To know should students be allowed to have phones in school….Read on this article…!
Now, this can be a vexed debate that cannot be answered just with a yes or no. A debate among students, a debate among teachers, a debate among parents, a debate between parent and teacher, or a debate between student and teacher. Some would agree that phones should be allowed to students in school and some would disagree. For some parents and teachers phones can be a problem in the classrooms and for some students and parents phones seem to be a necessity.
What points would you raise during this argument? Smart technology today sometimes feels like a blessing and sometimes a curse. Kids nowadays have grown smarter and use technology more than they play outdoor games. Allowing phones at schools can be the decision to be made by the school itself and maybe parents as well. Here, in this article, you will read an unbiased detail of the facts and thoughts that may or may not support your views.
Mobile phones at schools: An emergency, a distraction, or a learning and teaching device
- An emergency
Many parents claim that they provide cell phones to their children so that they can reach their children in emergencies. Also, if children find themselves in any problem or danger then they can contact their family, medical, or any school authority for help. Children also go out for after-school activities that make it obvious for the parents to show concern and provide cell phones to their children.
- A distraction
According to a study published by the Pew Research Center 2010, some schools have banned cell phones at schools but despite the ban and strict warnings, up to 65 percent of students bring their phones to school. Other studies conducted by the same center show that around 45 percent of teens in America stay online constantly.
Some schools allowed phones in the school but instruct students to keep their phones in lockers. The most precise reason that makes schools ban cell phones in the classrooms is that phones cause a distraction to the students and teachers as well when students forget to put their phones on silent. If phones are put on silent even then students become addicted to checking their phones for notifications. Such addictive visuals can be seen in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma released in 2020.
Studies have also found that the more time children spend on phone screens the more their brain development and learning capacity will be affected. Other studies found that students spend up to 20 percent of their time on phones while sitting in the classrooms.
- A learning and teaching device
Do you support the practice of not using technology in the classrooms in the twenty-first century? Technology has become part of our daily life and plays a vital role in the classrooms whether to be used by students or teachers. But there should be better strategies for using technology or in other words laptops and cell phones by teachers so that students do not miss use or distract.
Cell phones have a lot of information that helps students score best on their tests. Many educational or general knowledge apps or other apps on the phones help in managing time, following the schedule, etc. Cell phones can also be used in classrooms to have online discussions, finding detailed information on a topic that is being discussed in the class.
What are the advantages of allowing cell phones in schools?
If we have millions of reasons not to allow cell phones in schools then we might also have thousands of reasons why should cell phones be allowed in schools. Being digital can be a good option to save the environment by minimizing paper use and simultaneously world will be literate in terms of technology.
Allowing cell phones in schools also increases digital communications through the use of feedback forms. Undoubtedly, It lowers the safety concern of parents for their children. Therefore, not being biased, it can be concluded that allowing smartphones in schools has both pros and cons.
But it depends upon the students, parents, teachers, and authorities how they manage these pros and cons without letting students distract from their goals.
States enforcing the laws against the use of cell phones in classrooms
With developing technology teachers like being digital in the classrooms. Teachers use many smartphone applications to teach students. Hence, it can be concluded that banning smartphones can cause agitation. But in recent years many states have tried to enforce the ban on the use of cell phones in classrooms. But the policies for the prohibition of smartphones in schools have seemed to be tough to enact in the United States.
Enforcing the laws against the use of cell phones in classrooms has successfully worked in Ontario, the province in Central Canada. Ontario banned the use of cell phones in elementary, and secondary schools in September 2019.
Apart from Ontario many other states listed below had tried banning cell phone use in classrooms but failed to do so:
- California
- Arizona
- Maine
- Maryland
- Utah
What solutions should be adopted?
Many of you would agree that a complete ban on cell phones is not the solution. Depriving the students of technology can hinder them from using and learning smart technology. But does it mean that cell phones should be allowed in the classrooms and let cell phones cause a distraction to students and teachers? Many students and teachers might also need to use phones in classrooms for additional information on the topics.
Teachers need to understand and recognize the cause behind students not concentrating in the class but using cell phones. Also, students have to understand that using cell phones unnecessarily during their classes can impact their studies and their health. Parents and teachers both can counsel the students and make them understand the harmful impacts of using cell phones in the classrooms.
A final word
There can never be one easy answer to this question. Some will be in support and some will be against it. This question can leave the people divided. But one answer to which everyone will agree is that a complete ban on cell phones in schools can be problematic in every aspect. There is a need for the teachers to make strategies to balance the use of cell phones in classrooms if required and studies.
Cell phones can be allowed in the school if teachers are confident that they have total control over students activities in the classrooms. Also, If teachers consider cell phones as a necessity for their topics to be taught then they can manage the situation accordingly. Other than that, allowing cell phones on the campus but not in classrooms and keeping them in the locker can be a better option.
Frequently asked questions (FAQS)
Q 1. How do I make students avoid using their phones in my classrooms?
Ans. Try to find the reason behind students being distracted by phones in your classroom while you are teaching in . They might find the topic boring. Try to interact informally with students during the teaching and ask questions.
Q 2. Should cell phones be banned from schools?
Ans. Banning cell phones completely from the schools can be troublesome for various reasons such as parents’ safety concerns for their children or increasing digital literacy. But the answer to this question can vary from individual to individual, your parents, grandparents, teachers, your friends, and you yourself can have different opinions.
