23. Why Ban Phones? A Data Deep Dive.

In this episode, Derek reviews the research literature on the effects of implementing a personal-devices policy in schools; and then Rob joins the conversation to talk the things that staff, students, and parents want a phone ban to achieve -- and they're not the same!

If you're interested in surveying your stakeholders, reach out!

Below is a brief bibliography of the studies references in the episode.

• Abrahamsson, S. (2024). Smartphone bans, student outcomes, and mental health. NHH Dept. of Economics Discussion Paper No. 01. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4735240

• Adams, M. (2019). Threading the Cyber-Needle: protecting children by banning smartphones in school while still embracing technology. U. Pac. L. Rev., 51, 245. (https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1243&context=uoplawreview)

• Beland, L. P., & Murphy, R. (2016). Ill communication: technology, distraction & student performance. Labour Economics, 41, 61-76. (https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/62574/1/dp1350.pdf)

• Böttger, T., & Zierer, K. (2024). To ban or not to ban? A rapid review on the impact of smartphone bans in schools on social well-being and academic performance. Education Sciences, 14(8), 906. (https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/14/8/906)

• Campbell, M., Edwards, E. J., Pennell, D., Poed, S., Lister, V., Gillett-Swan, J., ... & Nguyen, T. A. (2024). Evidence for and against banning mobile phones in schools: A scoping review. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 34(3), 242-265. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/20556365241270394)

• Doffing, E. (2018). Effective Technology Policies: How To Create And Implement An Effective Policy For Personal Devices In Secondary Schools.

• Dontre, A. J. (2021). The influence of technology on academic distraction: A review. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 3(3), 379-390.

• Figlio, D. N., & Özek, U. (2025). The Impact of Cellphone Bans in Schools on Student Outcomes: Evidence from Florida (No. w34388). National Bureau of Economic Research. (https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w34388/w34388.pdf)

• Kessel, D., Hardardottir, H. L., & Tyrefors, B. (2020). The impact of banning mobile phones in Swedish secondary schools. Economics of Education Review, 77, 102009. (https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm?abstractid=3617386)

• King, D. L., Radunz, M., Galanis, C. R., Quinney, B., & Wade, T. (2024). “Phones off while school's on”: Evaluating problematic phone use and the social, wellbeing, and academic effects of banning phones in schools. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 13(4), 913-922. (https://akjournals.com/downloadpdf/view/journals/2006/13/4/article-p913.pdf)

• McCoy, B. R. (2020). Gen Z and digital distractions in the classroom: Student classroom use of digital devices for non-class related purposes. (https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1118&context=journalismfacpub)

• Rahali, M., Kidron, B., & Livingstone, S. (2024). Smartphone policies in schools: What does the evidence say?. (https://eprints.lse.ac.uk/125554/1/Smartphone_policies_in_schools_Rahali_et_al_2024_002_.pdf)

• Selwyn, N., & Aagaard, J. (2021). Banning mobile phones from classrooms—An opportunity to advance understandings of technology addiction, distraction and cyberbullying. British journal of educational technology, 52(1), 8-19. (https://pure.au.dk/portal/files/285092954/Banning_mobile_phones_from_classrooms_accepted_manuscript_2020.pdf)

• Toth, D. M. (2022). Ohio principals with students in grades 6 through 12 and their perceptions and procedures on student cell phone use within their schools. Youngstown State University. (https://etd.ohiolink.edu/acprod/odb_etd/ws/send_file/send?accession=ysu1646989570155478&disposition=inline)