Mobile phone ban at schools: Science warns of digital consequences for children!

Mobile phone ban at schools: Science warns of digital consequences for children!

Wien, Österreich - In Austria, the planned ban on cell phones in schools up to the 8th school level is supported by scientific knowledge. According to a statement by the Bioethik Institute Imabe Kathpress show that excessive use of digital media negative effects on the concentration, attention and memory Has. Particularly serious are the cognitive impairments that are compared with substance dependencies, including the change of relevant brain areas by excessive screen time. These findings are particularly worrying because they could have long -term effects on the intellectual development of adolescents.

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The mobile phone ban, which was announced by Education Minister Christoph Return, aims to reduce digital overstimulation and promote social skills. Over 70 percent of teachers support the measure, since cyberbullying and other negative aspects of smartphone use are also increasing. Comparable regulations are already in force in several other countries such as France, Great Britain and the Netherlands. In a comprehensive analysis, the University of Augsburg documented that smartphone bans have measurably positive effects on social well-being and learning performance of students. The study confirms that a visible smartphone affects the concentration of the learners during class.

Nevertheless, it is emphasized that a pure ban is not sufficient. Scientists recommend that schools offer accompanying educational measures to promote media literacy in order to prepare pupils to deal responsibly with the devices. These approaches could help use the potential advantages of smartphones as a source of information and communication instrument in class, but at the same time to train the students in the responsibility for their media consumption. A careful balance is considered necessary to meet the challenges of the digital world.