Ban on smartphones during lessons is the simplest way to improve grades

A large-scale experiment involving more than 16,000 students has shown that banning smartphones in class significantly improves academic performance. This conclusion was reached by researchers from the University of Toronto and their Indian colleagues. The results have been published in the prestigious journal Science.

A team led by Alp Sungu conducted a randomized controlled study across ten universities in the Indian state of Odisha, where more than 70% of young people own smartphones. Throughout the experiment, the researchers tracked not only the academic performance of the 16,683 participants but also their motivation levels, psycho-emotional well-being, digital behavior patterns, and instances of online bullying. The results were telling: giving up gadgets in the classroom helped struggling students and freshmen the most, while the restriction had virtually no effect on high achievers and graduate students. Thus, the smartphone ban narrowed the grade gap, bringing weaker students closer to the level of stronger ones.

Another fact proved particularly noteworthy: class attendance rates remained unchanged. This means that the improvement in grades was not linked to forced presence in the classroom but rather to better concentration and more productive interaction with instructors. Observations of classrooms also recorded a decrease in off-topic conversations and serious disciplinary violations. "Students who faced the restrictions began to support the gadget ban themselves and noted its benefits for the learning process," Alp Sungu emphasized.

The impact of smartphones on cognitive abilities, mental health, and social skills of young people is a matter of serious concern among experts worldwide. Creating a focused, screen-free environment allows the brain to better absorb complex information, increases engagement in the learning process, and fosters healthy study habits.