This fact sheet is a snapshot of key data that explains why it is important to implement a strict cell phone policy. It also provides evidence of why it is important for all staff to support and enforce cell phone rules consistently. It is intended for school leaders to share with their staff when they need to reinforce the importance of their cell phone policy and consistent enforcement.
This fact sheet is a snapshot of key data that explains why it is important to implement a strict cell phone policy. It also provides evidence of why it is important for all staff to support and enforce cell phone rules consistently. It is intended for school leaders to share with their staff when they need to reinforce the importance of their cell phone policy and consistent enforcement.
This fact sheet is a snapshot of key data that explains why it is important to implement a strict cell phone policy. It also provides evidence of why it is important for all staff to support and enforce cell phone rules consistently. It is intended for school leaders to share with their staff when they need to reinforce the importance of their cell phone policy and consistent enforcement.
Removing cell phones benefits students
There is increasing evidence that simply having a phone nearby can reduce attention and performance in cognitive tasks. Studies have shown that just having a phone nearby can reduce âworking memoryâ capacity.
In New Zealand, removing cellphones from secondary schools has led to:
students being better able to focus on schoolwork (reported by around eight in ten leaders and teachers), and improved student achievement (reported by nearly two-thirds of teachers)
improved classroom behaviour (reported by more than three-quarters of teachers and leaders) and decreased bullying (reported by more than two-thirds of leaders).
âI love using my phone. It has everything on it. It's efficient. But with this ban, it taught me some restraint, and I would say that I am able to focus better because I can't use it. Iâve got to do my work now. It just taught me how to prioritise things better.â
â SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT
There is increasing evidence that simply having a phone nearby can reduce attention and performance in cognitive tasks. Studies have shown that just having a phone nearby can reduce âworking memoryâ capacity.
In New Zealand, removing cellphones from secondary schools has led to:
students being better able to focus on schoolwork (reported by around eight in ten leaders and teachers), and improved student achievement (reported by nearly two-thirds of teachers)
improved classroom behaviour (reported by more than three-quarters of teachers and leaders) and decreased bullying (reported by more than two-thirds of leaders).
âI love using my phone. It has everything on it. It's efficient. But with this ban, it taught me some restraint, and I would say that I am able to focus better because I can't use it. Iâve got to do my work now. It just taught me how to prioritise things better.â
â SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENT
Consistency from teachers matters
Overall compliance with cell phone rules increases when schools enforce the rules across all year levels, in all areas, at all times of the day. Secondary teachers and leaders are twice as likely (2.0 times) to say their students follow the rules consistently when rules are enforced to a great extent.
56 percent of secondary schools report high compliance from senior students when rules were enforced in bathrooms or other out-of-sight places.
Schools that did not enforce the rules in those areas had 30 percent compliance.
There are similar differences in compliance when schools enforce the rules when moving between classes, or at break times.
Schools that issue warnings or ask students to put phones away without confiscation see significantly lower compliance. When secondary schools tell senior students to put away their phone in response to rule-breaking, it halves the compliance of Year 12-13 students.
âSome teachers let students use their phones when the students don't have chrome books. This is very frustrating for the teachers who tell students they can't use their phones as it creates a situation where teachers are pitted against each other. Some teachers are âniceâ, âcoolâ, or âchillâ and let students use their phones, it makes those that don't let them seem too strict.â
Overall compliance with cell phone rules increases when schools enforce the rules across all year levels, in all areas, at all times of the day. Secondary teachers and leaders are twice as likely (2.0 times) to say their students follow the rules consistently when rules are enforced to a great extent.
56 percent of secondary schools report high compliance from senior students when rules were enforced in bathrooms or other out-of-sight places.
Schools that did not enforce the rules in those areas had 30 percent compliance.
There are similar differences in compliance when schools enforce the rules when moving between classes, or at break times.
Schools that issue warnings or ask students to put phones away without confiscation see significantly lower compliance. When secondary schools tell senior students to put away their phone in response to rule-breaking, it halves the compliance of Year 12-13 students.
âSome teachers let students use their phones when the students don't have chrome books. This is very frustrating for the teachers who tell students they can't use their phones as it creates a situation where teachers are pitted against each other. Some teachers are âniceâ, âcoolâ, or âchillâ and let students use their phones, it makes those that don't let them seem too strict.â
