Kids from coast to coast will find out today what it’s like to sit through an entire algebra class without checking Instagram.
Driving the news: Students in most Canadian provinces will return to school today with cell phone restrictions in place. The scope and severity of the phone bans vary by province, but the goal of the crackdown is the same: Stop students from scrolling during class time.
Why it’s happening: Educators say students have been far more attached to their devices since the pandemic, a trend they claim has led to worse marks, more behavioural issues, and a spike in cyberbullying.
Why it matters: Nearly a quarter of countries have now introduced a cell phone ban in classrooms, but studies on whether they actually work have produced a mixed bag of results.
- One analysis of cellphone bans around the world found that the evidence of the bans improving student performance or mental health was “weak and inconclusive.”
- A study from Spain found that test scores rose and cyberbullying incidents fell in regions with cell phone bans. Another from Norway found girls’ test scores improved after phones were banned but boys saw no change.
Bottom line: Widespread cell phone bans are relatively new and we don’t know how effective they are (if they are at all), but our very unscientific view is that the best way to learn math probably doesn’t involve scrolling on TikTok.—LA