Every so often an Education Secretary announces a ban on mobile phones in school (which always turns out to be guidance, not mandatory). It's a sort of non-policy, a statement for the purpose, in my opinion, of wanting to say something, anything.

The latest "crack-down" gives teachers perission to search pupils' bags, but as far as I recall they have had that right for a long time. So I think this is another non-policy announcement. Anyway, click that link to read the pdf.

My understanding is that most schools already have a mobile phone policy and a way of dealing with the issue.

I think there are huge benefits of allowing, or even encouraging, pupils to use phones in lessons, in a controlled way.

My research is a bit old now but still interesting (a bit like me in fact), and this article isn't bad: Why students should be allowed to use cell phones in class.

I know there are studies purporting to show that phones reduce academic progress, but I think you have to look beneath the headlines to find out what's actually going on.

A good example of this occurred a few years ago. The headlines rang out: ban phones for best results. But when you looked at the actual research, it was a more nuanced picture. In some groups of students, phones held them back, while in others the use of phones enhanced their learning.

This sort of thing happens a lot, and not just in the realm of using phones in classrooms. In due course it will happen with AI: some research will show that some students use AI well while others use it badly, with the result that the former students will fall behind. Look out for the headlines that only report that, followed by the usual poliutican panic, soundbite and crackdown.

I sometimes wonder if I am just too cynical.

A more detailed version of this article originally appeared in Digital Education, my free newsletter.

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