There has been a lot of controversy surrounding cell phones in the classroom. The schools I've been observing and tutoring in do not allow cell phones to be used in the classroom, thus ignoring the possible positive advances that integrating cell phones into the classroom may have. To take a better look at the controversy, I googled "cell phone use in schools" and found this article, "Some Schools Rethink Bans on Cell Phones" which looks at both sides of the situation.
Firstly, as most smart phones are now mini-computers. They can be used to note-taking and sharing, homework logs, internet browsers, email, GPS, taking pictures. The article points out that students can use their cameras to take pictures of projects to show parents, and of the board in class when students need clearer notes. As 70% of students now have cell phones, it is easy to see why allowing phones in the classroom is useful and could enhance a students education. As we are always trying to find new ways to make our material relevant to student's lives outside of the classroom, a cell phone seems to be the perfect tool to capitalize with.
Unfortunately, students do not just use their phones to take notes and other school appropriate activities. Frighteningly, there have been reports of students snapping photos of other students in the locker room while changing for gym class. Further, in class "sexting" and rumor spreading quickly becomes a distraction to the learning environment. Students also use their phones to cheat inc lass and text each other answers. Obviously, these actions are distracting, disturbing, and a clear violation of school rules.
So, what do schools do? One solution is to reward to students for appropriately using their phones. Another, is to do what "administrators in
DeKalb County, in northeast Alabama, began confiscating phones this
school year, keeping them for 30 days and searching them for evidence of
cheating, pornography or other “illicit activities.” If such evidence
is found, it’s turned over to the sheriff’s office." I personally have a huge problem with going through students' phones in this manner - it appears to be illegal. I couldn't imagine searching through another person's phone in the hopes of finding some "illicit" information.
As a teacher, and a user of a smart phone, I can easily see the advantages of allowing phones. Especially in an English classroom where I'll be taking notes on the board and doing verbal discussions. On the other hand, I am weary of allowing students to use their phones in class should they decide to use the spell check on their phones for a vocabulary quiz or use google to seek answers on a plot/content quiz for a book. I doubt I will allow my students to use them in my classroom. There are so many other ways to integrate technology, and I plan to provide other ways of providing my students with notes to reduce the anxiety of in-class-note-taking. I feel that the temptation to step away from school appropriate actions is far too great for students to resist. If there are other ways to keep students on task with their phones without feeling like I am policing them, I may be open to the idea, but as for now, I cannot validate students using their phones in school.
Liz,
ReplyDeleteI never thought of the benefits of integrating cell phones in the class room. If teachers allow laptops and NOOKs, why not let students use their smart phones? I guess because we as current college students and future teachers, we recognize the dangers of allowing the use of cell phones in the classroom.
I completely agree with you about the issue of searching through students' cell phones. It really does seem illegal and rids them of their privacy rights, no matter what the age. It is a shame that some schools are going to this extent to deal with the issues of cellphones in the classroom. I think the safest way to deal with this issue is not allow them at all. Like you said, there are many other ways to integrate technology into a classroom without the use of cell phones. Thank you for providing us with this information.
Lizz,
ReplyDeleteI posted an article along these lines a while ago, and I think this is going to be a discussion that remains relevant for quite a long time. I have substituted in schools that have strict "no phone" policies, and the first thing the kids do when they see the sub is get right on their phones. Personally, I would have no problem letting them use phones if it fit in with the day's work, but I would stir up trouble with the administration for letting students disobey school policy. (And I usually tell them this quite honestly!) We know there will be problems with phones being used appropriately, and then there is the 30% of students who do not carry phones at all times. What do we do for them? I have seen two positive things happening, though: the high school were I sub is allowing device usage only to read during SSR or to listen to music in study hall. Baby steps, but they are hoping the slowly allow responsible usage. Also, last year in a Newark elementary school, a science teacher had a student who wasn't familiar with a disease in an article the class was reading. Naturally once he admitted this, other students said they didn't know it either. The teacher tossed his own personal cell phone to the first student, asking him to look it up and report back to the class. The teacher also used his personal phone to call parents when their students were dismissed, because class ran a little late that day. He basically collected student phones at the beginning of class and returned them at the end, but let them use his phone for in-class work. I thought it was extremely effective and respectful.
Lizz,
ReplyDeleteWhile I agree that cell phones are often misused in classrooms, I feel that there are several benefits to the integration of these standards within the classroom. Do you feel that as educators we can redefine the way these devices are viewed and utilized within schools? If we teach students to use these devices for educational purposes will they learn how to appropriately use cell phones at all times?