BACK TO SCHOOL
Mobile phones and their place in the classroom
What parents need to know about devices before sending their kids to school
Mobile phones are
ubiquitous. Most people
would admit that they’d
rather leave home
without their wallets
than without their
phones. According to
statistics provider Smart
Insights, 80 percent
of internet users own
a smartphone, while
more than 50 percent of
cellphone users admit to
reaching for their phones
first thing when they
wake up.
Since more than
90 percent of today’s
teenagers own a phone,
schools are forced to find
ways to include cellphones
in the classroom
without having them
overshadow lessons or
distract students.
A 2013 University of
Nebraska-Lincoln study
of 777 students at six
American universities
found that the average
respondent used a digital
device for nonclass
purposes 10.93 times
during a typical school
day. Students’ activities
included texting,
social networking,
and e-mailing. Many
respondents cited
boredom and staying
connected to the
outside world as
motivating factors.
Until recently, many
schools implemented
strict policies regarding
phones in school. Some
forbade students from
carrying them on campus
or mandated that students
left them in lockers. Many
schools are now realizing
the ways students can
harness the technology
of cellphones in creative
and innovative methods.
Plus, as smartphone
capabilities continue
to evolve, educators
are increasingly
recognizing the potential
of educational apps and
how they can be used in
the classroom.
Using mobile phones
in the classroom for
educational purposes
also may cut down on
how much the phones
are used for nonschool
purposes, such as texting
or checking social
media. According to data
published in the journal
Computers & Education,
80 percent of students
admit that mobile phones
can hinder their ability
to pay attention in school
when phones are not
being used in conjunction
with their lessons.
Schools vary in their
rules regarding mobile
phone usage in the
classroom. Some schools
let teachers decide, while
others have more liberal
policies. The following are
some ideas for broaching
the subject:
Research educational
apps. A number of
apps and websites are
educational. Whether
students are connecting
via a phone, laptop, or
tablet, these applications
can encourage class
participation. Some apps
can report students’
progress to teachers in real
time. Remind101 is an app
that can text reminders
for assignments and tests
to students.
Teachers can monitor
diligently. The image of
teachers standing in the
front of the classroom
lecturing is becoming
more and more obsolete.
It’s easier to guide
students to stay on task
while on cellphones
when the teacher roams
the classroom to keep
an eye on phone activity.
It’s more difficult for
students to engage in
negative behaviors when
their phones are out in
the open.
Cut down on tech
expenses. Not every
school can afford to give
each student a laptop or
have 20 to 30 tablets in the
classroom. When students
embrace bring their own
technology, teachers can
maximize resources.
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