Cell phones are a relatively new technological device that has become an
indispensable part of our life. It is used by all generations today, so to see
a kid of the kindergarten age with this device is not a surprise already.
Modern phones are used not only to connect people but also provide a variety of
other opportunities that are so appreciated by school children. These young
people can’t imagine their existence without phones and as a result, many contradictory studies have appeared. One of such problems connected with cell
phones is their presence and use at schools and now we are going to evaluate
all the pros and cons of this issue.
Impressive statistical data on cell phone use at schools
Apart from the main function of the phone nowadays it can be used for
various purposes. It is considered to be the second most important symbol of
status among teenagers (the first one is clothing), so its main purpose today
is to maintain a social status of the school child. The other facts connected
with phones prove that they are used by children both from the positive and
negative side for education. And even schools where they are officially
forbidden confirm that students still carry them taking them in parts. So let
us see what conclusions were received after the surveys on the use of phones
had been conducted among school children:
-
65%
of students still use cell phones in school premises even being aware of the
official ban;
-
35%
of pupils admit cheating using their phones;
-
Astonishing
facts: 23% do not consider sending questions to their friends as cheating; 19%
do not refer surfing the Internet to find right answers to cheating; 48% of
pupils use phones to warn their schoolmates about any tests or quizzes;
-
Girls
(76%) use cell phones more often than boys (64%);
-
The
great mannerism of modern children: 64% of pupils admit receiving or sending
messages being in the class and using banned at school phones; 25% of them even
managed to make or receive a call.
These overwhelming facts make it obvious that cell phones must be banned
at schools, but still, there are many debates left as their benefits are also
very important.
Reasons to allow using cell phones at school
1.
Students
are taught responsibility
The variety of functions of the cell phone make it a powerful tool in
the hands of youngsters, but children must be able to differentiate where they
are allowed to use these devices and under what circumstances it is completely
forbidden. It will teach youth to treat their phones with responsibility and
mostly for educational purposes. Phones can be useful on the lessons to find
some extra information, but they should be left outside the classroom to combat
cheating.
2.
Avoidance
of double standards
It is natural that pupils will show their astonishment if teachers are
allowed to use mobile phones and children aren’t. Moreover, if there is an
official ban on using phones at school and a teacher is noticed with his device
in hands, he will never face the same consequences students have to face when
caught red handed.
3.
Emergency
cases
One of the main reasons why parents allow their children to take mobile
phones with to school is definitely any case of emergency. Every school is not
insured from threats, disasters or any accidents and parents feel more secure
if they can connect with their kid anytime.
In addition, pupils are prone to forgetting their things at home and a
call home can prevent a kid from the stress that can be received admitting his
fault.
4.
For
education purposes
Apart from many functions that distract student’s attention cell phones
can be also used as learning aids. Calculators, search for extra materials,
visual representation, vocabularies, a calendar are only some of the functions
that can be useful for learning. Let alone a diversity of modern educational
applications that can provide additional knowledge in different fields of
study.
5.
Memory
assistance
Students always have difficulty in memorizing the volumes of information
provided at schools. Phones can be good assistants in this task as it is enough
to switch on your camera and make a photo to keep important information.
Students also enjoy making voice notes to be able to keep track of their
necessities and assignments. The calendar is also a quite important thing as
children can set tasks with reminders for future and perform them in time. It
helps to be more organized as papers and notebooks have a tendency to be lost
or forgotten, but such a lovely thing as a phone – never!
6.
GPS
tracking
There is hardly a parent, who wouldn’t like to know exactly where his or
her kid is. GPS tracking is a great benefit for such parents. They can easily
determine the location of the child and even if a child is reported missing, he
will be much easier to find if he has a mobile phone with.
Why are cell phones not allowed in the classroom?
Being the source of public debate many school staff representatives
still, focus on the drawbacks of cellular phones and their bad influence on the
educational process. Many educational establishments have noticed the
outweighing drawbacks of cell phones for students and banned them, but all that
seems only a kind of the game for students, who still find opportunities to
carry them at schools. Let us see what problems can be brought about by simple
mobile phones.
1.
Distraction of attention
Being aware of the main student’s objective to study at school it does
not prevent them from using phones that are great distractors of attention.
Even simply lying next to the student makes him or her lose focus and get
interested in the phone more than in the topic of the lesson. Some pupils visit
the social networks or communicate via instant messages, the others play games
or find other more interesting activities than studying.
2.
Cheating
Cheating has also stepped to the age of the new technology with the
appearance of mobile phones and tablets. Now it is not necessary to pass notes
or whisper if you can send a text message or surf the Internet for a right
answer. Of course, you would ask where a teacher is when that happens. The way
is rather simple: each pupil can excuse himself to visit a washroom and do his
task there. There are also some great applications like calculators or
libraries with books to be used too.
3.
Thefts
Mobile phones have immediately become a target for thieves after their
appearance. Moreover, some parents do not understand that the purchase of
expensive devices for children can also make their kids be subjected to attacks
and injuries. Thieves can spot their victim anywhere: in the street, bus or
schoolyard, so children are not protected. Such expensive devices can also
result in envy and there are children, who can try to steal or damage the thing
intentionally. That is a great reason not to take cell phones to school.
4.
Various
socioeconomic status of each pupil
Not all parents can afford to buy a smartphone or even a phone. The
others present their children with incredibly expensive devices that become a
reason for jealousy and resentment of others. Even teachers are sometimes
shocked by things brought to school by pupils, let alone children. For mobile
phones have become a status symbol today it is advisable to leave them at home
to avoid any troubles.
5.
An
objective for predators
Another reason to leave a cell phone at home is an inability to control
the social media activity of children. Their pages are easily spotted by
predators who hunt for money or wish to get any other benefits or make use of
children’s naïve character. If you want to monitor their online activity, try
to allow your child to use the phone in your presence but not at school, of
course.
6.
A
source of the electromagnetic radiation
Electromagnetic fields produced by phones come into the direct contact
with pupils’ brains and influence the overall state of the organism. People,
who use cell phones, are several times more subjected to brain tumors, acoustic
neuromas. There were other adverse health consequences like leukemia,
infertility and different types of cancers. Only imagine how detrimental cell
phone towers are!
Undoubtedly, cell phones have both pros and cons, but it does not make
them desired assistants at school. Schools are not those places that require
such costly devices to be brought to. Moreover, even for the sake of studying
they can be used at home too, it is much more difficult to control the use of
cell phones in the classroom. Scientists confirm the fact that mobile phones
are to be banned at schools but for this ban to work properly parents should
also contribute to this fact and monitor their kids. As a result, educational
process will be more productive and easy to control.
Originally published at Cell Phones at School: Should They Be Allowed in the classroom?
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