There's no doubt that smartphones have remarkable capabilities which, in theory, could promote student learning. But the truth is that kids - in spite of the best efforts of parents and teachers - use their phones primarily to access digital amusements. ... It's therefore not surprising that a recent London School of Economics study found that schools which ban the use of phones experienced a substantial improvement in student test scores, with the researchers concluding that phones ''can have a negative impact on productivity through distraction''. Researchers found that phones hurt vulnerable students the most. Study co-author Dr. Richard Murphy, an assistant professor of economics at the University of Texas, reports: ''Allowing phones into schools would be the most damaging to low-achieving and low-income students, exacerbating any existing learning inequalities.''
This article was published online by The Huffington Post on April 12, 2016
Link to article here
Related publications
'Ill communication: technology, distraction and student performance', Louis-Philippe Beland and Richard Murphy, Centre for Economic Performance Discussion Paper No.1350, May 2015
In brief... Phone home: should mobiles be banned in schools?, Louis-Philippe Beland and Richard Murphy. Article in CentrePiece Volume 20, Issue 1, Summer 2015
Related links
Richard Murphywebpage
Education and Skills Programme webpage
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