Equalities Impact Assessment - Guidance on Mobile Phones in Scotland's Schools

Stage 2: Data and evidence gathering, involvement and consultation

Include here the results of your evidence gathering (including framing exercise), including qualitative and quantitative data and the source of that information, whether national statistics, surveys or consultations with relevant equality groups.

Characteristic^[1]: Age

Evidence gathered and Strength/quality of evidence

• Whilst this protected characteristic does not apply to schools it is recognised that the guidance will have a most significant impact to children aged 5 to 18 who are attending schools in Scotland. There is some limited evidence of children’s views on mobile phone use in schools.
  • Source: What are parents' and children's co‐constructed views on mobile phone use and policies in school? - Rose - 2022 - Children & Society - Wiley Online Library. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: The study identified is a small-scale study considering the co-constructed views of parents and children.
• PISA 2023 reported that in Scotland 20.8% of pupils agreed or strongly agreed that students should not be allowed to bring mobile phones to class.
  • Source: Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2022): Scotland's results - highlights - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: This evidence is drawn from Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) sample survey. 117 schools in Scotland participated, including the views of 3,257 students. The School response rate was 96.4% and student response rate was 79.4%
• There is a vast range of evidence available in relation to the effect of mobile phone technologies in schools both positive and negative.
  • Source: Banning mobile phones in schools: evidence from regional-level policies in Spain | Emerald Insigh. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: The results show noticeable reductions of bullying incidence among teenagers in the two treated regions. The authors also find positive and significant effects of this policy on the PISA scores of the Galicia region that are equivalent to 0.6–0.8 years of learning in maths and around 0.72 to near one year of learning in sciences.
  • Source: Ill Communication: Technology, distraction & student performance - ScienceDirect. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: This paper investigates the impact of schools banning mobile phones on student test scores. It found that student performance in high stakes exams significantly increases post ban, by about 0.07 standard deviations on average. These increases in performance are driven by the lowest-achieving students. This suggests that the unstructured presence of phones has detrimental effects on certain students and restricting their use can be a low-cost policy to reduce educational inequalities.
  • Source: Secondary education teachers’ perceptions of mobile phone and tablet use in classrooms: benefits, constraints and concerns | Request PDF (researchgate.net). Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: This study investigated Greek secondary school teachers’ perceptions of mobile phone and tablet use in classrooms, focusing on their perceived benefits, constraints and their concerns. The primary perceived benefits were associated with students’ involvement/motivation and active participation, the interactive-enjoyable lesson, the easy access to information and students’ familiarity with technology. Teachers’ perceived barriers were mainly related to the lack of equipment and the current legislation (regarding mobile technology usage in school settings). Key concerns regarded students' abusive behaviour and the difficulty in controlling them, the noise-disruption in class and students’ distraction. Implications and recommendations for teachers, students, school policy and educational policy makers are discussed.
  • Source: The effects of mobile phone use on academic performance: A meta-analysis - ScienceDirect. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: The overall meta-analysis indicated that the average effect of mobile phone usage on student outcomes was r = −0.162 with a 95% confident interval of −0.196 to −0.128. The effect sizes of moderator variables (education level, region, study type, and whether the effect size was derived from a Beta coefficient, and mobile phone use construct) were analysed. The results of this study and their implications for both research and practice are discussed
  • Source: The influence of technology on academic distraction: A review (wiley.com). Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: While the effects of student laptops on academic distraction are somewhat ambivalent, the debate is largely moot in the current educational environment. The detrimental effects of student smartphone and social media use on academic distraction are more conspicuous, especially with the pervasiveness of personal digital devices. Potential self-regulatory and environmental interventions are discussed.
  • Source: Technology in education: GEM Report 2023 | Global Education Monitoring Report (unesco.org). Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: The 2023 GEM Report on technology and education explores how appropriate use of technology can offer solutions (access, equity and inclusion; quality; technology advancement; system management), while recognizing that many solutions proposed may also be detrimental. The report also explores three system-wide conditions (access to technology, governance regulation, and teacher preparation) that need to be met for any technology in education to reach its full potential.
  • Source: Health and Wellbeing Census Scotland 2021-22. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: In general, there was an increase in the percentage of children and young people reporting having experienced bullying online/on social media/ on a gaming platform, as children increased in age. For example, of the pupils who were bullied in the last year, 31.5% of those in P5 reported having been bullied online/on social media/on a gaming platform, compared to 41.2% of those in S3.
  • Source: Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA 2022): Scotland's results - highlights - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) (Table 5.6). Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: Evidence from PISA 2023 also shows that nearly a third of students in Scotland reported being distracted using digital devices in every or most maths lessons, and over a quarter reported being distracted by others’ digital device use. This was found to have an impact on student’s educational attainment; on average across OECD countries, students who reported that they become distracted in every or most mathematics lessons scored lower in mathematics than students who reported that this never or almost never happens. However, the purpose of use was important. PISA found a positive relationship between score for mathematics and spending up to one hour per day on digital devices for learning activities in school, whereas the relationship became negative when students spend more than one hour per day on digital devices for learning in school. These findings suggest that moderate use of digital devices is not intrinsically harmful but it is the overuse and/or misuse of digital devices that is negatively associated with attainment.

