News | 24 September 2025
Students published in an international scientific journal – shedding light on children’s relationship with phones
In a remarkable achievement, four IES students in year 6 have had their work published in an international peer-reviewed scientific journal – a milestone their teacher believes may be a first for pupils as young as 11–12 years old in Sweden.
The paper, entitled “Smartphone Ownership and Use Among Primary School Students in Sweden: A Student-Led Survey”, was published in The Convergence Journal in August 2025. It originated from a technology lesson at IES Krokslätt in 2023, where they had a discussion about mobile phones, their uses and the reasons why children own them.
What began as a casual conversation sparked curiosity among four girls in the class who went on to design and conduct a school-wide survey with the support of their teacher, Manish Rauthan. Science teachers across years 3–6 assisted in administering the survey, which explored questions such as: Are there differences in reasons for owning a phone? What type of phone do children choose? Who makes the decision – the child or the parents? Do the aesthetics of a phone influence decision-making?
“Older students tend to prioritise the social status of phone brands. We also identified a gender bias in aesthetic preferences for phones.”
Once the final draft was completed, they faced the lengthy process of finding a suitable journal (many considered them too young), submit the paper, receive the reviewers’ comments, respond to them, and finally get the paper accepted for publication. By the time this process was finished, the students had already progressed to year 8 at other IES schools.
“Together with my students, I was able to publish their work as a scientific paper in an international peer-reviewed journal. This was only possible thanks to the collaborative efforts of the science department and the positive approach of the school’s lead group,” said Manish Rauthan, now a science teacher at IES Södra Änggården. “To my knowledge, this is the first time in Sweden that students of this age have achieved something like this. It has been an inspiring learning process for them – and for me.”
The students took an active role in every stage of the process, from data collection to reviewing drafts of the paper and learning how to respond to journal reviewers. They even contributed short author biographies, and all four girls – Riya Ghosh, Omisha Kumar, Meral Ecem Bilgiç, and Laial Almawed – share first authorship of the article.
"It’s beautiful to see how a vision shared by four students and one teacher has taken us this far. This project helped me truly grow in technology and grasp both knowledge and concepts I was previously unaware of. I also owe a huge thank you to my finest teacher," said Omisha Agnihotri Kumar, currently studying at IES Johanneberg.
Another student, Meral Ecem Bilgiç, added: "I am so happy that this paper was accepted, as it was one of the things on my wish list for this year."
The study’s findings shed light on how children’s relationship with phones evolves as they grow older. Younger children, particularly in year 3, often receive phones chosen by their parents, while older students place more value on the social status of particular brands. Gender differences also emerged in aesthetic preferences.
Manish Rauthan hopes this achievement will encourage other teachers and students across IES: “I believe this success can serve as motivation for colleagues across our schools. It shows that with curiosity, collaboration and guidance, students can reach academic heights far beyond what we normally expect at this age.”
For the four young researchers, the experience has not only been a proud moment but also a first step into the world of science, proving that meaningful research can begin in the classroom.
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Title: "Smartphone Ownership and Use Among Primary School Students in Sweden: A Student-Led Survey"
Journal: https://theconvergencejournal.org/publications/
Paper link: https://theconvergencejournal.org/publication/smartphone-ownership-and-use-among-primary-school-students-in-sweden-a-student-led-survey/