Critical Review of the Evidence For and Against the Phone Ban in French Schools

It has been just over one year since the French government passed what some call a "detox" law (Chrisafis 2018) prohibiting students in primary and middle schools from using their mobile phones on school grounds. This paper will briefly outline the arguments for and against banning mobile phones and will then critically review some of the research which these bans appear to be based upon. To conclude, some alternate forms of action will be discussed. 

The safety of students as well as their academic performance are arguably the two most supported reasons for banning cell phones. In 2007 a survey showed “youth who experienced traditional bullying or cyberbullying, as either an offender or a victim, had more suicidal thoughts and were more likely to attempt suicide than those who had not experienced such forms of peer aggression” (Hinduja 2010). The safety of students on- and offline is a priority in today’s technology-reliant society and many studies show the emotional toll mediums like social media have on the mental health of subscribers (Twenge, 2017). Other studies have been done to examine the academic realities of technology and cellphones on students. The Journal of Communication Education, stated that more specifically students without cellphone access “wrote down 62 percent more information in their notes, were able to recall more detailed information from class and scored a full letter grade-and-a-half higher on a multiple choice test than those who were actively using their mobile phones” (Kuzenkoff and Titsworth, 2013). Even the temptation of looking at cellphones caused a significant difference in performance according to a study by the University of Chicago (Hess, 2019). Contrastingly, according to one review of literature, cellphones are becoming known as the “swiss army knife” of technology due to the number of tools and apps they hold (Thomas, O’Bannon, and Bolton, 2013). In fact schools were finding their no-tolerance cellphone policies difficult to enforce so many teachers and principals found themselves looking to find educational uses for the technology (Higgins, 2013).

In 2015 the state of New York repealed a ten-year ban on cell phones in high schools prompting a study by Beland and Murphy (2016) looking for correlations between student academic performance and cell phone availability; interestingly they found that students at schools with a ban achieved higher test scores and “that low-achieving students are more likely to be distracted by the presence of mobile phones, while high achievers can focus in the classroom regardless of the mobile phone policy” (Beland and Murphy, 2016). Looking more closely at Beland and Murphy’s study into students’ test scores before and after cellphone policies were implemented in schools can perhaps give an impression of France’s motivation behind their recent ban on cellphones in schools. Looking at four high schools in London, Birmingham, Leicester, and Manchester, Beland and Murphy were not only able to view students’ test scores over time via the National Pupil Database (NPD), but were also privy to student characteristics such as gender, race, eligibility for free meals, and any special education needs. The researchers state, “Although we do not know which individuals owned mobile phones, it is reported that over 90% of teenagers owned a mobile phone during this period in England; therefore, any ban is likely to affect the vast majority of students” (Beland and Murphy, 2016). The study found that students’ scores improved in general 6.41% of a standard deviation, which the most impacted group of students being those coming from disadvantaged and low-achieving quintile. Interestingly, students in the highest quintile were found to be unaffected by the ban. Beland and Murphy then make the claim that “The results suggest that low-achieving students have lower levels of self-control and are more likely to be distracted by the presence of mobile phones, while high achievers can focus in the classroom regardless of the mobile phone policy” (2016), and suggest that schools could effectively close the wide achievement gap by banning cellphones in school. This alone could have appealed to the French government and enticed policymakers to enact the current ban.

The study by Beland and Murphy followed students in secondary school (age 11-16) and tracked their General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) scores across that time, these are high stakes assessments rather than everyday formative work samples, which could be a limitation of this study. Perhaps other factors such as hunger, extra-curricular activities, after-school jobs, test anxiety, or sleep deprivation, could have contributed to students’ test scores. As previously mentioned before the greatest benefactors of cellphone bans were those from disadvantaged and low-achieving backgrounds; is it really plausible that the only or highest impacting factor on the test scores of these students was their test scores? The researchers admitted to not having a way of knowing whether students did or did not own cellphones, couldn’t it be assumed that disadvantaged students would be among those who did not own a mobile phone? Beland and Murphy’s study followed students’ scores from 2001-2011. While the history of the smartphone can be tracked to the 1970s, the first iPhone was debuted by Steve Jobs in 2007 (Jackson, 2018). It could be argued that the findings from this study are starting to look outdated as the majority of the time-frame included in the data was pre- easy access internet, with only four years of the study taking place after the iPhone and Android phones were introduced to the public. The early prices of these devices would have also made it more unlikely that disadvantaged students could afford to own such a device. Research could potentially be done now and show how the access to the internet is just as effective in helping students learn as a ban was almost a decade ago when cellphones were still primarily used for calls, texts, and simple games. The study could also be criticized for its small sample of just four schools in England; is the data found an indicator of the more general public? Many would argue that more studies in other areas should be done before basing laws and policies on such evidence.

