NSW Minister for Education Rob Stokes has ordered a review into phone use in schools. He said the review would look at the risks and rewards of social media. The review will ultimately decide whether to ban mobile phones in NSW schools.

Finnish education expert Pasi Sahlberg also recently said he believed mobile phone-related distraction is a main reason for Australia sliding down in PISA rankings.

Parents and teachers have similar concerns about cyberbullying and safety, as well as technology distracting from schoolwork. But do the benefits of having phones in classrooms (such as contact with parents, access to mental health text lines, and learning opportunities) outweigh the risks?

We asked five experts if schools should ban mobile phones in classrooms.

Four out of five experts said no

Here are their detailed responses:

If you have a “yes or no” education question you’d like posed to Five Experts, email your suggestion to: sophie.heizer@theconversation.edu.au

Disclosures: Matthew Kearney receives funding from the ARC and Erasmus+.