Smartphones Not Used for Digital Learning among Russian School Students
Despite the widespread use of smartphones, teachers have not fully integrated them into the teaching and learning process, including for developing students' digital skills. Irina Dvoretskaya, Research Fellow at the HSE Institute of Education, has examined the patterns of mobile device use for learning among students in grades 9 to 11.
On September 1, 2024, a new law came into effect banning the use of mobile devices by school students during school hours, including for educational purposes. According to media reports, in 2023, over 80% of parents supported the proposed ban on smartphone use during school classes. Irina Dvoretskaya, Research Fellow at the HSE Institute of Education, analysed how Russian high school students had used smartphones up to that point and whether teachers had provided guidance on the use of digital tools.
For the study, an online survey was conducted in urban and rural schools in Russia among students in grades 9–11 (over 20,000 boys and girls) who owned smartphones. The study revealed that most high school students did not use smartphones for learning. Nearly 60% of respondents either did not use digital devices for educational purposes at all or only used them for basic tasks, such as accessing an electronic diary. Similarly, teachers did not employ educational practices that foster the development of digital competencies in the classroom. Most frequently, smartphones were used as calculators or tools for searching information. According to the study, only 7.34% of high school students can be considered advanced users of digital devices.
Dvoretskaya notes that in the current frontal instruction model used in schools, smartphones indeed tend to distract students from the learning process during class. However, it would be unreasonable to completely exclude gadgets from the educational process, considering their ubiquity and the growing digitalisation of all aspects of life. Otherwise, there is a risk that personal mobile devices will only be used by children as tools for entertainment and communication, rather than education.
Irina Dvoretskaya
'Each year, new user technologies emerge, such as AI chatbots, and banning smartphones in teaching and learning will not help children learn to use them responsibly and productively,' according to Dvoretskaya.
Productive use of a mobile device for active academic work in project-based or research-based learning enables students not only to master subject content effectively but also to develop 21st century skills, including the ability to satisfy their educational interests and needs and to solve various real-life challenges.
The research conducted can assist the administrations of Russian schools in evaluating the potential for integrating personal digital infrastructure into educational institutions. The data collected can also be used to monitor the progress and academic performance of different student groups, develop flexible learning pathways, and create individualised learning materials in the context of advancing artificial intelligence.
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