Phones in class: learning tool or digital distraction?

The ban on cellphones in all high schools and elementary schools takes effect in September 2025. It has prompted many reactions among young people in recent weeks. The cellphone is a very useful tool in everyday life. It also has several consequences, however. Here is an overview of the advantages and drawbacks of using one in class.

Advantages:

• Makes educational resources easier to reach

• Supports student engagement in the learning process [2]

When it comes to educational resources, the cellphone gives students fast access to a number of tools. These include the dictionary, text-to-speech, word prediction, translators and assisted reading. Students can use these tools in a wide variety of everyday situations. Some of the functions mentioned above can readily be replaced by paper tools. For others, though, it is harder to find an alternative as effective as the technology.

Student engagement is also an important subject when discussing academic success. A 2023 study [4] was carried out with students in Bandung. It examines how online platforms influence academic achievement. The results show that these digital tools help students engage. They also have a positive effect on their academic results. Using digital tools reachable through a cellphone therefore has several positive effects in a learning context.

Drawbacks

• A source of distraction [5]

• Reduced comprehension of a text on screen

• Cyberbullying

Using a cellphone in class also has several harmful effects. Among them, it is a significant source of distraction. According to the INSPQ, simply having a phone near a student, even switched off, can impair their working memory and hinder learning. Its mere presence distracts students in class, because the student associates it with quick browsing, missed messages or texts waiting to be sent.

As for reading on screens, "every study reviewed shows that reading leads to a drop in comprehension of a text compared with the same document on paper". This is explained by the fact that reading on a digital device places more demand on the eyes and makes visual landmarks harder to establish, which takes more effort than reading on paper. On a paper page, you touch the pages, and that simple action provides sensory stimulation that already contributes to learning.

Finally, as for cyberbullying, it is a problem "associated with the democratization of communication technologies and the use of social media" [6]. It often arises because some people feel more powerful or more protected behind a screen than in face-to-face interactions. Fostering a positive school climate and a sense of safety at school could go a long way toward reducing the problem. That is why many believe a complete ban on cellphones in class could play an important role in reducing cyberbullying.

Conclusion

In the end, there are several advantages and drawbacks, supported by various studies, that speak to the importance of having access to a cellphone — or of not using one — in a school setting.

At Succès Académique, we encourage students to take an active part in sessions and to use their electronic devices thoughtfully and purposefully. Some exercises may call for them, but they can also be a major distraction if they are close at hand and used for anything other than learning.

[1] ICI.Radio-Canada.ca, Z. P.-. (2025, May 1). Québec interdira le cellulaire dans toutes les écoles dès septembre. Radio-Canada. Radio-Canada.ca. https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2161959/cellulaire-ecole -eleve-appareil-mobile-intimidation-drainville-education

[2] Varlet, A. (2024, April 9). L'usage du cell en classe: résumé des études. PAUSE. https://pausetonecran.com/lusage-des-cellulaires-en-classe-resume-des-connaissances-actuelles/

[3]Les fonctions d'aide sur iPad et sur Chromebook | Institut TA. (n.d.). https://www.institutta.com/s-informer/les-fonctions-daide-sur-ipad-et-sur-chromebook

[4]wsj.westsciences.com. (n.d.). https://wsj.westsciences.com/

[5] Varlet, A. (2024, April 9). L'usage du cell en classe: résumé des études. PAUSE. https://pausetonecran.com/lusage-des-cellulaires-en-classe-resume-des-connaissances-actuelles/

[6]La cyberintimidation vécue par les jeunes | INSPQ. (2025, March 11). Institut national de santé publique du Québec. https://www.inspq.qc.ca/intimidation/jeunes/cyberintimidation