Question: Cell Phones in School: Embrace Them or Ban Them?

One of the more controversial and most discussed issues that school administrators face on a daily basis is where they stand with students and cell phones. It seems that virtually every school takes a different stance on the issue of cell phones in school. No matter what your schools policy is, there is no way to completely keep all students from bringing their phones unless you do student searches every day, which is simply not feasible. Answer: The fact is that more and more people have a cell phone including students of all ages. 78% of all teenagers now own a cell phone. They are digital natives and thus experts when it comes to technology. 47% of teens can text with their eyes closed. They are far more adept than most adults at using their cell phones for many purposes. There are essentially three core stances most school districts have took with their cell phone policies. One such policy basically bans their students from having their cell phones at all. If students are caught with their cell phones, then they can be confiscated or fined or in some cases the student may be suspended. Another common cell phone policy allows students to bring their cell phones to school and allows them to use them during non-instructional times such as time in between classes and lunch. If students are caught with them in class, then they are confiscated from the student. Another cell phone policy is leaning towards a shift in administrators thinking. Students are not only allowed to possess and use their cell phones, but their also encouraged to use them in class as learning tools. Districts that ban their students from having their cell phones or limit their usage do this for a variety of reasons. Those include not wanting it to make it easy for students to cheat, being afraid that students are sending inappropriate content, playing games, or setting up drug deals. Teachers also feel like they are distracting and disrespectful. All of these are valid concerns and are why this is such a hot issue among school administrators. The movement towards embracing the use of cell phones by students begins with educating students on proper use of phones at school. Administrators who are shifting towards this policy often say that they are fighting an uphill battle with a policy that has a complete or partial ban on cell phone. Administrators who have transitioned to this type of policy say that their job has become much easier and that they have far fewer issues of cell phone abuse than they did under other policies. This type of policy also clears the way for teachers to embrace cell phones as a teaching/learning tool. Teachers who have elected to use cell phones in their daily lessons say that their students are actively engaged and more attentive than they typically are. A cell phone can be a power educational tool. Smart phones especially have the ability to provide students with so much information that teachers cannot deny that they can be powerful technological tools in the classroom. Many teachers are using them for a variety of purposes such as a small group projects with research races and text competitions for correct answers. The website [Link] allows teachers to ask a question, students then text their answers to a particular number the teacher gives them, and the website collects the data and puts it into a graph, where teachers can discuss the answer choices. The results of these activities have been very positive. Teachers, administrators, and students have all provided positive feedback. Perhaps it is time to move into the 21st century and begin using the resources we have available to engage our students in the learning process more readily.

When I was in school, I didn't have a cell phone. Neither did I have one in my high school. I got one when I was in the last year of college. Too late? That I wouldn't know. You see, there was no other way then. Now when I do have my cell phone, I can't really think of life without it. It seems to have become a sickeningly important part of my life. And when I look around today, I find that students as young as 10 are carrying cell phones to school. Which leads to the question - is that really necessary, or is it an extravagance? The following article will deal with the issue of cell phones in school pros and cons. Pros and cons of cell phones in school - This topic is a hot spot for debate, if you ask me. Should students have cell phones in school is a difficult question to answer because of the sentimental values attached and societal constraints raised. I don't look to provide any answers because the final authority rests with the school board and parents. All I will do is raise some issues in both these regards and hope to show you what the cell phones in school pros and cons are. Pros of Cell Phones in Schools These are some of the advantages of carrying a cell phone to school. Emergency Contact There is no doubt that a cell phone allows for the advantage of being able to contact a person directly during an emergency or otherwise. Knowing that a child has a mobile phone puts the parents at ease because they can call them in case of any change in plans, emergency instructions and the like. Similarly, the students can also be in touch with their parents if the need be. Security Not only will the children be in touch with the parents for regular instructions like a pick up point or change in time etc., but more importantly, they can also feed in emergency numbers like 911, hospitals, relatives and others. This will provide a security for both, the child and the parents. No Inconvenience In case a child has not been provided with a phone and the parents needs to contact their child immediately, then they would be forced to go through the school office. As a result, precious time could be lost and the phone line at the school office might be jammed as a result. To add to that, the school office has to make arrangements to send someone to the child in question and convey the message or call him to the office to receive the call - a long drawn process. Academic Help A cell phone comes with several cell phone accessories like calculators, cameras and the Internet etc. These applications can be made use of for furthering academics. Like if a student needs to leave for the next class and does not have the time to jot down the notes on the board, then he can just photograph the board and have access to the information. Cons of Cell Phones in Schools Many academics believe that there should be a banning of cell phones in school. They say that the disadvantages of carrying a call phone outweigh the advantages. Here's how. Distraction Along with the many applications available on a cell phone, an important one is that of texting. There is no guarantee that a student will not text during class hours. Which, along with posing as a distraction, also affects their concentration on studies and thereby the overall learning process. Not only does the factor of distraction come into the picture in relation to students, but also in relation to teachers and the classroom in general. For example, when the phone starts ringing in

class, the teacher might lose his/her link of teaching and that will prove to be a major disadvantage for the entire class. Illegal/Wrong Use The cell phone could turn into a potent device for some students. Instead of using it for academics and emergencies, some students might make unlawful use of its features - like that of the camera, and therefore bring the issue of school safety into the picture. They might click snaps that are not right, or record videos that are questionable in nature. They may also use the phone to draw out other illegal activities like drug deals, thefts and the like. So also, if the phone is used extensively, it could lead to an extravagant bill. Cheating Having the Internet on the phone provides for an opportunity to cheat. Students can refer to the Internet for answers on a test, or they could text an accomplice for the answers. They could also photograph from a textbook and use that to cheat in the test. Neither of these acts leads to any sort of education for the students, but on the other hand, discourages them from working hard. Hostility Sometimes, only the rich kids have cell phones. This can lead to a lot of social problems like hierarchy, jealousy, thefts, ragging and ridicule. This makes the adjustment process in school rather difficult. The pros and cons of carrying cell phones in school are many and each of these comes with its own set of valid points. That is why, making a final choice becomes difficult. The way to deal with this problem is to have a proper discussion carried forth with the school authorities and the parents and an appropriate policy needs to be drawn out thus. The main point being - is the cell phone leading to any education or is it a mere distraction?