SMART
PHONES AND SCHOOL STUDENTS – POLITY
News:
More students using
smartphones for entertainment than study: survey
What
is in the news?
● Recently,
the State of Elementary Education in Rural India report revealed that more
students are using smartphones for entertainment purposes.
Key
details from the report about the access to smartphones:
● Around
49.3% of students in rural India have access to smartphones.
● But
76.7% of these students primarily use their phones for entertainment purposes,
such as playing video games and watching movies.
● Only
34% of smartphone-accessible students use their devices for study-related
downloads, while 18% access online learning through tutorials.
Advantages
of smartphone on students:
1.
Access to Information:
● Smartphones
offer students instant access to a vast pool of information and educational
resources.
● Over
80% of students in developed countries use smartphones to access educational
content.
2. Digital
Literacy:
● Smartphone
use fosters digital literacy, a crucial skill in today’s technology-driven
world.
● The
NEP (National Education Policy) in India emphasizes digital education and the
use of technology.
3. Post-COVID
Digital Age:
● Post-pandemic
there has been increased usage of smartphones owing to the widespread boom in
the edutech industry.
4. Diverse
learning opportunities:
● Smartphones
can provide diverse learning opportunities as there are a lot of subjects or
streams available online.
5. Flexibility
and Convenience:
● Smartphones
enable learning beyond traditional classroom hours and locations.
● In
countries like Finland, students are allowed to bring phones to class around
age 12, promoting flexible learning.
Disadvantages:
1.
Reduced Focus:
● Mere
proximity to smartphones can lead to distraction and reduced focus during
classes.
● Research
by the London School of Economics suggests that mobile phones can deter
academic performance.
2. Isolation:
● High
usage of smartphones will isolate the students from teachers and classmates.
3. Affects
mental health:
● Smartphone
addiction may impact the mental health of the students and reduce cognitive
activities.
4. Cyber
issues:
● Higher
usage of smartphones will push the students more vulnerable to cyber issues
like online fraud, cyber-attacks.
5. Distraction:
● Students
who spend more time on smartphones can be distracted.
● Lot
of distracted materials are available on the internet such as movies, games
etc.
6. Decline in
Face-to-Face Interaction:
● Increased
smartphone use can lead to reduced face-to-face interactions among students.
● UNESCO’s
recommendation to ban smartphones in schools aims to promote more meaningful
face-to-face interactions.
WAY
FORWARD:
1.
Parental monitoring:
● Parents
should periodically check the internet activities of the students till their
matured age.
2. UNESCO
recommendation for a universal ban and India’s approach to this issue:
● UNESCO
recommended that policymakers should take in mind the concern of students and
frame data protection laws keeping their health & security in mind.
● UNESCO
has suggested that mobile phones be banned during school hours.
● UNESCO
has suggested that bringing smartphones into schools increases the digital
divide among students belonging to various socio-economic backgrounds because
students with access to the latest expensive devices could experience an
advantage, while those with limited resources might feel left out or
stigmatized.
3. Awareness
promotion:
● Government
along with NGOs should promote awareness among the parents and students on the
regulated usage of smartphones.
4. Age
restriction:
● Incorporate
Age-Based Guidelines: Develop age-specific guidelines for smartphone use in
classrooms, taking into account developmental stages and potential
distractions.