As part of their Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation (EBSIPE) Master’s course, 25 students from the Department took part in a three-day Integrative Policy Exercise (IPE) examining whether smartphones should be banned in UK schools. Working on this real life policy problem, they presented their findings and recommendations to local policymakers, academics and local government working on the issue.
Each team focused on a different topic relating to smartphone bans within UK schools before presenting their evidence-informed recommendations. Topics included:
- Mental health, physical health and wellbeing
- Academic outcomes
- Violence, bullying, and victimisation
- Teacher well-being and teaching efficacy
- Young people’s rights and autonomy
As part of the panel, Maximilian Kalyuzhnov, Member of the UK Youth Parliament and Youth Select Committee, found the IPE session inspiring and agreed with the recommendations that real change needs smart policy, not just blanket bans: “As someone younger than most of the students, it was amazing to see how seriously they took young people’s experiences with smartphones. Young voices really can shift the conversation.
“The workshop highlighted the urgent need for balanced, research-informed policy—where regulation is smart, not sweeping, and young voices are not just heard, but central. I’m excited to see how these discussions translate into meaningful next steps at both local and national levels."
John Howson, Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People’s Services at Oxfordshire County Council at the time of the workshop, commented: “Having worked within the education sector for many years, it was great to be part of these thought-provoking discussions. For me, there were two key takeaways: firstly, while smartphone use by children is currently a key topic, research in this area is still very limited and, secondly, that existing research does not support the view that smartphones need to be banned in schools. More research is needed for schools and policymakers to make informed decisions, and I personally will use the insights in my work with Oxfordshire’s schools.”
An Integrated Police Exercise (IPE) is an opportunity for students to practice, draw upon and apply the knowledge and skills that they have learnt in EBSIPE to an urgent policy problem related to a social issue. Learning objectives include reviewing and appraising evidence in a rapid way, generating evidence-based recommendations for decision makers and being able to communicate these effectively, and developing strategies for policy planning and evaluation teams.
Find out more about our Master’s Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation EBSIPE Master’s course in Programmes and Admissions.
