Technology is the wave of the future; most schools as well as businesses are switching to a sustainable type of environment. Cell phone usage has become an indispensable part of our everyday living; therefore, including a learning environment that supports the use of this technology would be the most logical step to making schools paperless and a seamless learning atmosphere. They prove to be useful for education, safety and lifting financial burden from the district as well as families. With this in mind, shouldn’t students be allowed to use cell phones in school?
I think that mobile phones should be permitted in municipally funded schools for several reasons. If you look at the power of cellular phones and their educational apps, students can learn from them. The value of the mobile phone in the learning environment i
...s to promote communication and access to information concerning the diverse fields at the same time. More information is found on the learning apps found on the mobile phone.
In case of any emergency happening in the school, the students are able to communicate to the respective authorities in time and be rescued. Furthermore, the students are able to get civilized faster when having the mobile phones. The students will be accessed to many cultures and worldwide information that shall promote change and adopt new methods of application in their education lives. I know there will be arguments against their use in class, that it can lead to bullying, texting or playing games, however, the school can set the rules and I think that the majority of students will obey the rules. Therefore, the value of the mobile phone among th
students ought to be accepted because the phones enhance the acceptance to the development in the technology sector and hence development in the innovation and creativity is encouraged though the application skills of the students.
Another reason is safety. Students can keep in contact with their parents in case of an emergency. Many students walk to and from school and anything can happen. It’s a sense of security for parents knowing that their kids are ok. Furthermore, if students get sick they can text their parents to pick them up or if they forgot their homework they can text their parents to bring in the homework.
Therefore, I would like to discuss why applications are useful for educational purposes. Some believe non-educational applications will be a deterrent to the students, and they may be pre-occupied during the teacher’s instructional time and become an unwilling participant in class. However, I believe that there are numerous useful applications: such as Blackboard, Turn tin and My Backpack, which is used in most private and charter schools. These applications make it easier to interact with an online community.
Further, it allows freedom for teachers to issue homework assignments on snow days and sick days. Thus, students are not forced to elongate their school year in the summer, or spend hours making up work at home. Also, teachers’ lesson plans for the year are not delayed due to the hindrance of absence from school. It is an up to the minute device that keeps us all alert to any changes. Also, what do you think would be more pleasant for a student? Having a student read an uninteresting book that is difficult to
understand, or learn with an educational application that is engaging? I would pick the second one.
Students are for the most part required to have a calculator as one of their school supplies, however in the event that they have one on their telephone, they don't need to get one. This is true unless of course a Scientific Calculator is needed, but there are applications. That can be downloaded to add that to your phone. It doesn't make a difference if your telephone is costly or not, every telephone has a calculator. Another useful app that students.
Can use on their cell phone is Dictionary, which is very useful in a classroom setting. “Students can search the Internet for the definition, or if the classroom or school doesn’t have Wi-Fi, they can text to 466-456 the word you need defined and Google will text you back the definition of that term” (Debate.org). The practice of the students having the phones is considered cheaper on the basis of the requirements in other systems of learning. The practice is vital in the reduction of time wastage and hence improves the ability of the students to research on their own. Consequently, the students will be motivated more in the education process because their interests in the technologies and electronics would be met; hence the practice is a clear indication of the imprecision of technology in the learning process.
There are more apps a student can download for educational use. For instance, “there are several educational networks online and it includes Piazza.com, epals.com, Remind 101.com and edmondo.com. All of these networks have been designed to connect students, teachers and parents. This can
be an interesting way of learning”. (RAMEY, "Cell Phones Allowed in School- 5 Reasons for Allowing Them). If teachers are not comfortable with students and their phone while not being used for educational purpose, teachers can have their students place their cell phone on the desk. Another suggestion they can do is place all cellphones in a bin at the beginning of the class so that students wouldn’t be distracted while teaching.
“According to National Education Association, data compiled by the research firm Nielsen, 58 percent of American children from 13- to 17-years-old owned a smartphone as of July 2012—an increase of more than 60 percent over the previous year. And with over 50 percent of mobile phone users in America now using smartphones, the numbers only seem to be growing” (Graham, “Using Smartphones in the Classroom”). By this data it clearly indicates.
Those phones are being used more and more by young students whether being used at home or at school.
There are teachers that started this trend of taking advantage of the opportunity of cell phones in classroom such as school in the district of Chicago and Mason High School near Cincinnati. According to USA Today (Higgins) Executive director of the American Association of School Administrator, Dan Domenech said this trend emerged after 9/11 terrorist attacks. This is another reason why I feel that cellphones should be allowed in schools. Students can feel safe if something happens while in school. For instance, if school closes early due to snow storm, or gun shootings, which have become so common.
Cell phones are electronic devices that enhance the acquisition of information concerning both academic and nonacademic. The phones make
information accessible to the users despite the differences in the geographical settings. The information can be used by any user despite the level of education. The process of getting the information is considered cheaper than the other means to access information like researching from the library books which waist time. Therefore the possession of the phones by the student will also promote quick access to information concerning many topics. Students will also have the chance to indulge in the researching process hence promoting their skills. Although there are some few defects on the use of the phones by the students but it should also be considered that this is an era of technology and computer and hence we should embrace change in all sectors to promote growth in the education sector.
Used by students every day and are a way of the future. Instead of banning cell phones in schools, the school system should support it and show students how to use the apps properly and safely for educational use. It is therefore important to consider the idea of allowing the students to use phones because the practice is predicted to yield more fruits.
Bibliography
- http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-students-be-allowed-to-use-cell-phones-in-school
This debate is about pros and cons of having cell phones in class. While 74 percent are ok with the idea of having a phone in class 26 percent are against it. - http://www.nea.org/tools/56274.htm
Graham, Edward introduce a veteran teacher Mr. Ken Halla who shares his tips for using mobile device as a learning tool in class. Mr. Ken Halla has the most used educated blog in the country, “World History Teacher Blog,” US Government Teachers Blog,” and US History Teachers Blog” to help
fellow teachers incorporate technology in their classrooms.
Higgins, Josh states that According to a Pew Research Center study that most schools has banned or has limited cell phone in the classroom but73 percent of Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers said their students use phones in class to complete
Brown, Mary. "Should Cell Phones Be Allowed in the Classroom." www.schoolmoney.org. N.p., 25 Nov. 2014. Web. 2 Aug. 2016.
Borwn, states that cell phones can become problematic or creators of untenable situations to the students if poorly managed. For instance, texting or talking while driving or being distracted in class is examples of the problematic effects of having phones by the students. On the other hand, she feels that cell phones are versatile that it cell be an excellent teaching source to help children with disabilities effectively to communicate and learn.
Ramey, Karehka states that cell phones in class are a distraction but for teachers to control this they can find ways of integrating social technology in their curriculum. So instead of students using social network while in class, they can use educational networks such as Piazza.com, Epais.com, Remind 101.com and edmondo.com to acquire information. She also gives five reasons why cell phones should be allowed in class.
Works Cited
- http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-students-be-allowed-to-use-cell-phones-in-school
http://www.nea.org/tools/56274.htm - Higgins, Josh. "More Schools Use Cell phones as Learning Tools." USA Today. Gannett, 07 Aug. 2013.
Web. 02 Aug. 2016.
