There’s no doubt that technology is altering the educational landscape. Laptops and tablets, among other personal digital gadgets, have inexorably made their way from students’ homes to their classrooms. The use of mobile phones in school has become a rite of passage for today’s kids, similar to having a driver’s license for earlier generations. Many kids have a free Internet connection at home. They may chat and communicate with their pals, play games, snap photographs, and enjoy all of the other features that come with smartphone ownership today.
Here are the pros & cons of the use of mobile phones in school.
Pros
1. It Adds An Extra Degree Of Protection For Parents And Children
Students and parents alike will feel safer if they bring their cell phones to school. This is because there are times when they must communicate with one another due to an emergency. School violence is a persistent problem in the United States that pupils must deal with as they get older. According to a Washington Post research, children in the United States have seen an average of ten school shootings every year since the events at Columbine.
That implies over 200,000 youngsters have been exposed to gun violence in a purported safe environment. It isn’t simply high schools that are affected. At Sandy Hook, 20 elementary school students were killed. The use of mobile phones in school helps students contact emergency services, communicate with their parents, and provide an additional layer of protection during a lockdown exercise.
2. It Can Be Used As A Research Tool
When students need to learn something new, use of mobile phones in school to conduct immediate research. If a kid is interested in learning more about a subject, they can utilize their phone to do it. Instead of risking embarrassment by asking for clarification on anything they don’t understand, students may use their phones to seek information and get an immediate response without disrupting the rest of the class.
3. It Provides Access To More Information
Students were reliant on their textbooks and professors for knowledge prior to the invention of cell phones and computers. Students now have access to a variety of materials that enhance what their lecturers and textbooks have to offer thanks to technology. Cell phones allow students to learn a new language, play a new game, or develop abilities that they would not otherwise have access to in a typical classroom setting. Surely, during recitations, some students find it hard to keep up with their top classmates because they lack knowledge of their subject matter.
If the use of mobile phones in school is allowed, students will have easy access to more information and therefore will be more participative during class discussions. One of the most significant advantages of technology is the ability to look up information in a matter of seconds. Inside the classroom, there will be more fascinating debates and exchanges of viewpoints since everyone has something to contribute.
4. It Offers Access To Learning Assistance Apps And Devices
While doing schoolwork, a student’s attention can be improved by listening to music. Each student’s degree of attentiveness is affected by different forms of music. Students can listen to their preferred music without disturbing others if they have their own mobile. This also allows pupils to discuss their musical interests, form friendships with other students, and explore possibilities that aren’t usually available at home.
5. Phones In School Teach Digital Literacy
Almost all youngsters nowadays are raised in a world dominated by computers and mobile gadgets. In fact, most children receive their first smartphone at the age of ten. Innovative schools should begin teaching these “digital natives” how to use technology safely at a young age, so they may develop computer skills that will help them thrive in todays and future employment markets. Phones in the classroom are used to teach digital literacy.
6. It Creates Opportunities For Social Learning
Students may experience unfavorable consequences as a result of their use of social media. It can expose students to bullying behavior throughout the day, cause feelings of inadequacy, and even lead to isolation. The presence of a smartphone in the classroom, however, can assist students to connect with others when they are uncomfortable with extroverted acts if social learning is appropriately directed. Digital items, such as a cellphone, can assist some children to break out of their shells by creating a sense of independence.
Cons
1. It Gives Students Access To Inappropriate Information
Although President Trump regularly refers to the media as “fake news,” the Internet is the most common source of misleading information. Students must be taught how to distinguish between reliable and untrustworthy sources of information. Due to the variety of websites that may be accessed on a mobile device, students may undertake improper research for their projects. They are allowed to peruse pornography on their cellphone throughout the school day. Students with access to a cellular connection may be able to see this information even if a firewall is in place.
2. It Gives Access To Inappropriate Information
Students must be taught how to distinguish between credible sources and non-credible information. Although President Trump likes to tout the idea of fake news when referencing the media, the Internet is the first source of fake news. With the variety of websites that can be viewed on a mobile device, the use of mobile phones in school by students inappropriate research for their schoolwork.
They might use their cellphone to access pornography during the school day. Even if a firewall is in place, students with a cellular connection may be able to get around it to view these types of content.
3. It Could Encourage Cheating
The use of mobile phones in school to get around a difficult exam question becomes a difficult temptation to overcome for some students when answers are only a Google search away. Teachers or school administrations might ask that all smartphones be handed in before a test or that all phones be switched off throughout the exam to prevent this problem. Students who are prone to cheating would hunt for answers in other places anyhow, but the simplicity with which answers may be obtained may entice those who would not ordinarily cheat to consider it.