Characteristic^[1]: Disability

Evidence gathered and Strength/quality of evidence

• There is limited evidence available in relation to mobile phones in schools and pupils with disabilities. However, it is known, through anecdotal evidence that a significant concern is that any limitations on mobile phones in schools may mean reductions in reasonable adjustments – where these include the use of mobile phones for pupils with disabilities, support for pupils with additional support needs, and the monitoring of medical conditions, such as diabetes etc.
  • Source: Anecdotal evidence from concerns raised by representative organisations. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: Anecdotal evidence accepted as there was clear recognition of these issues within the policy examples which were received and considered as part of development of the guidance.

Characteristic^[1]: Sex

Evidence gathered and Strength/quality of evidence

• There is limited evidence available on the differing impacts of mobile phone use of children and young people in schools on the basis of sex.
  • Source: Health and Wellbeing Census Scotland 2021-22. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: Girls were both more likely to report having been bullied in the previous 12 months than boys (31.9% compared to 29.7%), and for this to have taken place online (38.1% compared to 33.9% of boys). However, a higher proportion of boys than girls reported experiencing other children picking on them by sending emails, through messaging or posting something online most days or about once a week.

Characteristic^[1]: Pregnancy and maternity

Evidence gathered and Strength/quality of evidence

There is no evidence available on the differing impacts of mobile phone use of children and young people in schools on the basis of pregnancy and maternity.

Characteristic^[1]: Gender reassignment

Evidence gathered and Strength/quality of evidence

• There is no evidence available on the differing impacts of mobile phone use of children and young people in schools on the basis of gender reassignment.
  • Source: Lough Dennell, B.L., Anderson, G. and McDonnell, D. (2018) Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People. LGBT Youth Scotland. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: 82% of transgender young people experienced bullying in school on the grounds of being LGBT. This has risen from 77% in 2012.

Characteristic^[1]: Sexual orientation

Evidence gathered and Strength/quality of evidence

• There is no evidence available on the differing impacts of mobile phone use of children and young people in schools on the basis of sexual orientation.
  • Source: Lough Dennell, B.L., Anderson, G. and McDonnell, D. (2018) Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People. LGBT Youth Scotland. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: 27% of transgender young people left education as result of homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in the learning environment
  • Source: Time for Inclusive Education (TIE). (2020) Online in lockdown - page 34. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: 82% reported experiencing bullying in their place of education, and 29% reported experiencing bullying, sometimes or more than once or twice.

Characteristic^[1]: Race

Evidence gathered and Strength/quality of evidence

• There is limited evidence available on the differing impacts of mobile phone use of children and young people in schools on the basis of race. Evidence from the health and wellbeing census undertaken in Scottish schools found Asian, and African / Caribbean or Black / Mixed or multiple ethnic groups were slightly less likely than average to have experienced bullying online.
  • Source: Health and Wellbeing Census Scotland 2021-22. Data gaps identified and action taken to address the data gaps: Children and young people within Asian, and African / Caribbean or Black / Mixed or multiple ethnic groups were slightly less likely than average report having been bullied in the last 12 months (26.1% of Asian pupils, 28.3% of African / Caribbean or Black / Mixed or multiple ethnic groups, compared to an average of 30.8%). They were also less likely to report this bullying having taken place online (27.3% of Asian young people, 31.1% of African / Caribbean or Black / Mixed or multiple ethnic groups, compared to an average of 36.1%). However, young people of African / Caribbean or Black / Mixed or multiple ethnic groups were more likely than average to report other children picking on them by sending emails, through messaging or posting something online most days (7.6% compared to 7.1%).

Characteristic^[1]: Religion and belief

Evidence gathered and Strength/quality of evidence

There is no evidence available on the differing impacts of mobile phone use of children and young people in schools on the basis of religion or belief.

Characteristic^[1]: Marriage and civil partnership

(the Scottish Government does not require assessment against this protected characteristic unless the policy or practice relates to work, for example HR policies and practices - refer to Definitions of Protected Characteristics document for details)

Evidence gathered and Strength/quality of evidence

This protected characteristic does not apply in schools.