by Jim Tully

Created on: March 01, 2010

As with all technology, there are pros and cons to its use in the classroom.  Computers and the internet brought out an ability for students to copy and paste plagiarized material into term papers, but we still use them in classrooms.  Cell phones are just another useful technology that have just as many pros and cons to education as computers and the internet. 

Yes, cell phones can be a distraction if used inappropriately, but just as we teach our students to behave ethically, morally, and productively with computers, we have the opportunity to do so with cell phones as well.  By banning cell phones, according to Cool Cool Cat Teacher Blog (2009), “we’ve pushed them into private places of the school like the bathrooms and locker rooms which is precisely where we DO NOT want them to be!” 

Cell phones allow students to be more organized and instantly have access to information and tools, especially if there aren’t enough classroom computers for the class.  Tools like calculators, calendars, and maps can make students more productive.  Dr. Liz Korb, a popular blogger at Cell Phones In Learning, adds that cell phones can be assistive aids for students with visual and hearing impairments (2008).  Visually impaired students can use Jott.com, call them, say a blog post, and it will appear on a class blog within a few minutes as a text to speech function.  Additionally, hearing impaired students can use texting to collaborate and communicate with the “spoken world.” 

One word that comes up in countless websites and reports about cell phone use in education is ubiquitous, or constantly encountered, widespread.  Many secondary students have cell phones and as it becomes more commonplace, why not tap into the many benefits it offers.  A study by Elizabeth Harnell-Young and Nadja Heym of the Learning Sciences Research Institute at the University of Nottingham conducted a study about the use of cell phones in secondary education.  According to their results, “Almost all students reported greater enjoyment in projects and felt more motivated.  In one school, the results indicated that the phone use in the classroom helped students both in their social and learning environments, thereby increasing student confidence and their work ethic.”

In a day and age where are students are more diverse than ever, it is important to find every which way we can reach them.  Technology is a major component of this effort.  While there are concerns, certainly over proper use, just because it can be misused, doesn’t mean we should discard or ban the technology from schools.  It’s about embracing positive outcomes and student achievement any which way possible. 

Citations

Davis, V. A. (2009, March 8, 2009). Making The Case For Cell Phones In Schools. Message posted to The Cool Cat Teacher Blog, archived  at http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/2009/03/making-ca se-for-cell-phones-in-schools.html

Elise. (2008, September 7, 2008). Cell Phones In Education – An Interview With Liz Korb. Message posted to Cellphones.org, archived at http://cellphones.org/blog/cell-phones-in-education- an-interview-with-liz-korb/

Thomas. (2009, February 8, 2009). Cell Phones – Time to lift the ban on mobiles in the school setting?. Message posted to Open Education, archived at http://www.openeducation.net/2009/02/08/cell-phones- time-to-lift-the-ban-on-mobiles-in-the-school-settin g/

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