Caring for the Anxious Generation: Implementing a Cell Phone Ban in a Large Urban District

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:45 pm - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Imagining Digital Futures: AI, Cell Phones, and Technology Policy in the Digital Age of Schooling

Abstract

States, districts, and schools are passing policies banning cell phones in the classroom with increasing frequency. However, there is little empirical research on the implementation or impact of these bans. Using student surveys and semi-structured interviews with school leaders and teachers from a large, urban West Coast school district, we find that while bans generally reduce distractions, students desire policy flexibility. Teachers need support in implementation to ensure fidelity and no loss of instructional time. Inconsistent discipline data collection across schools hinders empirical evaluation of policy efficacy and disproportionality in disciplinary actions. Thus, we offer policy recommendations including standardizing violation data and shifting enforcement burdens from teachers to administrators to improve consistency and preserve instructional time.

Authors

• Anna Kushner, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Jordan Vossen, Independent Researcher

• Nathan Johnson, Independent Researcher