Report claims exam results improve with school ban on mobile phones

A report by the London School of Economics found that a ban on mobile phones in schools can positively impact exam results. The authors argue that despite the benefits mobile technology offers, phones are often a distraction for young people and can reduce productivity. Schools in four British cities were monitored and results showed that exam results increased by 6% in schools that had introduced bans on mobile phones. Low-achieving and low-income students were found to benefit most from a ban. The authors suggest that banning mobile phones equates to students having an extra hour a week in school. FK&Y’s research for the educational charity Techknowledge for Schools (previously Tablets for Schools) has found that in schools that are using one-to-one mobile devices for learning, teachers need to manage the possibility for distraction. These schools also feel that learning how to regulate the use of technology is a crucial skill for young people to learn.