Twin Falls educators using app to help student focus, off phones

Educators at Canyon Ridge High School are implementing a method to get students off their phones during classes.

Social studies teacher Cori Nichols said she has more than 50 students using the Pocket Points application, an app that allow students to lock their phone for a period of time and earn rewards.

"I don't have all my students, but what I'm noticing is that the students that are involved in the app, they are staying off their phone 100 percent of class time," Nichols said.

Health occupation teacher Lilian Cawley started implementing Pocket Points last school year. The students participating and using the app can earn incentives, Cawley explained.

"Like I do with my extra credit or the homework pass, it's a one-time use for semester," Cawley said. "My students got five extra credit points just for signing into the app."

Canyon Ridge junior Taylor Bishoff is one of Cawley's students and found the app beneficial to focus more during class and uses it outside education purposes.

"I used it for when I'm driving and there is of course the automatic 'do not disturb' while driving that some phones have, " Taylor said. "Then I also have Pocket Points which is great because then I could get extra points just by driving safely."

Nichols who started using the tool this year in her class said she's received a positive reaction from her students.

"They come in and they're really excited about it," she said. "They tell me about the points they've earned and it's become self-managing they come in and they're already off their phone. What used to be something that I would have to do, I would have to enforce, they are enforcing it themselves."

Nichols hopes local businesses would also consider the application.

"They can get on Pocket Points and offer their own rewards to students as well, which I think it gives them more of a variety," Nichols said.