This Unesco report call for technology only to be used in class when it supports learning outcomes, and this includes the use of smartphones.
Mobile devices can cause distraction, risk pupil privacy and lead to cyber-bullying says Unesco. But less than one-in-four countries have laws or policies banning phones in schools, the report found.
The report shows that some technology can support some learning in some contexts, but not when it is over-used or inappropriately used. In particular, the use of smartphones can disrupt learning in classrooms. One study looking at pre-primary through to higher education in 14 countries found that it distracted students from learning. Even just having a mobile phone nearby with notifications coming through is enough to result in students losing their attention from the task at hand. One study found that it can take students up to 20 minutes to refocus on what they were learning once distracted.
Removing smartphones from schools in Belgium, Spain and the United Kingdom was found to improve learning outcomes, according to a study cited in the report, especially for students that were not performing as well as their peers.
Concerns over data privacy, safety and well-being also underpin debates about the use of some technology in schools, especially by students at young ages.