Put that phone away - or can mobile phones be useful in the classroom?

There are huge arguments about allowing mobile phones in school. It has been discussed across the country and there is still hasn't been a final answer yet.

The teachers and students have different thoughts and opinions about this topic. For example, students may think that it would be helpful to use some of the tools that phones have. Most phones like iPhones and Androids have many useful apps that could help students in their studies but there are many students who actually use their phones not for studying purpose but they use it for other purposes as well such as playing games or use it as a social network to communicate with others or check the news etc.

Teachers have different thoughts about it and they think that it would be a total distraction to other students and to the lesson as well. They think students won’t pay attention to the lesson while in fact they put all their concentrations on their phones. Another reason which is if someone was talking on the phone while the teacher is talking, it would be hard for other students to listen and focus and it could also become a habit using mobile phones during the lessons. It could also be a device that students can use to allow them to cheat in their tests. There are many schools that got policies of not using phones during the lesson otherwise they’ll just take it and give it at the end of school day.

The reasons of why students should be allowed to use their phones during their lessons?

Most classrooms have got no more than one computer. Teachers may ask the students to get a piece of information about something. Some of the students might use books while the others would use their smartphones to access into their internet in advance to get that piece of information. Many students have planners in their phones which allow them to keep test information etc and it would be very helpful especially to those students who got learning disabilities and who would appreciate using reminders to remind them of stuff that they might forget.

This video talks about students who are getting together to figure out ways to use cellphones in classrooms.