THE EFFECTS OF ‘NO CELLPHONE

POLICY’ IN THE ACADEMIC

PERFORMANCE OF THE GRADE 11
STUDENTS OF RIZAL NATIONAL
SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL
Cajulao, G. Y., Dayrit, H. G. R., Rivera, C., Unidad, J. K.
ABSTRACT
The 'No Cellphone Policy' was ordered by the Department of Education (DepEd) to
improve the students' academic performance and to prevent them from the adverse
effects of technology. Teachers and parents are engaged to help their students and
children for the responsible use of their cellphones. This study is an action research
which aims to determine the effectiveness of the said policy to the academic
performance of the Grade 11 Rizal National Science High School students, as well as
the factors contributing to their academic performance such as communication skills,
focus in learning and class participation. Through a questionnaire (yes-no survey and
Likert Scale) the study was conducted to the selected Grade 11 students and a
structured interview to their advisers. In light of the results, most students agreed to
the positive effects of using cellphones in their focus when it comes to learning,
communication skills and class participation.
• The student respondents were neutral about the effects of the 'No Cellphone Policy' to
their academic performance taking into account the aforementioned factors. Meanwhile,
the teachers who were interviewed have divided opinion about the said policy. Some were
completely in favor and some have hesitations regarding the school policy. To conclude
based on the study conducted, the existence of the implemented policy does not have any
considerable effect on the academic performance of the students. If the school policy will
still be implemented, it needs to undergo some revisions to achieve its foremost goal-- to
promote the students' optimum and holistic learning.
 • INTRODUCTION
Various factors affect the academic performance of the students such as focus in learning, communication skills and class participation where tests and examinations were commonly used to measure the academic performance of the students.
A study using cellphones to determine the level of perception of the students concluded that using cellphone have more beneficial and positive effects on the students’ learning than its negative effects on the respondents’ performance (Apolinario et al., 2018).

2
3 DepED Order No.83 which reiterates the Department’s previous Orders such
as DO 26, s.2000 and DO.70, s.1999 both of which proposes a ban on the
use of cellular phones by students during class hours. Whereas most public
and private schools implemented this protocol to impose discipline on
students.
4 To tackle the problem the researchers conducted a study entitled “The
Effects of ‘No Cellphone Policy’ in the Academic Performance of the
Grade 11 Students of Rizal National Science High School”.

5 The study intended to address the existing rule whether it is effective or not and
how it affects the academic performance of the students to help them achieve
higher learning competency.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The study is focused on the Effects of ‘No Cellphone Policy’ in the Academic Performance of the Grade 11
students in Rizal National Science High School. Specifically sought to answer the following questions:
1.What are the effects of ‘No Cellphone Policy’ to the Grade 11 students in terms of:
1.1 Communication skills
1.2 Class participation
1.3 Focus on learning
2.How does ‘No Cellphone Policy’ affects the academic performance of Grade 11 students?
3.What is the effectivity rate of the ‘No Cellphone Policy’ in terms of the academic performance of the Grade
11 students?
Research Objectives

• 1.To assess what are the effects ‘No Cellphone in the effects the academic
performance of Grade 11 students in Rizal National Science High School in terms
of:
• 1.1 Communication skills
• 1.2 Class participation, and
• 1.3 Focus on learning
• 2.To determine the effectivity rate of the existing school rule— ‘No Cellphone
Policy’.
METHODOLOGY
The study is a type of action research that determines the effectivity of the existing ‘No
Cellphone Policy’ in Rizal National Science High School which displays a qualitative
research strategy using Naturalistic Approach by having questionnaires (yes-no survey and
Likert Scale) and structured interview.

Ratio and proportion

The students were
selected using complete
random sampling. While
the respondents for the
interview were the
advisers of the said
sections and were chosen
using purposive
sampling
was used for the six
sections to determine the
Naturalistic Approach
population – six students
was chosen because the
for Adam Smith, seven
study is based on
for William
observations only and
Shakespeare, nine for
does not require
Galilei, Rutherford and
numerical data.
Newton, and ten for
Einstein, with a total of
50 students.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table for Yes-No Survey

DETERMINING YES NO OUTCOME

FACTORS
1. Communication Skills 96 54 Positive
2. Class Participation 116 34 Positive
3. Focus in Learning 135 65 Positive
4. Academic Performance 98 102 Neutral

Table One: Shows the data gathered from the yes-no survey distributed to the respondents---the
factors determined displays the questions regarding the use of cellphones and gadgets, and the
effectiveness of the ‘No Cellphone Policy’ which has an outcome whether it is positive, negative
or neutral.
The results of the data gathered using yes-no questionnaire show that
most respondents agreed that the use of cellphones or gadgets helped
them improve their communication skills, participation and focus in
learning and displays a positive result.

Meanwhile, the existence of the ‘No Cellphone Policy’ shows a neutral

response based on the academic performance of the students.
 Chart Title
30

25

20

15

10

0
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Q7 Q8

Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Column1

By using Likert Scale, it determined the level of the respondents’ accordance where it aims to determine the effectiveness of the mentioned policy.
•Most of the students strongly agree to the implementation of the ‘No Cellphone Policy’ if it will be implemented only during class hours whereas
none of the students disagree with the given statement.
•As stated in the second and third question, students mostly came with a neutral answer when it stated that the policy is effective in the
improvement of their class participation and focus in learning. But on the latter statement, some students agreed that the school regulation has an
effective result in their focus in learning.
•The fourth question came with a fairly close number of response---disagree, neutral and agree but most respondents disagreed about the positive
effect of the regulation in the focus in learning.
•The remaining statements preceded with a great number of neutral response, it presents the answers to the following statements: the policy has
more disadvantages than its benefits; the policy is hard to follow; the policy should be implemented in the next school year; and it improved the
academic performance of the students.
 Interview
No Cellphone Policy’ is based on, DepED Order No.83 and a lot of Schools in NCR and other
Provinces including Rizal are already implementing the said policy.
• Focus on learning
'No cellphone policy' helps the students to develop their interest in learning and become more
progressively engaged and mindful in every class discussion.
• Class participation and Interpersonal skills
Restricting the utilization of electronic devices holistically develop the child’s critical thinking and
interpersonal skills. Since they are not allowed to use mobile phones, the other diversion of their
commitment on cellphone is to socialize with other people.
• Academic performance
Since the policy was newly implemented, the academic performance of the students last year versus
the current school year cannot be promptly concluded.
• Lectures and Reviewers
Since there is a restriction in the utilization of electronic devices, students are not relying in the use of
cellphone anymore. Instead of checking their social media accounts, the students started to review early at
home.
• Technology
The use of Technology, for example, using cellphones, is also significant especially we are teaching 21st
century students in a Science high school. Without technology there is no innovation in science.
• Revisions
When it comes about behavior specifically focus of students in class discussion having no phone is better
however the instructor has the authority to manage the time of usage, for instance you will use mobile devices
in school related exercises thus it must undergo through revisions, allowing the students to use electronic
gadgets for academic purposes only in a specific period of time. Second there should be a proper storage of the
cellphone to be handled by proper authority so there would be no issue upon returning their phones.
•  
CONCLUSION
The results show that the policy has no concrete effect on the academic performance
of the students though it has positive effects on the other three factors
.

The policy requires some revisions since it’s newly implemented. Thus, it is too early
to identify if there is a difference in the academic performance of the students in the
school years where the policy has not yet taken place to now .

But since the students’ results came with a neutral response regarding on the
effectiveness of the school regulation to their academic performance, it can also be
considered as ineffective because whether the policy exists or not, there would be no
considerable effects to the aforesaid performance of the students .
THANK
YOU!