• sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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    6 hours ago

    You shouldn’t poll anyone, instead look at test results. If there is better focus, it’ll improve learning outcomes like test scores, graduation rates, and reduces instances of cheating. IMO, if we poll anyone, it should be parents about how much assistance they give their kids (i.e. are they filling in the gaps in their education less?).

    It’s nice that teachers think kids are paying more attention, but that only matters if kids are learning more.

    • slackassassin@sh.itjust.works
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      2 hours ago

      That’s another type of study that is also worthwhile. But the effects of distracted students on teachers and the classroom as a whole is also relevant.

      • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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        24 minutes ago

        Sure, I just don’t trust results from subjective studies, unless it’s tracking trends over time. So maybe if they had opinion polls like this before smartphones were a thing in classrooms, while smartphones were a thing, and after they were banned I’d trust the results somewhat. But if we’re just tracking an after-the-fact poll, it just feels like confirmation bias. I believe teachers have an incentive to overstate the impact of policies that give them more control, because they want to encourage more such policies, even if they aren’t effective at achieving tangible results.

        So yeah, I distrust this type of study. I don’t think it’s necessarily worthless, I just don’t think many conclusions can be taken from it.