HOW TO PREVENT THE CELL PHONE
FROM BEING A DISTRACTION IN
EDUCATION
CÓMO EVITAR QUE EL MÓVIL SEA UNA
DISTRACCIÓN EN LA EDUCACIÓN
Mora Aristega Angélica Margara
Technical University of Babahoyo, Ecuador
pág. 7346
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v8i6.15426
How to Prevent the Cell Phone From Being a Distraction in Education
Mora Aristega Angélica Margara
1
amoraa@utb.edu.ec
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0461-7801
Technical University of Babahoyo
Ecuador
ABSTRACT
The use of cell phones in schools is a matter of debate among educators, parents and legislators. The
objective of this article is to relate the use of cell phones with the academic performance of students of
the "Juan Montalvo" and "23 de junio" Educational Units of the Babahoyo canton in Ecuador; in
addition to providing some strategies to prevent this device from being a distraction. An explanatory
research was carried out, with a sample of 611 adolescents and young people with similar particularities
of age, academic grade and number of hours spent in school. First, a documentary analysis was carried
out and then 4 surveys were applied during the 2023 academic period; the data were analyzed using the
SPSS statistical program (version 14.0), descriptive statistics and analysis of variance for one factor
(ANOVA). The results show that 95.0% of students have been using mobile phones for more than 3 years
and that 25.0% admit that this device distances them from their significance in the educational process.
On the other hand, the students who use the cell phone the most during classes have the lowest average
average; In addition, 100% of parents agree that strategies should be applied within the school so that
academic performance is not affected by the excessive use of this device. With this, it is concluded that
the families of the two educational institutions assume the responsibilities and the following mechanisms
are conferred so that adolescents make adequate use of the cell phone in the educational process: Clear
regulations, cell phone free zones, technology-free hours, rewards for compliance with the regulations,
punctual follow-up of incidents.
Keywords: education, cell phone use, mechanisms
1
Autor principal
Correspondencia: amoraa@utb.edu.ec
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Cómo Evitar que el Móvil sea una Distracción en la Educación
RESUMEN
El uso de teléfonos móviles en las escuelas es un tema de debate entre educadores, padres y legisladores.
El objetivo de este artículo es relacionar el uso del teléfono celular con el rendimiento académico de
los estudiantes de las Unidades Educativas “Juan Montalvo” y “23 de junio” del cantón Babahoyo en
Ecuador; además de brindar algunas estrategias para evitar que este dispositivo sea una distracción. Se
realizó una investigación explicativa, con una muestra de 611 adolescentes y jóvenes con similares
particularidades de edad, grado académico y número de horas de escolarización. Primero se realizó un
análisis documental y luego se aplicaron 4 encuestas durante el periodo académico 2023; los datos
fueron analizados mediante el programa estadístico SPSS (versión 14.0), estadística descriptiva y
análisis de varianza para un factor (ANOVA). Los resultados muestran que el 95,0% de los estudiantes
utiliza el teléfono móvil desde hace más de 3 años y que el 25,0% admite que este dispositivo los aleja
de su importancia en el proceso educativo. Por otro lado, los estudiantes que más utilizan el celular
durante las clases tienen el promedio más bajo; Además, el 100% de los padres coincide en que se deben
aplicar estrategias dentro del colegio para que el rendimiento académico no se vea afectado por el uso
excesivo de este dispositivo. Con esto se concluye que las familias de las dos instituciones educativas
asumen las responsabilidades y se confieren los siguientes mecanismos para que los adolescentes hagan
un uso adecuado del celular en el proceso educativo: Normatividad clara, zonas libres de celular,
horarios libres de tecnología, recompensas por el cumplimiento de la normativa, seguimiento puntual
de incidencias.
Palabras clave: educación, uso del celular, mecanismos
Artículo recibido 28 noviembre 2024
Aceptado para publicación: 20 diciembre 2024
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INTRODUCTION
The use of mobile devices, particularly cell phones, has increased exponentially in the last decade,
becoming an integral part of everyday life, especially among adolescents; data indicate that on average
cell phone use reaches six hours a day by students between 12 and 19 years of age (Statista, 2023).
