “Student compliance is an issue in secondary schools,” Ms Shinoda says. “ERO found less than 4 in 10 Year 12 and 13 students follow the rules.”
“School leaders and teachers have put in a lot of time and effort into getting cell phones put away,” says Ms Shinoda. “ERO found that strong teacher enforcement is the key to improving compliance and raising student outcomes.”
- When schools strongly enforce the rules, students’ compliance doubles and they are nearly twice as likely to improve their behaviour and reduce bullying.
- Tougher consequences like notifying parents also increases compliance and confiscating phones doubles students’ likelihood of improved focus in class and achievement.
ERO found parents need to do more to support schools in getting cell phones put away. “What is concerning is that the top reason students break the rules is to connect with their family – 3 in 5 rule-breakers do so for this reason,” says Ms Shinoda.
- When parents resist phone rules, students are almost twice as likely to break the rules.
There is further to go. Half of secondary teachers report wearable devices as a problem, and students can still use these and other devices to be distracted by social media in class.
ERO is recommending four things:
1.Keep the ‘Phones Away for the Day’ requirement – it is making a positive difference for students.
2.Increase compliance of secondary students by sharing with schools the approaches that work most.
3.Increase parents’ awareness of the benefits of removing cell phones (and other digital distractions) and how they can help.
4.Consider further action to remove other digital distractions (e.g. smartwatches) and reduce the potential harm of social media at school – learning from the experience of other countries.
From Term 2 2024, school boards must prohibit students from using or accessing cell phones during the school day. This includes break times, and off-site school activities or programmes. Schools need to allow exemptions in certain circumstances, including for health or learning support needs: Education (School Boards) Regulations
2020 (LI 2020/193) (as at 01 October 2024) 22 Duty to prohibit the use or
access of mobile phones – New Zealand Legislation
Education Review Office (ERO) research draws on:
- 10,700 survey responses from school leaders and teachers, board members, students, and parents and whānau, covering schools and students in Year 7 and above.
- Interviewing school leaders and teachers, board members, students, and parents and whānau through interviews and focus groups.
- National and international studies.
- Analysis of Board Assurance Statements.
- Insights from ERO school reviews.
