Children smarter without a mobile
Research reveals kids with phones don’t perform as well as their peers
YOUNG children who own mobile phones don’t perform as well in school tests, it has emerged.
Researchers from the Economic and Social Research Institute collected data from 8,500 kids in the Growing Up In Ireland study to examine the academic performance of pupils.
The study, which was funded by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and the Commission on Communications Regulation, found those owned a device from nine years old scored 4% less on average in reading and maths tests at age 13.
Associate research professor Selina Mccoy said: “This is the first time the ESRI has looked at the impact of mobile phone ownership on children’s academic development.
“It is important to keep monitoring this going forward in order to provide evidence for the growing debate about the potential effects of screen time and mobile phone use of young people in Ireland.” It also emerged from the research that 40% of children owned a mobile phone by the age of nine.
And those attending more socially disadvantaged schools were more likely to have them while children with higher earning parents with higher levels of education are less likely to own their own device before the age of 10.
Many schools across the country have recently been consulting with their staff, students and parents on whether phones should be allowed or if restricted access should be put in place.
Last June, Education Minister Richard Bruton said he would support a Bill that would see children hand in their devices at the start of the school day and collect them at the end of their last class.
The Education (Digital Devices in School) Bill 2018 proposed a code of behaviour that would see standard rules for the use of digital devices apply to schools across the country.
It is crucial to monitor this to monitor the effects of screen time SELINA MCCOY YESTERDAY