It is unclear whether the study by Beland and Murphy Ill Communication: Technology, Distraction & Student Performance was influential in the decision in France to ban cellphones from primary and secondary school students. However, their findings could be compelling if policymakers were looking for backing on distracted students and ways to close achievement gaps. Although there are some criticisms on Beland and Murphy’s study that would perhaps encourage follow-up studies to be done before policies were implemented, perhaps even comparison studies between schools who implemented bans and those who have policies outlining the use of mobile phones for specific tasks in schools. This type of research might be more beneficial to lawmakers around the globe in deciding how cellphones should be treated in various levels of schooling.

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References

Beland, L.P. and Murphy, R. (2016). Ill communication: technology, distraction & student performance. Labour Economics, 41, pp.61-76.

Chrisafis, A. (2018.) French school students to be banned from using mobile phones. The guardian [online]. 7 June. [Viewed 4 November 2019]. Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/07/french-school-students-to-be-banned-from-using-mobile-phones

Higgins, J. (2013). More schools use cellphones as learning tools. USA Today. 7 August.

Hinduja, S. and Patchin, J. (2010). Bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. Archives of suicide research, 14(3), pp.206-221.

Jackson, K. (2018). A brief history of the smartphone. Science node [online]. July 2018. [Viewed 27 November 2019]. Available from: https://sciencenode.org/feature/How%20did%20smartphones%20evolve.php

Kuznekoff, J.H. and Titsworth, S. (2013). The impact of mobile phone usage on student learning. Communication Education, 62(3), pp.233-252.

Twenge, J.M. (2017). Have smartphones destroyed a generation? The Atlantic [online]. September 2017 Issue. [Viewed 19 November 2019]. Available from: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/

Great North Museum Visit

Today's visit to the Great North Museum (Hancock Museum) on Newcastle University campus was really enjoyable. It was great to be there at the same time as a primary school class as well as during a "under 5s" visit. Seeing the museum take such a proactive role in providing engaging educational experiences to learners so young and starting to foster a love for learning through enquiry and discovery was excellent. As a teacher who has been on many a school field trip to museums I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of interactives the museum offered for their visitors of any age. See some of what I captured in the pictures and videos below.

Learn about the animals in the displays before you with this touch screen interactive interface. 

Play a matching game while learning about Ancient Egypt.

By clicking the button on the blue box, you can sit and enjoy a Greek myth via audio player.

Hear the songs of each specific bird.

These reader-friendly posters provide quick, prioritized information, keeping the short attention span of learners engaged.

Another interactive touch-screen medium for students to learn about social roles in Ancient Egypt.

Who doesn't love a dinosaur?

One of many interactives regarding Hadrian's wall.

Digital butterfly wall, design your own and learn about existing butterflies.

Exhibit shows every fort on Hadrian's Wall and includes interactives on many. Click through the information for quick, concise learning.

Learners can see real-life examples about camouflage and animal adaptations at the museum. 

Learn about specific ecosystems and environments local to the area with another touch-screen interactive.

Watch or read a video--enabled with captions and Sign interpreting for learners with disabilities.

Now, one might argue that in an ever evolving world of technology, it is necessary for learning centers such as museums to involve interactives in order to engage young learners; but are these interactives enough? Do they keep students engaged for the duration of their visit? The Great North Museum goes a step further and offers educational materials to help bridge the gap between school and the exhibit. Specifically, for their Ancient Greek exhibit they have partnered with schools and national curriculum developers to produce a booklet of lesson plans the teachers can access to lead up or follow a museum visit, making their journey to the museum purposeful. They also promote the "I see, I notice, I wonder" enquiry experience for classes (see image below).

