Mobile phones can make students smarter, new research shows

Smartphones can improve academic performance when used appropriately, according to new research by a Finnish university.

Just weeks after the Education Secretary for England, Gavin Williamson, issued guidance to ban the use of mobile phones in schools, research from the Aalto University School of Business found that their use can positively impact educational achievement in universities.

The findings fly in the face of popular belief that smartphones are a distraction, can lead to mental health problems and divert young people away from their studies.

Mr Williamson wants to ban mobile phones in schools in England as part of a consultation on behaviour and discipline in schools. He said “Mobile phones are not just distracting, but when misused or overused, they can have a damaging effect on a pupil’s mental health and well-being. I want to put an end to this, making the school day mobile-free.”

However, the Finnish study, conducted by academics Yanqing Lin, Professor Yong Liu, Wenjie Fan, Professor Virpi Kristiina Tuunainen, and Professor Shengli Deng, found that the use of mobile learning applications stifles feelings of nomophobia — the fear of being parted from your device.

“Mobile learning acts as part of studying that is practical and compulsory, therefore it is not considered ‘fun’ for most people, which contrasts other apps such as social media. For this reason, users are not going to be distracted from studying, or end up procrastinating,” Ms. Lin said.

Even though the university used in the study did not have any official online e-learning or mobile learning platform, students would often create class groups on social media to share learning materials and exchange information without any official supervision or management.

However, the researchers warned that other, non-learning, mobile applications like social media could trigger nomophobia, as their use is more internalised.

“The more time users spend on entertainment apps relates to the level of nomophobia they experience, which in turn alters sleep habits. Changed sleep habits subsequently affect a student’s academic performance,” Professor Liu said.

The researchers believe that the simple change of not using a smartphone before bed should alleviate any adverse effects on students’ academic performance.

The study was conducted on 10,000 participants and was published in Computers in Human Behavior journal.