Cell Phone Use in American Civics and History Classrooms

Abstract

The use of digital devices in K-12 classrooms has become increasingly contested with their ubiquity. This study examines policies governing cell phone use in elementary and secondary school civics, social studies, American government, and history classes in the United States. Cell phone policies implemented by teachers differ vastly across and even within schools. Data from an original national survey of civics and history teachers conducted by the Civic Education Research Lab at Georgetown University were used to examine cell phone policies nationwide. While there was near universal agreement among teachers about the importance of digital tools for learning, the propriety of using cell phones for instruction was hotly contested. Grade level and school characteristics, such as school size, Title I status, and one-to-one school programs, were better predictors of cell phone policies than teacher characteristics. Teachers with more years of experience were the most likely to institute strict cell phone policies. These findings indicate that there is no one-size-fits-all policy for cell phones and provide insights for teachers and schools for adapting workable strategies given the school context.