\u201cOlder students told us that they often find covert ways to continue using their cell phones, especially if they feel the rules are unreasonable or poorly enforced. Students expressed that the presence of \u2018rules\u2019 means that some will automatically want to rebel, showing an increased desire to bring the \u2018prohibited item\u2019 to school as a form of resistance. They are also more sensitive to how rules are enforced and more likely to push back if they feel they\u2019re being treated unfairly or being patronised,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
It also found that where students were breaking the rules, it was likely because parents were contacting them during school hours.<\/p>\n
In addition, 76% of secondary schools and 35% of primary schools allowed students to use their phones in class for specific purposes, such as if they did not have a laptop or needed to take photographs.<\/p>\n
However, 61% of teachers surveyed for the report said student achievement had improved since the \u201cphones away for the day\u201d policy was introduced last year and 77% said student behaviour had improved.<\/p>\n
Fifty-nine per cent of secondary teachers said bullying had improved since the policy\u2019s introduction and 63% said students\u2019 mental health had improved.<\/p>\n
Half the students who said they used their phones during school time said they did so to stay connected with family, and 37% said they were connecting with friends.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore work needs to be done to ensure that both parents and students understand and are complying with the new rules. Compliance is more difficult with older students, and additional mechanisms to ensure compliance are required (such as enforcement). We are seeing that parents may be undermining compliance,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n
The report recommended continuing the policy and said secondary schools should enforce it with consequences because that was the most effective approach.<\/p>\n
It also recommended the Government consider further action to remove other digital devices such as smartwatches and \u201cconsider ways to further reduce digital distractions by limiting or removing student access to social media<\/a> during school hours\u201d.<\/p>\n The report was based on survey responses from nearly 2000 teachers and principals and 3691 students, as well as focus groups with more than 65 participants.<\/p>\n ERO evaluation centre head, Ruth Shinoda, told RNZ it would be difficult to directly attribute any changes in achievement rates to the phone ban because there were many other changes happening in schools but it was clearly beneficial.<\/p>\n \u201cTeachers are a really reliable source so if they say that it\u2019s leading to focus and improved achievement we do expect that to flow through into the data,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Shinoda said schools with strong enforcement had the best results in terms of student compliance with the rules.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll have even better results if we have more students complying,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cOnly half of secondary students comply and half don\u2019t and the main reason for that is contacting or being contacted by their parents.\u201d<\/p>\n Shionda said students were twice as likely to break the rules if they attended schools where there was parental resistance to the rules.<\/p>\n What teachers and students had to say<\/p>\n Teachers reported inconsistency in their application of the rules, with some being relaxed and others strict, and some said enforcing the rules could damage their relationships with students.<\/p>\n