Phones, devices and distraction: what PISA 2025 says about digital classrooms

Use for learning is not the same as use at school

PISA 2025 separates two kinds of device use that are often lumped together. Limited or moderate use of digital devices for learning at school is often associated with better outcomes. When devices are used for leisure at school, the relationship reverses sharply, with substantially lower performance. The question for schools is not “devices or no devices” but “which use, for what purpose, and how much?”

How common is distraction?

On average across OECD countries, 28% of students reported that their peers are distracted by digital devices during most or every science lesson. In B-S-J-Z (China), Japan and Korea, fewer than 10% of students reported this. Students who reported digital distraction in science scored 11 points lower than those who did not, after accounting for students’ and schools’ socio-economic profile.

Distraction also spreads. The OECD reports that students surrounded by distracted classmates performed less well, were less engaged in learning and felt less connected to their school.

Do phone bans work?

Phone bans have spread quickly. Across the OECD, the share of students in schools where phones are not allowed on the premises rose from 34% in 2022 to 49% in 2025. Students in these schools are about 13% less likely to report digital distraction.

The OECD’s wider conclusion is that clarity matters more than the specific rule: in schools with clear policies on phone use, whether through bans or well-defined guidelines, fewer students are distracted. Context matters too. In Denmark, students report 3.2 hours a day of device use for learning and relatively high distraction, yet distraction there is not significantly associated with performance.

A classroom device routine

1. State the purpose. Begin each device task by naming what the device is for and what the finished work looks like.
2. Use clear signals. Agree simple cues such as “lids down” or “screens face down” for moments of discussion and direct instruction.
3. Think on paper first. Start with analogue planning, then move to the device for research, drafting or practice.
4. Keep one task on screen. Ask students to close unrelated tabs and apps, and design tasks that need only one tool.
5. Make use visible. Arrange the room or circulate so screens can be seen.
6. Review together. End with a quick reflection: did the device help with this task?

Questions for a school device policy

• Which subjects and tasks genuinely need devices, and which do not?
• Where and when are personal phones allowed on school premises?
• Do subjects have their own guidelines for digital learning? PISA now tracks subject-specific guidelines as a school policy indicator.
• How will the policy be explained to students and families so it is applied consistently?
• How will AI tools fit into the same rules? See our school AI policy guide.