Should Cell phones be allowed in the Classroom
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Should Cell phones be allowed in the Classroom?
Introduction
A 2010 research conducted by the Pew Research Center reported that 65% of teenagers carry cell phones to school despite any bans that the school might have in place. Most schools now permit their students to carry cell phones but require them to be off during class time because they tend to be distracting and disruptive. Some people are of the opinion that learners should be allowed to bring their cell phones to school, while opponents hold that cell phones should be banned in schools. In my viewpoint, I believe that cell phones should be allowed in classrooms. This text argues why allowing learners to have cell phones in the classroom is better than restricting them.
Supporting Arguments
Cell phones are Good for Emergency Uses
One of the reasons learners should be allowed to bring their cell phones with them to class is that they help students reach out to their families in the event of a tragedy. We live in an unprecedented world where families need to be able to speak to their children. Current generations are growing up in environments dominated by mass and public shootings. Such news has become a daily headline today. Additionally, we live in a pandemic world where there are heightened cases of anxiety and health and safety concerns in schools and across families. Children should know that they can reach their parents and loved ones in a heartbeat and cell phones are a huge part of that. Right now, it is important that everybody should feel safer than ever. As such, students should be allowed to bring their cell phones with them to class.
Staying in Touch and Tracking Location
Another reason why cell phones should be allowed in the classroom is that it enables their parents to track their whereabouts. Research conducted by Pew study in 2010 found that 48% of parents use their cell phones to track their children’s location. They are able to tell if their child attended school or if they are missing classes. Additionally, cell phones make it easy for parents to stay in touch with them.
Cell Phones Are Used as Research Tools
Another reason why schools should allow learners to bring cell phones to the classroom is that they can be employed as a research tool. Cell phones grant students with instant access when they want to acquire new information (Mendoza, Mendoza, Benjamin, Seungyeon, Minsung, and Ian, 52). If they need to find the meaning of a specific word, or subject, they can access the information in a second by typing it on Google. Essentially, students do not necessarily have to interrupt the rest of the class to seek clarification, especially if they are shy and hate embarrassment.
Opposing Arguments.
Distractions
Some people are of the opinion that learners should not bring cell phones to class because they are often a source of distractions. We live in a modernized world where almost everything relies on technology. The cell phone does a lot more than make a call and text. People can download thousands of applications for social interactions, dating, and gaming that all translate into a layer of distraction (Papadakis, Michail, Eirini, and Nikolas, 378). If a student feels the urge to use their phone while the teacher is teaching, it negates the learning experience. If students get addicted to their phones, they will not attain good grades. While this argument is true, I maintain that cell phones should be allowed in the classroom because if students are asked to turn them off and keep them from their sight, the problem of addiction can be addressed. Alternatively, if schools can come up with a rule where learners hand in their books to a selected custodian, either a teacher or student, then the issue of distraction would be a non-factor.
Academic Cheating
Another reason why cell phones should not be allowed in classrooms is that they encourage students to cheat. We live in a fast-paced world where information is just a Google search away. Information is now at people’s fingertips with the dawn of technology and the internet. While this is a good thing, it is also dangerous and a threat to the provision of quality education. Cell phones tend to encourage students to cheat. They do this by sneaking cell phones into the exam rooms where they can Google answers. This is all in a bid to pass exams and graduate college. However, this is a problem that can be addressed with ease. Teachers can collect all cell phones, return them after exams, and impose hefty punishments such as academic disqualification on cheating students.
Conclusion
In closing, students should be allowed to bring their cell phones to school as they can be used as a research tool, help parents keep track of their children’s location, and be used during emergencies. Opposers say that cell phones should be banned from school because they are a source of distractions and can be used to facilitate cheating. All in all, I hold that learners should be allowed to bring their cell phones to school.
Works Cited
Mendoza, Jessica S., Mendoza, Jessica S., Benjamin C. Pody, Seungyeon Lee, Minsung Kim, and Ian M. McDonough. “The effect of cellphones on attention and learning: The influences of time, distraction, and nomophobia.” Computers in Human Behavior 86 (2018): 52-60.
Papadakis, Stamatios, Michail Kalogiannakis, Eirini Sifaki, and Nikolas Vidakis. “Access moodle using smart mobile phones. A case study in a Greek University.” Interactivity, game creation, design, learning, and innovation. Springer, Cham, 2017. 376-385.
