Teachers' Perspectives on Implementing a Phone-Free Policy in Texas High Schools

Framework

Behaviorist Perspective: The phone-free policy can be seen as grounded in behaviorism, particularly in the belief that reducing distractions (like cell phone use) can shape student behavior toward better focus and academic performance. This aligns with the idea that external stimuli, such as the presence or absence of phones, influence behavior in learning environments. By removing phones, the policy aims to create an environment where students can engage more fully in classroom activities without the competing stimulus of technology.

Methods

This study uses a descriptive research design to explore teachers' perspectives on a phone-free policy in Texas high schools. The goal is to understand the perceived challenges, benefits, and impacts of this policy on teaching practices, student engagement, and classroom management over a school year. The research is divided into three phases: pre-survey (before school starts), mid-year survey (halfway through the school year), and end-of-year survey (after the academic year ends). Each phase assesses teachers’ evolving views on the policy through online surveys.
Data sources for the study come from teachers in multiple high schools in the state of Texas who teach different grade levels and a variety of content in school districts that have chosen to go phone-free for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Quantitative Analysis
The closed-ended questions use Likert scales to assess teachers' attitudes toward the phone-free policy, challenges faced, and perceived benefits. Responses are categorized into numerical values for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics, such as percentages, means, and standard deviations, will be calculated to summarize the overall trends in teachers' perspectives.
Cross-tabulations will be used to explore relationships between teachers' responses based on variables such as years of experience, grade levels taught, and whether the teacher has children in the district. For example, the analysis will investigate if teachers with more years of experience perceive the policy differently than less experienced teachers.

Qualitative Analysis
The open-ended questions provide deeper insights into teachers' specific challenges, benefits observed, and their reflections on how the phone-free policy has impacted their teaching. Common themes will be identified using thematic analysis, where responses are coded and grouped into categories such as classroom management challenges, student engagement, technology integration, and parental concerns.
The qualitative data will be analyzed using a combination of manual coding and software tools to ensure reliability in identifying recurring themes and insights across participants.

To replicate this study, future researchers would need:
• Approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to ensure ethical treatment of participants.
• A sample of high school teachers from schools with a phone-free policy.
• Three survey instruments administered at the beginning, midpoint, and end of the school year.
• A mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of Likert scale data with qualitative thematic analysis of open-ended responses.
Data should be analyzed using descriptive statistics for quantitative data and thematic coding for qualitative data to understand patterns and insights about the policy's impact on teaching and learning. Replication would provide opportunities to compare findings across different districts and contexts.

Results

The first survey (pre-survey) data has been collected. The rest of the data will be collected following the timeline indicated in the research study.

I expect to gather enough responses from each phase to provide meaningful insights into initial reactions, mid-year experiences, and end-of-year reflections, though individual longitudinal patterns might be less clear. The findings may reflect a wide range of experiences and perspectives, revealing that the policy does not have a uniform effect across all teachers and classrooms. If the anticipated benefits (e.g., increased focus, reduced distractions) are not strongly reflected in the results, these findings would still contribute to the broader conversation about phone policies in schools. Differences in administrative support or enforcement could lead to varied responses, with some teachers finding the policy easy to manage, while others struggle due to a lack of clear guidelines or enforcement. I expect that the study will generate meaningful data that can inform future discussions and decisions about technology use in schools.

Importance

Educational Contributions: This study holds significant educational and scientific importance, particularly in addressing current challenges faced by schools in managing student behavior, engagement, and learning outcomes regarding the use of personal technology. The increasing presence of smartphones in classrooms has sparked debates about their impact on student focus, academic performance, and classroom management. By examining teachers’ perspectives on the implementation of a phone-free policy, this study provides valuable insights into the efficacy of such policies and their broader implications for educational practice.
By exploring both the challenges and benefits of a phone-free environment, the research provides practical information that can help educators and administrators understand how such policies influence classroom dynamics. This is particularly valuable for teachers looking for strategies to manage distractions and enhance focus, offering evidence-based insights into whether phone-free policies lead to more effective teaching and learning environments.
The study’s findings are crucial for school leaders and policymakers as they decide how to handle technology use in schools. Given the increasing trend of schools banning cell phones, this research offers timely data on the policy’s real-world impact. It can inform future decisions on how to balance the benefits of technology with the need to minimize distractions, helping to shape policies that foster both focus and engagement.
One of the study’s key themes is the role of cell phone policies in promoting equity in the classroom. By removing personal devices, schools may be able to create more level playing fields for students, especially those who may not have access to the latest technology. This exploration of equity in access to educational technology adds a critical dimension to the discussion on digital tools in education, making the research relevant to schools serving diverse populations with varying levels of socioeconomic access.
Scientific Contribution: Despite the increasing implementation of phone-free policies, there is limited empirical research on their actual impact in school settings. This study helps fill that gap by providing both qualitative and quantitative data from teachers in two Texas school districts. The study’s mixed-methods approach—combining surveys with open-ended qualitative responses—adds depth to the understanding of how these policies affect teaching practices and student outcomes. It contributes to the broader body of research on educational technology and classroom management by offering evidence-based insights into the pros and cons of banning personal devices in schools.
This study is valuable to conference audiences because it addresses a timely issue with both practical and policy-related implications. It provides educators, administrators, and policymakers with research-backed insights into the effectiveness of phone-free policies and offers evidence on how to design learning environments that foster focus and equity. The combination of scientific rigor and practical relevance makes this research an important contribution to the field of education technology and classroom management.

References

These are some of the resources-

Lamb, A. (2023, March 13). Bans may help protect classroom focus but districts need to stay mindful of students’ sense of connection, experts say. Harvard Gazette. https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/03/experts-see-pros-and-cons-to-allowing-cellphones-in-class/

Selwyn, N., & Aagaard, J. (2021). Banning mobile phones from classrooms—An opportunity to advance understandings of technology addiction, distraction and cyberbullying. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(1), 8–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12943

Tandon, P. S., Zhou, C., Hogan, C. M., & Christakis, D. A. (2020). Cell phone use policies in US middle and high schools. JAMA Network Open, 3(5), e205183. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.5183

Wang, J. C., Hsieh, C.-Y., & Kung, S.-H. (2023). The impact of smartphone use on learning effectiveness: A case study of primary school students. Education and Information Technologies, 28, 6287–6320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11430-9