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There is bad news for students who use their mobile phones in class. New research shows that students do not learn very well when they text and use social media in class. The research looks at the effects of texting and social media on student learning. Researchers looked at 145 American university students in the classroom. Some of the students used their mobile phones in class, while the others had their phones switched off. The students who did not use their mobile phones during the class got higher scores on tests they took at the end of the class.

One of the biggest challenges teachers have in the classroom is the battle to keep students working. Many students feel they need to be online and checking messages, even when they had work to do in class. The researchers said it is common for students to be physically present in class, but mentally absent because they are using their mobiles. Many teachers are fighting a "losing battle" because students are more interested in social media than classwork. Research in England found that test scores went up by six per cent after mobile phones were banned in class.