Journal 6: Should Cell Phones be Banned from Classrooms?

ISTE. Allen, Josh & Kolb, Liz. “Should Cell Phones be Banned from Classrooms?” Learning & Leading with Technology. Dec/Jan 2007/2008.

Cell phones are often used in classrooms for non-educational purposes. There are plenty of negatives that are associated with cell phone use in classrooms. For instance, paying for cell phone plans are expensive, cell phone use would cut into the already limited class time, not all students have them, and cell phones generally serve as distractions for the students. However, there are also positives associated with cell phone use that often go overlooked. Students can use the information and tools learned via their cell phones and integrate them into their professional lives. It is also another way for schools to connect to the real world. Cell phones can be used for knowledge construction, data collection, and collaborative communication. Students can then become more competitive in the 21st-century world. Cell phones can be audio recorders, digital video camcorders, still cameras, note-taking devices, calculation devices, scheduling and management tools, phone conferencing devices, Internet researching tools, faxing and scanning devices, blog and Web page editors, or even audio assessment recorders. Web-based software can also be accessed from cell phones and used to a child’s benefit (ie: Jott allows a hearing impaired students to record audio on a cell phone to create text-written emails). Another unique feature of cell phones can be to take pictures during a field trip and create a slideshow for future reflection.

1. Why would schools allow the use of cell phones when the same features can be accomplished with computers?

Many schools struggle to finance the newest hardware and software for teaching. To keep updated technologically is a very expensive and complex process, as technology is always changing. Cell phones are technological tools that most students already own, are familiar with, and are tools that the school does not have to fund. Additionally, more families have access to cell phones than they do computers.

2. How can using cell phones in the classroom affect students’ everyday lives?

Students can apply their knowledge of cell phone functions to their everyday lives, even their professional careers one day. Some jobs are completely mobile, and some job interviews are done via phone. Students can redirect their evaluation of cell phones as social toys to cell phones as tools for knowledge construction, allowing them to be competitive in the future. This opportunity will also allow students an opportunity to learn proper phone etiquette.