Here is a very interesting article on cellphones in the classroom. Pay close attention to the study where grades increased when cellphone usage decreased.
Mounds of evidence show how cellphones interfere with our ability to
learn. Jonathan Haidt, the renowned social scientist, has written extensively about how cellphones affect our well-being and ability to focus. He cites one study where a group of students about to take a test were divided into three groups: some were asked to put their phones on the desk, others to put their phone in a pocket or bag, and the rest were to leave their phones outside the room. Those students who were physically closer to their phones performed worse on memory tests than those further away.
Another study showed that college “students studied less than 6 minutes before switching to (a) technological distractor.” Yet another found that “students who were not using their mobile phones wrote down 62% more information in their notes, took more detailed notes, were able to recall more detailed information from the lecture, and scored a full letter grade and a half higher on a multiple choice test than those students who were actively using their mobile phones.”
The evidence is overwhelming: Removing cellphones during study time improves student performance.
Here is the full article: Why Spencer Cox wants to get cellphones out of school