 

Teachers can also access virtual tours to exhibits not found physically in the museum, but owned by the museum, which can be done at school and integrated into a lesson. To keep up with fast-paced technology development and the call to integrate technology, real-world experiences, and other subject areas educators are needing to be more "creative". In their paper Learning from Creative Teachers authors Danah Henriksen and Punya Mishra state that "teaching practice can only be creative when it's always evolving" (2013). This ties in to a quote by John Dewey who said something to the effect of, "If we teach today as we taught yesterday, we rob our children of tomorrow." Museums face the same struggles teachers do in maintaining students' attention and engagement. 

One idea I thought of that could potentially add to the learning experience is if museums had a small "classroom" for visiting classes to use during their day-long visit. Students could start or end in the classroom after doing some exploring and discovery learning in the main museum space. The classroom could be utilized to create a craft or art piece, show dramatizations students create, create poems or short stories based on their discoveries, etc. It would break down the day, give students a change (and a place) to reflect on their experience, and give them a purpose. It takes the lesson plan book that is already provided for Ancient Greece to the next level. There are logistical problems such as if supplies are needed does the museum supply them or the teacher, space for multiple class visits in a day, etc., but it could help solve the problem of students losing interest halfway through the trip. 

I thoroughly enjoyed today's visit and think the staff at the Great North Museum are doing a fantastic job!

References:

Henriksen, D. and Mishra, P., 2013. Learning from creative teachers. Educational Leadership, 70(5), pp.123-146.

Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning: An International Handbook: Ch. 1 - Mobile Digital Games as an Educational Tool in K-12 Schools

As an elementary school teacher in the 21st century there is a significant amount of pressure from parents, administration, and even students to not just implement, but to integrate technology into the curriculum. In fact, as a teacher in a Utah school district part of my yearly performance assessment was to prove how my students were "effectively" using education. I was teaching in a school that had a 1:1 student to Chromebook ratio and it was expected for students to reach various benchmarks regarding the use of technology; even the end of year state-mandated exams were given via computer starting in grade 3. 

Image from https://www.getnclass.com/3-surprising-ways-to-keep-students-focused-using-technology/

While using the computers regularly, even daily, in class never lost its luster, tedious practices such as typing exercises certainly did. I learned quickly that finding a fun alternative for math, literacy, and even typing going to be key in keeping students engaged in learning. For this reason, I chose to read the chapter titled "Mobile Digital Games as an Educational Tool in K-12 Schools" from the book Mobile and Ubiquitous Learning: An International Handbook to blog about this week.

Right out the gate the authors of this chapter state the importance of teachers who can adapt and adjust their pedagogies to accommodate new technologies. They also don't waste time stating the benefits of using games in the classroom by saying that "[a]ccording to Deubel's study (2006), mobile digital game-based learning (a) provides deep engagement, (b) offers motivation for persistence in learning, (c) enables customized learning experiences, and (d) promotes long-term and working memories" (Crompton et al. 2018). As an educator I can personally attest to each of these benefits. Whether my students were practicing literacy skills on Lexia, practicing math skills with Freckle, practicing their keyboarding while racing against friends on NitroType, or learning to code with code.org, my students were highly engaged and highly motivated; as a teacher I loved that many of the games my students could access at school (whether assigned or free-choice) offered differentiation--every student could work on his/her own level and master skills they most needed; which is argued in the chapter as one of the greatest benefits of digital games in learning.

On Freckle students work on their own levels to earn coins they can then spend in the "store" to buy items for their pet mascots. Time spent in the "store" was limited to 2 minutes, allowing for a time to reward their work by redeeming earned coins, but not allowing a waste of learning time. Students can work on math, reading comprehension, social studies, and science. (image from freckle.com)

 

The chapter also advocates the development of "critical twenty-first century skills that are imperative for real-world success" (Crompton et al. 2018). I noticed at the beginning of the year students struggled with more than just keyboarding, but with critical computer skills such as double-clicking, drag-and-drop, highlighting text, and scrolling, among others. Many games provide a friendly, engaging format for students to practice these skills, which were needed for my students to take their end of year state exam, in a low pressure way.

