{"id":78453,"date":"2025-10-02T00:33:47","date_gmt":"2025-10-02T04:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=78453"},"modified":"2025-10-02T00:33:47","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T04:33:47","slug":"many-us-states-are-rethinking-how-students-use-cellphones-%e2%88%92-but-digital-tech-still-has-a-place-in-the-classroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/many-us-states-are-rethinking-how-students-use-cellphones-%e2%88%92-but-digital-tech-still-has-a-place-in-the-classroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Many US states are rethinking how students use cellphones \u2212 but digital tech still has a place in the classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Across the United States, more schools are implementing policies restricting cellphones as concerns about\u00a0digital distraction<\/a>,\u00a0mental health<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0academic performance<\/a>\u00a0rise.<\/p>\n

The scale of the issue is significant. According to a 2023 report from\u00a0Common Sense Media<\/a>, 97% of students between the ages of 11 and 17 use their cellphones at least once during the school day. These students spend a median of 43 minutes online each day during school hours. Social media, YouTube and gaming were the students\u2019 top cellphone uses.<\/p>\n

Schools have already begun taking action. Data from the\u00a0National Center for Education Statistics<\/a>\u00a0published in 2025 shows that 77% of public schools ban cellphones during classes. Thirty-eight percent of schools have cellphone policies that restrict use outside of class as well \u2013 including during free periods, between classes or during extracurricular activities.<\/p>\n

Policymakers in different states and educators in school districts across the country are putting into place a variety of solutions. Some rely on partial restrictions, while others enforce complete bans.<\/p>\n

Many are still searching for the balance between technology access and minimizing distraction.<\/p>\n

What is clear, however, is that cellphones have become one of the central issues shaping today\u2019s classroom environment.<\/p>\n

The role of technology in the classroom<\/strong><\/h4>\n

As researchers and professors who study\u00a0the integration of technology<\/a>\u00a0for\u00a0teaching and learning<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 and who are also parents of school-aged children \u2013 we firmly believe that digital technologies are no longer optional add-ons. They have become indispensable in modern classrooms, acting as versatile instruments for instruction, collaboration and student engagement.<\/p>\n

Take, for example, the ongoing shift\u00a0from traditional paper textbooks to digital ones<\/a>. This transformation has broadened access and created new opportunities for\u00a0interactive, personalized learning<\/a>. Abundant evidence demonstrates the\u00a0positive effects of technology<\/a>\u00a0in supporting students\u2019 engagement in class and their academic performance.<\/p>\n

Students\u2019 access to digital devices has improved significantly as schools across the United States continue investing in technology infrastructure. A\u00a02023 report from the National Center for Education Statisitics<\/a>\u00a0indicates that 94% to 95% of public schools now provide devices to students who need them \u2013 although disparities exist between states.<\/p>\n

A growing number of districts are adopting\u00a01:1 initiatives<\/a>, ensuring that every student has access to a personal device such as a laptop or tablet. These initiatives accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic made clear the need for reliable access to learning technologies in schools for all students. They highlight the central role technology now plays in shaping everyday classroom instruction.<\/p>\n

These technologies hold great educational potential. Yet, when not integrated thoughtfully and regulated effectively, they can inadvertently reduce focus and undermine learning.<\/p>\n

Our recent\u00a0systematic review on digital distraction in classrooms<\/a>, which synthesized 26 empirical studies, finds three main drivers of distraction among students:<\/p>\n