The (unnecessary) use of mobile phones leads to poorer learning performance. So be critical of this. Notifications distract your attention, and you need that attention to learn. Smartphones invite multitasking, which our brain cannot handle. Finally, many apps are developed to work with targeted immediate rewards, making you more likely to become addicted. Because learning often does not have such an immediate reward, it becomes increasingly difficult to put the phone down. This also applies to the temptation of the phone in class. No matter how interesting or strong your teaching method is, it probably won't win against a mobile phone. Additionally, research shows that students get distracted when their smartphone is merely nearby, even if it is out of sight (see image). So most likely, besides actually using your smartphone, just having it nearby is also detrimental. Your thoughts then still shift to your phone, causing your attention to drift away from the study material. We have three cognitive, decision-making brain systems: the archiving brain, the reflective brain, and the reflex brain. The difference between these last two brains is particularly important. The reflective brain is responsible for logical, analytical, synthetic, and creative thinking, for solving problems, thinking ahead, reflecting on the past, and deep thinking. It is slow and constantly requires attention and concentration. The reflex brain, on the other hand, is a kind of 'flashlight' brain that bases its conclusions solely on the here and now. Those who are always online train their reflex brain and neglect their reflective brain: our reflective brain cannot multitask. By being constantly online, our cognitive performance simply declines. No matter how interesting or strong your content or didactics are, it cannot compete with a mobile phone. A smartphone ban can help with this: especially beginning or 'weaker' students benefit from it. For 'stronger' or expert students, it has little effect. Research shows that all learning performances increase as the phone is placed further away. It is especially important to have clear behavioral rules. For example, you can condition students to set their smartphones to airplane mode at certain times. So when they enter the classroom, the smartphone must be on airplane mode. This works especially well when all teachers follow the same policy. Try to explain to students that the smartphone is a useful tool, but that many apps are deliberately designed to demand your attention. There are also apps that help you maintain your concentration. Explain the consequences of multitasking: more stress and students ultimately take longer to complete their tasks. Make students aware that the distraction of the smartphone is almost always present, even if it is in their bag. Of course, a mobile phone can also be useful for participating in a digital quiz or listening to music for concentration. Good agreements can help students use the phone effectively, but this is not equally easy for all students. So be critical of it, especially with beginning students.
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