Having worked in secondary schools nationwide delivering Study Skills and Motivational
seminars for the past thirteen years, I have witnessed an explosion in the prevalence, usage and reliance on smartphones on the part of students; indeed, we see this general trend not just with young people but also with adults.
The majority of students will freely admit that the greatest barrier to study and learning is their phone – not just in terms of it draining precious time that could be better used for things more productive (such as study, exercise and socialising) but also in terms of their inability to focus and feelings of being distracted and anxious whenever they are required to put their phones away.
There is a growing body of science (neuro and cognitive) that supports the idea that phone addiction is a real phenomenon, with those who suffer reporting feelings of anxiety and stress when they don’t have access to their devices. In addition to this, studies on the brain also show that a very important piece of cortex known as the ACC - Anterior Cingulate Cortex – responsible for focus and paying attention, actually shrinks in individuals who are inclined to spend too much time constantly scrolling from one thing to the next on their phones; essentially meaning this type of activity actually conditions the brain to be in a state of constant distraction! The opposite can be said of individuals who limit their time on their phones and who also practice meditation (which is all about focusing on one' breath or body) – the ACC thickens, thereby fostering their ability to pay attention and stay focused, which is essential for learning because paying attention is actually the first step in learning.
A good portion of the time we spend with students in seminars is dedicated to addressing this problem. We show them what’s actually going on cognitively during a study session when they are jumping back and forth from the phone to the textbook; they are multitasking – which is what the brain doesn’t like when trying to learn. We also make them aware of the science regarding the ACC and its essential role in focus. And lastly, we teach them simple techniques in meditation to cultivate their ability to focus and relieve stress. At the end of the day, the smartphone, it seems, is here to stay, so the trick is to encourage students to adopt what is regarded as a balanced approach to phone use – this is no mean feat, but a “gently does it” seems to be the best approach.
