🚀Mobile phones encourage distraction and disengagement in students
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The most recent research from the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) indicates that student performance is significantly impacted by distraction from mobile phone use.
According to the results of the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), South Australia ranked highest in the nation for the category "students get distracted by other students using devices."
Further proof that the Malinauskas Labour Government's mobile phone ban, implemented in all public high schools during the second half of 2023, was the right move in encouraging students to attend class and achieve higher academic standing, is provided by this.
It also coincides with Premier Peter Malinauskas' announcement earlier this month of a national initiative to prohibit children under the age of 14 from accessing social media accounts.
PISA 2022 was administered in Australia by ACER, with funding and representation from the Australian and state and territory governments, and involved over 13,430 students from Australia.
Australia is back in the top 10 for academic performances globally, according to a comparison of student performance in 81 countries.
Minister for Education, Training and Skills Blair Boyer said “I knew this was the right policy for our high schools as I had seen up close the damage that distraction and cyber bullying was causing at school.”
"The latest ACER report is further proof that we knew this was an issue and as soon as we came into Government, acted swiftly to support our students and schools. This again shows we are on the right path. This ban is about better academic outcomes for students free from distraction, improved social skills development, and reduced cyber bullying. The Premier’s recent social media ban announcement is further proof that we’re not afraid to make the hard decisions to support our young people now, and into the future.” Boyer said.
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Additional results showed that a greater percentage of Australian women worried "about many things," panicked easily, and experienced anxiety related to exams or being away from a digital device.
Additional data from earlier this year revealed that violent incidents significantly decreased after mobile phone use was outlawed in public high schools.
Comparing Terms 3 and 4 of 2023 to a comparable period in 2022, statistics indicate a 29% average drop in violent incidents.
This includes on-site violence involving punching and kicking between secondary students and is based on all schools with secondary enrolments (131 in total).
• Incidents in Terms 3 and 4 of 2022 (before ban) – 319
• Incidents in Terms 3 and 4 of 2023 (after ban) – 228
The ban was a key election commitment to reduce distraction in the classroom and stop some of the bullying that occurs through social media, with both outcomes leading to improved learning.
The latest ACER report shows this was the right action to take.
The ‘off and away’ policy came into full effect from Term 3 last year, with some schools adopting the policy earlier during the year.
The success of the ban here in South Australia has been watched closely by other states with NSW Labor government recently announcing its own school phone ban.
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