Journal # 9

Should Cell Phones Be Banned From Classsrooms?
Learning and Leading With Technology December/January 07-08
By Josh Allen and Liz Kolb

From two different viewpoints, two authors ask this question and give their reasons why yes or why no..

Yes (ban them): Reasons given are: They won't be used as an educational tool because they are distracting to kids. Even the Blackberry's which could be used as a technology tool would be inefficient at providing that resource due to the text messaging and web access in class. The money would be ebtter served buying the student a laptop.

No: (don't ban them): Reasons given are: Cell phones are the students "Swiss Army Knife" which means that they have multiple uses and can be utilized in class as a technology. Since many students already have a cell phone, teachers can put them to use as audio recorders, video cameras, still camera's, note taking devices, calculators, faxing, scanning, web access, and special needs students can use them to record lessons which then get sent to them in email form. Since more students have access to cell phones than they do to internet at home, they can do homework from them no matter where they are. They author suggests the teacher collects the phones at the beginning of class, passes them out when they are needed, then collects them again to avoid misuse.

If I had to make a choice, I would still say that cell phones don't belong in classrooms. There wouldn't be a way to monitor what the student is actually doing on it and it can be very distracting. Put the money to better use- buy the student a laptop computer!