Switch Off Your Phone to Score Better Marks

It would appear to be common sense, but research is always good when it backs up what is to be expected. Mobile usage in the classroom seems to bring down the test scores over a long term period. Educational Psychology published a study where students who tended to switch off their mobile phones during class, scored nearly 5% higher marks in tests than those who had the mobiles on.

A section of 118 students in Rutgers University were invited to participate in this study. Half of them were banned from bringing laptops, tablets and mobile phones into lectures. The others were asked how many times they used the devices for non-academic purposed during the lecture.

What emerged was a mixed bag. While the presence of the electronic gadgets did not affect the comprehension of the students about what was taught in the classroom, it did seem that they got lower marks than their counterparts in the end of term exam. Apparently a distraction is a distraction, even if you don’t seem to be distracted.

This is one science project that amply demonstrates that common sense can be trusted to ensure that you study well and get a good grade by simply keeping your electronic playthings away while you study!