Benefits of digital games aside, the chapter also recognizes key features of successful educational games which include taking into account the age, gender, competitiveness, etc. of players, any special needs, the role of the teacher; as well as clear rules, choice and chance elements, goals, immediate feedback, and evaluation to name a few (Crompton et al. 2018). It is up to the teacher to choose which games will be used how, meaning to meet which learning goals specifically. One suggestion I liked that was given was to have the students revisit and reflect on what they have learned by using various games, and the authors put forward the cruciality of student reflection as it allows them to fully engage. 

Regarding students' cognitive development the chapter indicates that mobile digital games will enhance learners' memory capacities (short-term, long-term, and working) as well as logical reasoning. This is because players are required to memorize rules, functions, sequences and more to complete tasks in the games they engage. In addition, digital gaming is much faster paced than "regular play", requiring students to work and react quickly, strategize, and think ahead. 

As a student, teacher, and in my personal life I have learned to use collaborative documents via technology such as GoogleSlides or Google Docs. Crompton et al. have not left the benefits to students' collaborative skill enhancement out of their persuasive defense of digital games. In fact, they state, "The nature of digital games includes (a) the opportunity to act out a role, (b) being a member of a group, and (c) making decisions within predominant values and attitudes in a society; digital games can enhance learners' social skill development." 

Image from https://www.beloitdailynews.com/front_page_slider/20171122/collaboration_helps_kids_learn_new_skills

 In case you are worried you can't find a way to integrate games into your curriculum, the chapter goes on to break down mobile digital games in specific subject areas such as science, history, math, art, and literature and language. In the end the authors instruct educators that to be successful in utilizing games, there still needs to be a connection to the lesson objective, but the argument is well laid out prior to the conclusion: mobile digital games are absolutely beneficial and worth the use in any educational situation.

References

Crompton, H., Lin, Y., Burke, D., and Block, A. (2018). Mobile digital games as an educational tool in K-12 schools. In: S. Yu, M. Ally, and A. Tsinakos, eds. Mobile and ubiquitous learning: An international handbook. Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore Pte. Ltd. pp. 3-18.

How Do You Learn?

Online. Offline. Behaviorism. Cognitivism. Just a few trigger words when discussing how individuals learn. The purpose of this essay is to take a reflective and introspective look at how I have learned, currently learn, and hopefully, will learn taking into account my Personal Learning Network (PLN) and different learning theories.

One of the first activities I took part in beginning my graduate studies was to create a Personal Learning Network; a web connecting me to all the different mediums of learning. Upon reflection of my PLN, I found, as did all of my classmates, that there was a divide in our networks which we classified as online and offline learning. Quoting Richardson and Mancabelli online, the University of Southampton states:

In our PLNs, we learn what we want to learn using the vast resources and people online (or off) that can help us learn it. Each of our networks is unique, created and developed to our personalised learning goals that evolve and grow throughout our lives. (2017)

Classified as a ‘millennial’, it came as no surprise that my own PLN was made up of a majority of online resources; Google, Siri, TedTalks, BBC News, Netflix, YouTube, Facebook, to name just a few. In fact, I didn’t realize just how internet-dependent I had become and I had to question whether that was a “lesser way” of learning. Did it count as learning if I wasn’t memorizing or remembering facts I was exposing myself to? Even skills that I learned offline have become relevant online, such as reading articles online for classes rather than out of a physical book. However, in a world where access to information is so available, I’ve decided that learning to find information is just as valuable as knowing the information from memory.

            In terms of offline resources my PLN contained three main types: physical print (books, newspapers, magazines, etc.), people, and experiences. I started creating my PLN by asking myself who I turn to for help—professors, friends, parents, siblings, coaches, all came to mind. Additionally, I have always enjoyed reading and even now prefer holding a book in my hand to reading on my phone or computer. When reviewing my PLN for class I wrote:

…life experiences shape our learning and should be, in my opinion, heavily included in our PLNs. My life wouldn't be the same if I hadn't lived and taught in Mexico, where I experienced a huge learning curve in terms of language and culture. Work experience shapes our knowledge as well…” (Tolbert 2019a).

