Activity 9- Cellphones in the classroom

While there are problems with the use of a cell phone in school, many advantages to having one available exist. Schools need to weigh all factors involved in use of cell phones in order to make wise and appropriate decisions. Parents and students should decide together on the wisdom of taking the cell phone to school. This is a partial listing of advantages and disadvantages of cell phone use in high schools. A camera equipped phone can be used to take pictures and video related to school projects or develop photo essays. Camera phones can be used to record school events and field trips. They can prove quite useful for assignments involving photographs, particularly anything going to the web. Just snap a shot with your picture phone and use it for your web classes, which are becoming more and more important these days. This is especially useful given that cell phone cameras are getting better and better with time.

Cell phones can be a distraction in the classroom. Students whose minds wander during a lecture or discussion may find the temptation of texting instead of listening hard to resist. They are also potentially a distraction to the class if the student forgets to set their phone to vibrate rather than ring during calls. Even the vibration can be distracting, and it does not take much for a teacher to lose their momentum.

Pros:

1. Academic Help - The most significant advantage of having cell phones in the classroom is being effective and reliable academic tool. Cell phones have several features like cameras, calculators and internet connection that can certainly help students when doing research and home works. Students can also use several applications beneficial to learning.

2. Emergency Contact - Cell phones are undeniably useful in terms of contacting individuals instantly especially during emergency situations. Knowing that students have their own mobile phones make parents feel relieved and at ease because they can easily contact their children in events like change of schedule and plans, urgent messages and instructions and more. Cell phones also make it possible for parents and students to keep in touch with each other.

3. Security - Not only can students keep in touch with their parents but they can also contact emergency numbers, friends and relatives during urgent and complicated situations. This provides security to students and parents at the same time.

4. Versatility - Aside from school premises, cell phones can be functional in other places. Students can use their phones for all-around purposes such as communicating, researching, making connections and many more.

Cons:

1. Distraction - Texting and making calls during class hours can definitely be major distractions for students and this is one of the common disadvantages of having cell phones in the classroom. Distraction also interferes with the concentration of students and if these scenarios happen frequently, their academic performance might as well be affected.

2. Wrong or Illegal Usage - There are instances that students use cell phones for wrong or illegal activities and purposes like thefts, drug deals and the like. Instead of using these phones for academic purposes, students use these gadgets for taking pictures and uploading videos the wrong way. Cell phones are also being used for cheating.

3. Hostility - Only those students who can afford to have cell phones and this scenario creates social problems such as hierarchy jealously, ragging and thefts.

During my research, online discussion and reading of the course materials I believe the use of cellphones in the classroom pros far outweigh the cons.