As school districts across the United States find academic and social success with campus cell phone bans, ISB is now beginning to convene a committee of stakeholders to determine how to implement a similar restriction at ISB, Dean of Students Andy Vaughan tells PantherNation.
In addition to many American jurisdictions, “New Zealand has banned phones,” says Mr. Vaughan. “Most of the states in Australia have banned phones. We’ve looked at other international schools, and many international schools are moving to banning phones or heavily limiting their use. I talked to the American school in Monterrey [Mexico]. They banned it at the start of the school year, and they say it’s changed so much of the fabric of their school in terms of kids getting on much better. They have way less discipline issues.”
Mr. Vaughan says cell phones detract from the student experience both academically and socially, even if they don’t necessarily realize it themselves. Students “will end up with a free block, and I think [many] students spend a chunk of that free block on their phone as opposed to getting work done,” he says. He believes students could get much more done during the school day than they currently are.
As ISB decides to explore this issue, the U.S. already has made significant changes. Imagine entering a classroom where everyone communicates, learns, and has fun, free from distractions and the constant desire to use their cell phones. This has been a growing movement in the U.S.
According to the the Harvard Gazette, 77% of U.S. schools have implemented restrictions or banned cell phones for nonacademic use. The state of Florida was the first to implement this ban, making it active in May 2023. Since then, educators report safer learning environments, and 76% of teachers report better academic engagement.
Map of the United States (States that have implemented cellphone bans/restrictions are highlighted yellow).
Cell phones are linked to reduced attention and lower academic performance. So, how does this impact learning in ISB?
“I feel like it might be a little too distracting if [students] know their phones are next to them,” says Mr. Ram Mahadevan, a high school Computer Science and Cybersecurity teacher at ISB. Research shows that even when cell phones are in bags near students, they still cause distraction.
Mr. Vaughan notes that students’ desire to check their phones when they buzz has a physiological explanation. It “releases chemicals in your brains, these endorphins, to then want to go check it because of the satisfaction you get when you check it,” he says.
According to a New York Times survey, over 70% of high school teachers think cell phone distraction is a significant problem. But many students, of course, have a different view. “I believe students should have their phones at the school because it helps … communication between students and teachers, and it’s more reliable and convenient for everyone,” says ISB sophomore Colten Markley.
Mr. Ram also agrees that “[cell phones], if used in a responsible way, could actually enhance learning.” This is especially true in the arts, as Mr. Andrew Snook, an art teacher, explains how cell phones can be helpful in the classroom. “Phones can be beneficial, especially in art, when you need to take pictures of your artwork.”
Cell phones are mostly not allowed to be out in classes for ISB high school students unless a teacher makes an exception to allow cell phone use to benefit learning. But during lunchtimes and breaks, cell phone usage is allowed whenever students want.
Mr. Vaughan notes that when he sees students at lunch, many of them miss opportunities to engage with one another, as at least one person at each table is using a device: “The tables that laugh the most, and you see [having] the most connections and the most fun, are the tables that don’t have a phone,” he says, indicating that cell phones detract from critical social connections.
As the administration and stakeholders such as parents and students consider how ISB will tackle this problem, Mr. Vaughan explains the possibility of using Yondr pouches. The way they work is that students place their phones in them at the start of the school day and lock the pouches at a base magnetically as they enter campus. Students close and secure their Yondr pouch to keep it with them throughout the day, and then at the end of the day they tap their Yondr pouch on a base unit again to unlock it and retrieve their phone.
“We’ve got a pretty awesome student population,” says Mr. Vaughan, “but I think it would further help our students to be happier, and I think also would help us achieve our goals of being self-managing and engaging in better time management.”
