What Are the Harmful Effects of Mobile Phones on Students?

As students increasingly rely on mobile phones for instant information and communication, the infiltration of mobile phones in schools has raised a red flag. Drawing on credible research in India, this blog aims to shed light on the urgent issue of mobile phones in schools.

Academic Distraction

Envision a pupil in class, determined to absorb concepts being taught but gets distracted because there was a notification, probably a text or a post from a social media platform. The urge to use a mobile phone in classroom becomes powerful and only ‘takes a second to do’ but, as the saying goes, ‘a second is enough.’ Such breaks in focus can add up and together form great academic distractions. A study conducted at Chandigarh University asserted that the student’s academic performance suffered due to the extensive use of mobile phones. They often engage in these activities using mobile phones in schools when the teachers try to arm them with facts and concepts. 

Sleep Disruption

Imagine a student looking at their phone past the recommended time. The illumination from mobile phones makes it very difficult for people to sleep and damages sleep quality. The Adolescent Health Centre indicates that the time adolescents spend on smartphones disturbs their sleep and affects their short-term memory and overall health.

Risk of Addiction

There comes a point in a pupil’s life where they feel the need to use a mobile phone in classroom very naturally; addiction might be the word to describe it best. Two hundred nineteen undergraduate medical students in Karnataka studied this addiction, and the conclusion was that there is an apparent link between neglecting studies and overreliance on smartphones.

Impaired Social Skills

Encourage an image of students being in class on their desks with their phones in hand and headsets in, with very little talking done in person. Where would such over-dependency on mobile phones and tablets to communicate lead us as human beings? It was argued as an outcome of a study done by Jain College on mobile phones that students in India reported growing problems of mobile phone usage where students overstayed their interactions on their devices because they were leading to a detachment from social life and reducing real-life social work. 

Decreased Physical Activity

Imagine a student who wants to avoid playing traditional sports and opts to sit on a bed or even a couch so they can comfortably play games on their phone. For good or worse, students are getting increasingly sedentary because of the constant use of mobile phones in schools. 

Negative Impact on Mental Health

For most, staying updated with the latest trends and information and managing social media influences is stressful. The continuous outburst of information, a typical pattern on mobile phones, can affect how long students can remain static while working on an academic project.

Reduced Attention Span

Imagine needing to study while managing a phone that starts vibrating with notifications almost every few minutes. Such constant exposure to mobile phones is likely to distract students, making it difficult for them to engage in academic activities for long periods. 

Impact on Academic Integrity

The threat to education integrity can be significantly attributed to the availability of information through mobile phones. This makes the educational process much easier but also promotes dishonesty, such as during exams or when composing assignments. With the rapid proliferation of these issues, educational authorities have taken more corrective actions, targeting policies on the use of mobile phone in classroom.

While mobile phones offer many benefits, their unchecked use in schools can have detrimental effects. By addressing these concerns, we can create a constructive environment where mobile phones enhance, rather than hinder, learners’ educational and developmental experiences. This potential for improvement should inspire us to take action.

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