Cell Phones in School, Essay Example

The use of cell phones has become a part of teenagers’ everyday life.   As a result, teachers and parents are both concerned by the excessive use of cell phones by teens.  Parents and teachers are divided on the actual use or harm that cell phones may present for it users. While others are optimistic that cell phones uses may outweigh the cons. A recent study showed that more than 1.3 billion teenagers had cell phones with access to the Internet.  Teenagers spend a lot of time on their phones. Many believe it has become an addiction. On average, teenagers spend more than 7 hours per day on their phones. Yes, teenagers spend time updating accounts, posting pictures, following, and liking others topics, but sometimes they use their cell phones for educational purposes. This is especially true when they are allowed to use them in the classroom. When it is implemented in the classroom, students will enjoy learning because it doesn’t really seem like work. How many teen-agers don’t have a cell phone these days? The brilliant thing about cell phones is that they are no longer just used for calling or texting. They have become an way to have access to nearly anything at one’s fingertips. Today’s cell phone is equivalent to having a computer in your back pocket. According to Sterner, “Remember everything about that cell phone in your student’s pocket is vastly more powerful than the computer used by Neil Armstrong to land on the moon” (57). Take advantage of that power! With all of these advantages, should students be permitted to have and use cell phones in school? I believe students should be permitted to use cell phones in school because they allow students to have access to family and friends, they are also an excellent learning resource, and they teach students to use technology responsibly.

Cell phones are a great communication resource. With school violence being on the rise, parents can sigh a breath of relief knowing that their children can contact them if they need to. Cell phones are a great way to keep in touch with friends as well. First, cell phones make it possible for students to stay in touch with family and friends. A student can call home and ask a family member to bring them a forgotten assignment or to come pick them up if they are sick. Also, cell phones allow parents to keep track of their children’s whereabouts before, during, and after school. There’s always the possibility of a student needing to contact a parent because of a dangerous situation. Students can also connect with friends. A teacher may asks students to text or email other students when they are absent to let them know what’s going on in class. Some teachers even allow students to text or email assignments directly to them. Also, some teachers use it as an instrument of producing desired behaviors. “The cell phone is a tangible symbol of teens’ independence. Its power with my students makes it a useful instrument for getting the behavior needed in class However, only few teachers are implementing the use of cell phones into their classes”(57). When used responsibly, a cell phone can be an excellent communication tool.

Also, smart phones are a fabulous learning resource that nearly every student has access to. Turkle said,

“Almost all teenagers in America today have used social media. Nine out of 10 (90%) 13- to 17-year-olds have used some form of social media. Three out of four (75%) teenagers currently have a profile on a social networking site, and one in five (22%) has a current Twitter account (27% have ever used Twitter). Facebook utterly dominates social networking use among teens: 68% of all teens say Facebook is their main social networking site, compared to 6% for Twitter, 1% for Google Plus, and 1% for MySpace (25% don’t have a social networking site” (Turkle, 11 ).

With numbers like these, why wouldn’t teachers use them as a resource? Also, students can use tools such as the calculator, the map finder, and the calendar. Some students use their cell phones in Math and Geography to keep track of homework or search about information that is unfamiliar to them. Some science and history teachers allow students to use smart phones to do research when they are doing group work or working on a project. For example, Mr. Sterner, the author of the article, says he adheres to the school and building policies about the use of cell phones; however, he sets clear rules for his classroom. Students know that once they have broken those rules they will lose their cell phone use privileges (57). Cell phones are a quick and easy way to incorporate technology in the classroom.

All teachers agree that their role is to prepare students for the real world. Technology is a great part of the real world. Filling out job applications, paying bills, and even registering to vote can be completed online via the use of technology now. In most cases, the use of technology has taken the place of the traditional learning environment. Many educators are afraid that this trend is leading to the death of knowledge; however, it is only leading to a new way of obtaining and using knowledge. The use of pencil and paper has been replaced with keypads and wireless internet. Yes, there are some cons to the excessive use of technology. For example, many students have poor penmanship and spelling skills because of the constant use of text lingo. As a result, many students have great difficulty writing using formal standards. When texting and emailing, there are really no grammar rules. Studies have proven that daily use of technology is restructuring the brains of our younger generation. Is that such a bad thing? The world is changing daily and the brains of teens are changing in order to keep up with the changes around them. Another drawback that has been noted is that young people are unable to face challenges and solve problems they may encounter in face to face situations. As a result, many youngsters a very confrontational. They are unable to adequately express themselves.

A final reason is that cell phones encourage the responsible use of technology and will power. Sterner mentioned a study that was conducted in the 60s and 70s by Walter Mischel called the Marshmallow test. The test was conducted to determine if the desire to do something could be altered or delayed. It was determined that it could be and that the development of this strategy would be helpful later in life. Mischel conducted several delayed gratification tests in which subjects were able to use their own will power to delay actions. He concluded that those with will power were more socially accepted, popular, and successful in academics (Sterner, 58). Students often cannot resist looking at their phones to check Facebook or Twitter. However, having their phone in their pocket, but resisting the urge to check their phones instills work ethics and professionalism. Students can learn when and how to use their cell phones to enhance their learning or just for fun. They will become more independent in their work and more motivated to learn. Students like being allowed to make choices. If a student is texting when he/she should be paying attention to the teacher, the teacher should take the cell phone away from the student. By allowing the use of cell phones, students will feel like they are being treated like responsible young adults, and they will appreciate that. In one study, it was concluded that teachers who allow student to use their phones at designated times had a higher rate of compliancy to classroom rules. The teachers who participated in the study stated that they defined specific rules that students had to abide by. They knew when they were in a “free zone” or could use their phones without consequences. More than 88 percent of those teachers felt that by allowing them to use their phones improved classroom behavior issues. In many cases, students who did not have cell phones were able to partner with another student to complete work. Students participated more in class and were willing to respond without reluctance. One teacher said she allowed her students to use cell phones for specific activities on specific days per week. For example, he said:

“I have my students use their cell phones for things like: l Poetry analysis (dictionary) and composition (thesaurus); l Tweeting from a character’s point of view to aid character analysis; l Research (short-term, brief only); and l Photojournalism for viewing examples and creating our own photo essays” (Sterner, 57).

Of course, teachers will have to have guidelines and rules for the proper use of cell phones in the classroom. Nevertheless, they are such a great resource every teachers needs to consider implementing them in their classroom.

In conclusion, cell phones ensure communication, are a learning resource, and encourage appropriate use of technology and build will power. People who oppose the use of cell phones in school do so because of the disruptions and distractions cell phones can cause; however, we must accept that we live in the technology era and that cell phones are an important and very useful part of the educational world. Students miss out if teachers fail to take advantage of the educational power of the cell phone. Let’s make the most of the day and age we are living in!

Works Cited

Sterner, R. “4 Things You’ll Miss By Banning Cell Phones in Your Classroom.” Education Digest 81.2(2015):56 MasterFile Premier, Web, 2 Nov. 2015

Turkle, S. (2004). How computers change the way we think. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 50(21), 10-15