This phenomenon cannot be alien to the educational environment, where the use of cell phones by
adolescents has generated a wide debate among educators, parents and legislators. While some argue
that mobile phones can be valuable tools for learning, facilitating access to information and educational
resources, others point to the negative effects associated with their overuse in academic contexts.
Various studies (Sunday, 2021; Kuznecoff, 2015; Ames, 2020; UNESCO, 2023) have shown that the
excessive use of cell phones in schools can interfere with the teaching-learning process, distracting
students, decreasing their academic performance, and affecting their ability to concentrate (Martínez,
2021). In addition, uninterrupted access to these devices has been linked to behavioral problems, such
as increased anxiety and decreased time spent in face-to-face social interaction.
For example, in Spain, according to Moral and Suarez (2016) who cite the Ministry of the Interior
(2014) in a survey carried out on internet use and security habits in 10 young people, it indicates that
60% of those interviewed connected to the Internet every day (p. 71). However, excessive use of mobile
phones becomes a real problem in adolescence due to the lack of guidance in their use (Beranuy et al.,
2009). This causes problems in many contexts of their lives, such as at the family and school level,
leaving aside routine activities that do not allow the proper development of their adolescence (Díaz,
2019).
Some of the factors that accompany this technological dependence are: loss of time for other activities,
behavioral alterations, mood alterations, changes in sleep rhythms, loss of control, isolation,
impoverishment of social relationships, family conflicts" (Díaz, 2019, p. 1). On the other hand, for
Castillo and Ruiz (2019), the excessive and addictive use of cell phones can bring, in addition to the
aforementioned consequences, also problems with school and college due to the fact that there is little
interest in the subjects and in the performance of the activities proposed by teachers.
Low academic performance can lead to school failure, which in contexts of social inequality and lack
of economic resources will cause the adolescent to drop out of school, further separating the social gap.
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In this context, it is crucial to examine the impact of excessive use of cell phones on school dynamics
and on students' cognitive and emotional development.
This article aims to critically analyze the relationship between the excessive use of cell phones and
adverse effects on the school environment, with some strategies so that this does not have a negative
impact on academic performance, improves socialization and the psychological well-being of students.
This study is distinguished by its focus on the direct relationship between the excessive use of cell
phones and the specific pedagogical aspects of the school environment, an area that, although it has
been addressed in previous studies, lacks a comprehensive analysis in the Educational Units of Ecuador.
The relevance of this research lies in the urgent need to develop educational policies and intervention
strategies that respond to the challenges posed by the integration of mobile technology in schools.
This research is related to studies in educational psychology, neuroscience and pedagogy, which explore
the effects of technology on the cognitive and socio-emotional development of adolescents. In addition,
it connects with research in educational policies that examine the regulation of the use of electronic
devices in school contexts. By articulating these approaches, this article aims to contribute to existing
knowledge and offer a holistic perspective on the phenomenon in question.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The research that was carried out was explanatory because it sought to respond to the events that arose in
a clear and precise manner; as he considers it (Hernández Sampieri, 2014) is aimed at answering for the
causes of physical or social events and phenomena as is the case. It focuses on explaining why a
phenomenon occurs and under what conditions it manifests itself, or why two or more variables are
related, characterized by the use of cell phones and the academic performance of each of the individuals
investigated.
Structured surveys were the main data collection tool, they were applied to the intended sample of 611
students, distributed as follows:
230 adolescents, and 100 young people from the E.U. "June 23 of the Baba canton
190 adolescents and 91 young people from the E.U. "Juan Montalvo of the Baba canton
The aim was to ensure equitable representation in terms of gender, age and socioeconomic status. All
participants owned a mobile phone.
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The ages ranged from 13 to 15 years (adolescents) and 16-20 years (young people), with the mean being
15.28 for adolescents and 20.27 for young people. The most frequent age is 13 for adolescents and 19 for
young people. In terms of gender, 52.5% of adolescents were female and 47.5% male, and 83% of young
people were female and 17% male.