While so much of my PLN is an online resource, I think I still find my offline resources more valuable to my life and learning.

Reviewing past learning theories has helped me in identifying how I learned as a child. On my blog Ed Thoughts, I shared an image that put the four main learning theories (behaviorism, cognitivism, constructivism, and connectivism) on a timeline (Tolbert 2019b). Although Behaviorism was taken over by Cognitivism in the early 20^th century and both peaked in popularity before I was born, aspects of my education carry qualities of both learning theories. For example in a presentation on these learning theories given by Professor James Stanfield a table showed the type of learning to best describe Behaviorism was task-based learning (2019, slide 19) which was very apparent in my elementary school years. However, at the age of ten I was selected to take part in a “Gifted and Talented” program in my school district which was meant to provide challenge and “new style” learning to high achieving students. This “new style” was very cognitivist in its approach, focusing on reasoning and problem solving (Stanfield 2019, slide 19). “According to Piaget (1958), …problem-solving skills cannot be taught, they must be discovered” which is why Piaget suggested learning required an active participant. He argued that children learn in developmental stages and that they “should not be taught certain concepts until they have reached the appropriate stage of cognitive development” (McLeod 2018). I often wonder if the characteristics of these early learning theories being evident in my education originated from the age of my teachers, the fact I was living in a small, rural town, or my own development at the time. Regardless, in many ways this gave me an advantage to learning in middle- and high-school where more responsibility of learning fell to the students to think critically and problem solve. This shift in learning styles continued as I went through high school and entered university for the first time.

It was while pursuing my teaching degree that I really experienced learning as a social construct, a main quality of the Constructivist learning theory; however, by this point I was also learning largely using online resources, relying less and less on teachers and professors imparting their knowledge, a quality of Connectivism. Looking back at my PLN I’ve decided that I don’t want to lose the importance of reading printed books and that I do want to try to expand my PLN by learning new skills/hobbies, reading blogs related to my interests written by people with experience in their specific field/craft, and stay open to experiences. The notion of digital literacy, social networking, and learning from experience really shaped how I learn now as an adult, and how I my own role as a teacher was informed and influenced. I anticipate my learning in the future will follow this pattern as I am in deep agreement with the idea that “people construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world, through experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences” (Stanfield 2019b), but I cannot deny the importance of connecting oneself to networks both on and offline.

Word count: 948

References

Inhelder, B. and Piaget, J., 1958. The growth of logical thinking from childhood to adolescence: An essay on the construction of formal operational structures (Vol. 22). Psychology Press.

McLeod, S. (2018). Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development [online]. SimplyPsychology. [Viewed 27 October 2019]. Available from: https://www.simplypsychology.org/piaget.html

           
Richardson, W. and Mancabelli, R., 2011. Personal learning networks: Using the power of connections to transform education. Solution Tree Press.

Stanfield, J. (2019a). Lecture 2: Theories of learning part 1 [PowerPoint presentation]. EDU8213, Future of Learning. 8 October. [Accessed 27 October 2019]. Available from: https://blackboard.ncl.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_91245_1&content_id=_3993101_1

Stanfield, J. (2019b). Lecture:Theories of Learning Part II [PowerPoint presentation]. EDU8213, Future of Learning. 15 October. [Accessed 27 October 2019]. Available from: https://blackboard.ncl.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_91245_1&content_id=_3993102_1

Tolbert, C. (2019a). My personal learning network. Ed Thoughts [online]. 3 October 2019. [Viewed 27 October 2019]. Available from: https://futureoflearning2019.blogspot.com/2019/10/my-personal-learning-network.html

Tolbert, C. (2019b). Is connectivism as a learning theory bogus? Ed thoughts [online]. 16 October 2019. [Viewed 27 October 2019]. Available from: https://futureoflearning2019.blogspot.com/