Digital Wellness in the Age of Cell Phone Bans

Throughout the country, states and districts are taking different approaches to student cell phone use. Some have implemented complete bans, while others are leaving the decision to individual schools or educators.

What I’ve learned over the past 12 years of using devices in my classroom is that while policies can help create structure, they don’t build consistent digital habits. Digital wellness has to be taught, modeled, practiced, and reflected upon.

Why tech habits matter

With so much access to technology, we need to guide students in developing good digital habits. Digital wellness involves helping students understand when technology is helpful, when it becomes draining, and how to make intentional choices that will keep them balanced and present. Cell phone bans and updated device policies have been designed to promote digital wellness in our schools.

I’ve observed that in schools with cell phone bans, students are more interactive with one another, and their socialization skills are improving. For some students, knowing where their phone is and having it close by is important, and I can relate. But I also understand the importance of disconnecting and being present in the moment, especially in our classrooms, to be more focused on learning.

I have done a variety of activities with students and educators focused on digital habits. In one of them, I focus on the “benefits” and “drains” of devices. A simple way to start is with activities that help students map their “digital day.” Ask them to list all the ways they use their phone or other devices from morning to night. Next, have them decide when the use helps learning (taking a photo of notes, defining or translating a word, keeping time, conducting research, or even recording a podcast draft) or benefits their well-being (such as tracking steps, doing meditation, or using focus apps). They then identify when it is draining (doomscrolling or game-playing; checking notifications; causing reduced energy, lack of attention, or mood changes).

It can even be a single prompt for discussion or self-reflection, such as this: Think about yesterday between 3 and 9 p.m. Identify a time when your phone helped you do something important and a time when it pulled you away from something that mattered. Students can then share ideas and learn from others about how to develop better digital habits and have some more mindful moments in their day. I have seen how these conversations encourage agency and enhance awareness, whether or not a phone is present in class.

CoCreate Cell phone Norms

As an early adopter of cell phones in my language and STEAM classrooms, I set classroom norms from the start with my students. We made it a collaborative process and talked about establishing routines and understanding when phones are a tool and when they are a distraction. It is a shift in mindset. When students help set the norms, it is more collaborative, and there is less pushback.

Modeling balanced use is also key. I am transparent about my digital habits. Students will see when I put my phone away or when I share the specific reason I am using it. I believe that modeling matters more than written guidelines that I could post in my classroom.

Benefits of digital wellness habits

A question that I have been asked is, “Why allow phones in class when students have access to computers?” In my STEAM class, we use some alternative reality, virtual reality, and coding tools that require phone apps. However, I think a more important consideration is that, since students struggle most with balancing device use outside of school, we should work with them in our schools to help them better understand responsible use and the importance of digital wellness. 

Peer accountability works best when it feels like support, not surveillance. I’ve overheard students asking peers to put their phones away so that they can pay attention. I’ve had students take a more active role in the classroom as role models, giving a friendly nudge to a classmate to keep them on task, especially during partner or group work. The result is that students have more agency as they begin to see the impact on their learning experience and want to share that impact with others.

Lesson transitions. It takes less time to transition from one activity to the next because students are not stopping to check their phones.

Reduced pushback. Because we have established norms and students were involved, we are now more aligned than before.

More purposeful use. Students begin to recognize the learning potential that phones offer when used purposefully—whether it’s playing a review game, interacting with a chatbot in Spanish, or creating a project, for example. Even though many of these activities can be done on computers, students can learn to redirect time spent on “draining” activities and to manage the device that challenges them the most.

Increased self-awareness. After engaging in activities that encourage reflection on digital habits, students have told me they notice how frequently they used to reach for their phones. On many occasions, it was due to boredom or stress, and sometimes because of an issue with a classmate. But now, they notice it less, and the need to have access to cell phones all the time has decreased.

Helping students reflect on behaviors outside of school

We can’t control the use of cell phones outside of school, whether for gaming, group chats, videos, or other activities. But I can do my best to promote healthier habits while in the classroom, which will hopefully extend beyond our classroom space.

Model intentional use. Narrate your own choices: “I’m checking progress on our learning activity, or I am setting a timer.” Modeling purpose-driven behavior shows students how to use tech as a tool. It helps to promote mindfulness of the use of tech and the benefits that are available when it’s used purposefully.

Teach app awareness. Engage students in an “app audit.” Ask them to identify which apps send the most notifications, which cause stress, and how having access to the apps makes them feel. Challenge them to adjust their notifications for 24 hours and reflect on the difference it makes.

Connect tech use to relationships. Involve students in discussions about how phone use affects human connections. I’ve asked, “When you are talking with someone, how do you feel when they look at their phone?” A quick activity like this helps to build empathy and shifts the focus from digital choices to human impact.

Banning phones may keep students more on task, lead to a quieter classroom, or, as I have heard from other educators, reduce the drama that results from cell phones and social media use. However, the ban alone won't teach students how to self-regulate, balance their phone use, reduce what can be an overreliance on their devices, or reflect on the choices they make when using them.

As educators, we need to help our students focus on intentional and purposeful use, to lean in and listen more, and be fully present in their surroundings. And when our students work with us on this, we all benefit.