After a bibliographic search on the use and management of mobile phones, ICT and TAC, it was decided
to select the Internet-Related Problems (PRI) questionnaire by Gracia et al. (2002) as the basis for
developing the instruments, since it was translated into Spanish and had a high internal reliability (Cron
Bach alpha = 0.91).
In order to reduce as much as possible the errors that affect the internal validity (quality of the
questionnaires), an initial pilot test was carried out with 29 students that evaluated: the intelligibility of
the items, the instructions and the answer categories, the sequence of the questions and the order of the
aspects covered in the questionnaire and the time of its applicability.
Finally, after analyzing the results of the initial test, the final version of the questionnaires was developed.
4 questionnaires were applied during school hours, in scheduled sessions, under the supervision of a
researcher and a teacher from each participating institution. Students completed the surveys in digital
format, using computers provided by the school to ensure uniformity in data collection. The estimated
time to complete each survey was 15 to 20 minutes.
Data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical program (version 14.0). Descriptive statistics and analysis
of variance for one factor (ANOVA) were used. Informed consent was obtained from the parents or legal
guardians of all participants, as well as the assent of the students. We ensured the confidentiality and
anonymity of the responses, and explained to participants that their participation was voluntary and that
they could withdraw from the study at any time without repercussions. The study was approved by the
educational authorities of both institutions.
RESULTS.
The following was found by taking characteristic references such as:
How long the mobile phone has been used. It was evidenced that 95.0% of the respondents have been
using the mobile phone for more than 3 years, while 25.0% of the adolescent users have been using it for
less than 2 years (Table 1).
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The difference in time of use between the two age groups is highly significant (F (1.637) 84.277; p=0.000).
Mobile services
Calls are more used by teenagers while SMS is the most used service by young people, games are less
used by both groups.
Of the most widely used mobile service, SMS, the tendency is to send at least 5 messages a day (Table 2)
Table 2. Daily SMS
Daily SMS
Adolescents
Young people
N
%
N
%
from 0 to 5
303
75,75
179
84,84
from 6 to 10
65
16,25
30
14,22
from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
13
3,25
1
0,47
more than 17 to 20
19
4,75
1
0,47
The negative consequences of excessive use of mobile phones were observed (Table 3).
Table 3. Negative effects
Consequence
Population
ALWAYS
ALMOST
ALWAYS
SELDOM
NEVER
N
%
N
%
N
%
N
%
Limit mobile phone use
because they are
excessive
Adolescents
100
25
150
37,5
18
4,5
11
2,75
Young people
130
61,61
100
47,39
14
6,64
12
5,69
Loss of track of time
when speaking
Adolescents
200
50
100
25
200
50
180
45
Young people
50
23,7
86
40,76
100
47.39
80
37,91
Feeling guilty about
investing
a long time
Adolescents
100
25
80
20
82
20,5
200
50
Young people
20
9,48
11
5,22
36
17,07
8
3,8
Loss of academic time
due to the mobile phone
Adolescents
100
25
70
17,5
100
25
9
2,25
Young people
11
5,21
14
6,63
61
28,90
111
52,60
The results show that 95.0% of young people have been using mobile phones for more than 3 years, and
25.0% admit that this device distances them from its significance in the educational process.
Table 1. Time spent on mobile
Usage Time
Adolescents
Young people
N
%
N
%
More than 3 years
270
67,5
200
95,0
From 2 to 1 year old
100
25,0
5
2,2
6 months to 1 year
20
5,0
3
1,4
less than 6 months
10
2,5
3
1,4
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The students who use the cell phone the most during classes have the lowest average average, and 100%
of parents agree that strategies should be applied within the school so that academic performance is not
affected by the excessive use of this device.
