Thursday, November 21, 2013
Cell Phone Use in School
While conducting a debate in class today, I noticed a student of mine using his phone as a recording device, so as to document the mock trial. What was interesting about this scenario was my reaction, which was hesitation. My initial reaction was that his device was not causing a distraction, in fact, he was using it as a helpful tool to document what was being said during the mock trial so as to be able to hone his closing statement, which would take place the following class time. After thinking about it, I told my student to put the phone away, which he argued was being used for educational purpose, to which I answered that if I see it, then I am required to take it away. He quickly assessed the loophole in my comment, and put the phone where I couldn't see it, which I was fully aware of and did not mind to address further. This situation caused me to look introspectively at my own opinions on the matter if cellular devices in the classroom, which I had not previously considered. Being in an eighth grade classroom, my students are on a cusp, in that they are not yet adults and yet cannot be considered children. While they are coming of age, I feel as though it is important to give students responsibility for their actions, especially ones they know the consequences to. While cell phone use is prohibited in school, I find that in certain instances they may be a beneficial tool for instruction and learning. While we live in a digital age, and most students can navigate technology fluently, it almost seems counter intuitive not to integrate technology into the classroom. The school I am in is not one in which students have consistent access to computers, and yet, the majority of students possess some sort of smart phone or device which can perform the same basic tasks. While cell phone use would have to be regulated and closely monitored, only allowing these devices to be used in class during allotted times, I believe the integration could be beneficial for many students as well as teachers.
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You brought up a very interesting situation that we will have to grapple with in the future as educators. Research has shown that cellphones can help to facilitate the learning process, but administrators across the nation enforce strict bans. I think that one of the major problems is that this kind of ban does not allow the school to become an authentic real world environment. Technology is so prevelant in our society, but we seem to ignore the kind of great advances it can bring. It just seems like we want to keep education stuck in the 1950s, and it causes students to not like going to school. It is definitely beneficial to students. I can imagine that it could be useful to the student I tutor because he has a learning disability. He has a difficult time retaining information, and it can cause him to do poorly on exams. If he was able to use his cellphone to record his teachers' lectures, it would probably be a great help to him when he has to study. I think that we need to promote cellphone use, but they have to serve clear pedagogical purposes. Teachers need to be purposeful when they integrate them into the classroom so they serve a particular learning goal, and teachers must know that they must model acceptable use of the cellphones in the classroom. What you seem to be battling against is the tensions between two different stances on technology in education. Do we need to go against the grain and against the administrators in order to advance our educational system? It may seem like that, but we do live in a political system where we can get in trouble for insubordination.
ReplyDeleteTechnology has integrated itself into our daily lives and it is worthless in my opinion to try and fight it. If students are using their cellphone in class for educational purposes I see no problem with this. I have had an experience where I was about to tell a student to put his phone away, but he was looking up the formula to use for a math problem. I have also witnessed students taking pictures of the homework assignments the teacher writes on the board. I think school districts should rethink their no cellphone policy. Now, If students are not using the phone for academic purposes then they should be reprimanded. In my experience however, I would state that 75 percent of the time I have seen students using phones it has been for academic purposes.
ReplyDeleteCell phones can be distracting in the classroom with text messages, video clips, social media etc. however before this, was the passing of the notes in class. Whispering to each other during instruction, cheating by writing the answers on a small piece of paper etc…
ReplyDeleteI also remember where it was still mandatory to cite at least two books for a research method. This was in the beginning times of the Internet and the readily accessible information. Now, it is acceptable to use credited sites for any work-cited page.
Technology is growing and, though slow, adjustment will occur. Not all schools ban cellphones. I believe this number will soon grow. Students will find ways to continue doing what hey normally do. Banning phones will only prevent our awareness of these actions. I agree with you. I think, if used properly cellphones can become a great asset with in a classroom.
I think that cell phones are going to be allowed in many schools in the near future for educational use. The world is becoming full of technology and to not allow cell phones in school for educational purposes you could be holding back on a students learning. This can become complicated thought because how does a teacher discriminate between educational use and personal use. This may cause arguments between the teacher and the students, The students will have to gain respect for the ability to use cell phones in the classroom and respect their right to use them. I think that if a school does not allow cell phones you need to ask the student to put it away regardless of what they are doing because it will only cause an issue for you if one student is using it educationally and another is using it personally. You can not ask one to put it away and not the other.
ReplyDeleteCell phone use in school is actually something I support. I do agree, however, that it can often be discouraging to see your students using cell phones while you are trying to move on with your lesson, so the issue is not so black and white. In the real world, students will be using cellphones all the time, and cellphones now have a myriad of applications that can be both education and useful in a classroom, so it is very hard to determine where exactly to draw the line. I think I would allow my students to use their cellphones any time that I am not talking---but of course I would allow them to use it if we need a definition for something during a discussion. I just think that is it up to the teacher to teach students how to use cell phones responsibly, and in a way that is neither disrespectful or distracting.
ReplyDeleteI think that I take a more neutral stance in the cell phone debate, in that I do not care up until the point where it interferes with the educational process. At the start of the year I will address that the school has prohibited the use of cell phones because they view it as a distraction to education and that in my class if it is a distraction I will simply tell them to put it away. Now, if it a huge problem (which I don't think it will be) I will just put the phone on my desk for the student to take at the end of class. My attitude comes from the fact that I use my phone all the time during classes and it is not a distraction for me. I answer it when the time is appropriate and leave it at that. Ultimately, I do not think it is as big of a problem as people blow it up to be. The fact is is that phones are distracting but taking a zero tolerance policy is unreasonable and counter intuitive to the aims of education.
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