Marin Strisik ’26
In an age where smartphones are seemingly glued to students’ hands, the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning at St. Andrew’s undertook a bold experiment. What happens when students are separated from their phones for an entire school day? A recent CTTL study showed how removing digital distractions could significantly boost academic focus and enhance social interactions.
The CTTL conducted the study during the week of March 11-15 to help answer the question, “How does the presence and use of cell phones impact a student’s academic focus, achievement, community and peer engagement, and mental health?”
All CTTL fellows were required to participate, and 50 other students volunteered to participate, making a total of 63 participants: 36.6% were 11th graders, 28.9% were 12th graders, 26.3% were 10th graders, and 7.9% were 9th graders.
Students taking part in the study put their phones in a locked box before morning meeting at 8:45 am and did not have access to their cell phones until the end of the day.
The CTTL fellows conducted data on how not having a cell phone during the day impacted the students in different ways, including focus, social interaction, motivation, academic performance, and overall health and well-being.
Many students reported that not having access to their phones during the school day significantly increased their focus and attention, and they were able to have more productive study halls, ultimately suggesting that not having access to cell phones throughout the day has a positive impact on student learning.
Photograph by the CTTL
Here are some highlights from the anonymous student feedback about the study:
“The CTTL and school should work to create better habits to teach students to regulate their own cell phone usage. That would be ideal, but I also understand that many students need help and restrictions to ensure they are getting work done and not using their phones.”
“It was harder to not have my phone because a lot of the things I had gotten used to as a student, such as music and brain breaks, weren’t available. Most of the time during my study halls or office hours, I found it harder to focus.”
“I became more engaged with my friends and more attentive in my classes.”
“I realized that it was easier to transition to my school work when I got home or afterschool. When I got my phone after school and started to go on social media, I realized how useless is was and I was getting nothing out of it.”
“I will continue to limit the amount of time spent on my cell phone to ensure that I am present and engaged with friends and in class everyday.”
“I feel more focused in classes and on assignments. I am able to concentrate on my work and overall performance in school.”
“When my phone is absent, I become present,” said sophomore Piers Shortell.
Research conducted across the U.S strongly supports the SAES student’s feelings. For example, a study conducted by the London School of Economics found that banning mobile phones in schools significantly improves students’ academic performance. They examined schools in four cities in England before and after the ban of cell phones. They found that student test scores improved by 6.4% following the ban, with the most significant gains observed among low-achieving students.
Additionally, a study published in the Journal of Educational Psychology disclosed that students who were prohibited from using their phones during class showed higher levels of concentration and engagement. This increased focus translated to better retention of information and higher grades.
Further supporting this, a 2018 study by the University of Chicago revealed that just having a smartphone within reach, even if it is turned off, can reduce cognitive capacity and decrease attention span. Removing phones entirely allowed students to perform better on tasks requiring full concentration.
“I’ve realized how reliant I am on my phone,” said sophomore Chrissy Graves.
Despite the benefits of not having access to the phone, many students also gave the feedback that phones are necessary to have during the day for many different reasons, including taking pictures, submitting assignments, engaging with Canvas and Gmail, listening to music, and contacting parents.
As St. Andrew’s continues to consider how to best approach the issue of phones in school, ongoing feedback and flexibility will be key to ensuring that the policies effectively support students’ personal and educational needs.
According to the CTTL Research Study, 33 out of 38 students believed that the current policy should be kept, meaning students are not allowed to use their phones in the main building but do have access to them in the Student Center.
The head of the research study, Mr. Whitman, said that the policy is moving towards, “not seeing, hearing, or using your mobile devices on this campus from morning meeting to your last class,” and that you must get adult permission to use it.
“We are an academic oriented institution,” said Mr. Whitman.
According to Head of Upper School, Ms. Cobb, there will soon be a discussion with parents about possible changes to cell-phone policy for next year.
Header Image by Miles Hansen ’24