When the phone ban in New York schools was introduced to improve concentration, reduce distractions, and limit social media pressure, authorities had no idea the ban would highlight another problem. It turns out that without their smartphones, many students are unable to tell what time it is because they can’t read analog clocks. In some schools, teachers began dedicating a portion of class time to teaching students how to read analog clocks. It’s worth noting that there are currently no official statistics measuring how widespread difficulties with reading analog clocks are among New York Students. The case of New York schools shows that changes in technology policies can reveal unexpected side effects that previously went unnoticed. Few would have assumed that the ability to read time on an analog clock would still be necessary in the age of smartphones.