DISCUSSION
The results of this study reveal a worrying picture of cell phone use among adolescents in the school
environment and its impact on academic performance and the quality of the educational process. A
noteworthy finding is that 95.0% of the young participants have been using cell phones for more than
three years, indicating a deep integration of these devices into their daily lives. This data is consistent with
global trends, where early access to mobile technology has normalized its use from an early age.
Cell phone use and overuse increases significantly with age. This was to be expected since over the years
users buy their own mobiles or parents end up giving them as a reward whether they deserve it or not. The
use of SMS and calls also increases with age while the use of the Internet, games and chats from mobile
decreases. This could indicate that as the time of possession of the mobile phone increases (which we
have already seen increases with age) its use becomes normalized, that is, it goes from being used as a
tool for laziness to being instrumentalized as a tool that serves to generate new knowledge.
However, a quarter of students (25.0%) recognize that the cell phone distances them from their
significance in the educational process. Among the negative consequences that young people maintain,
40.76% loss of track of time when talking while adolescents reach 50% In addition, we expected to find
that the subjective perception of addiction decreased with age (since this is related to a longer time of
possession and normalization of use) and this has not been the case. Students' perception of the negative
impact of cell phones on their education is a key indicator of the urgent need to address this issue.
In addition, the data show a negative correlation between cell phone use during classes and academic
performance. Students who use cell phones more frequently in the classroom tend to have lower GPAs
compared to those who limit their use. This result is consistent with the existing literature, which has
documented how distractions caused by cell phone use can reduce students' ability to assimilate
information and actively participate in the learning process. The decline in academic performance
associated with excessive cell phone use highlights the need to implement effective measures to manage
this problem in schools.
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There are some cases (34 participants) in which psychological or psychoeducational intervention is
necessary beyond prevention since they suffer from maladaptive problematic use due to the misuse of
their phone and excessive use of it as expected, the general use of the mobile increases significantly with
age, that is, over the years the use of mobile phones is implemented.
A notable aspect of the study is the consensus among parents: 100% of respondents agree that strategies
should be implemented within the school to mitigate the negative impact of excessive cell phone use on
their children's academic performance. This unanimous support reflects a concern shared by the
educational community and reinforces the legitimacy of developing and implementing school policies
aimed at regulating the use of cell phones. Collaboration between parents, teachers and school authorities
will be essential to ensure that these strategies are effective and sustainable in the long term.
The implication of these findings suggests that, although cell phones are an integral part of adolescents'
lives, their use within the school environment must be carefully regulated to avoid interference with
learning.
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, this study provides significant evidence on the relationship between excessive cell phone
use and adolescent academic performance, and underscores the importance of developing educational
strategies to manage the use of these devices in schools.
These actions are
Implementation of Clear Regulations that regulate the use of cell phones in school; define when and
where it is allowed to use the cell phone and establish specific consequences for inappropriate use. An
example could be allowing cell phone use only during breaks and before/after school.
Incorporating Controlled Technology, instead of completely banning cell phones, can be integrated into
controlled educational activities, such as quick information searches, interactive quizzes, or educational
apps. This allows students to see their devices as learning tools, not just entertainment.
Foster digital culture with trainings where students are actively involved are less likely to be distracted by
their cell phones. Technology-Free Zones designate certain areas of the school as libraries, classrooms,
and study areas. These areas will be exclusively for academic and reading activities, promoting an
environment of concentration and respect for learning.
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Parents trained in Technology to help their children manage cell phone use outside of school hours.
Incentives to create a system that rewards students for complying with cell phone use rules. This could
include special privileges, recognition, or additional points in certain academic activities.
Timely incident tracking to analyze data on distraction and compliance incidents to identify areas for
improvement and adapt strategies as needed.
After analyzing the issue of cell phone use in two educational institutions in Ecuador, it is concluded that
although as in other parts of the world, in Ecuador cell phones are distracting at school if they do not have
clear regulations regarding their use. If families assume responsibilities and mechanisms are conferred
such as: clear regulations, cell phone-free zones, technology-free hours, rewards for compliance with
regulations, punctual follow-up to incidents, it will be possible to improve the quality of education without
a distraction such as the cell phone.
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