Should The Cell Phone Be Used In School?

Some claim that cell phones should not be used at school, while others say they are good for learning. Each theory has its foundations and it is important to know them in depth before making a decision.

The new generations were born together with screens and cell phones. While this can be very good, it also has its downside. Many parents and teachers wonder if cell phones should be used in school. There are voices in favor and others against. We will analyze these positions in the following article.

The cell phone must not be used at school

This could be the assertion of one of the two theories regarding habits and teaching. Advocates emphasize that cell phone use in class has negative effects on learning, as it increases distraction and, consequently, reduces concentration.

Some of the consequences of taking the phone to school are:

1. Lack of discipline

Many teachers say that it  is increasingly difficult for children and young people to pay attention in class. This is because they are too into their cell phones. Some students even wear headphones and don’t listen to teachers.

2. Lower concentration

Paying attention to the cell phone reduces the ability to learn and listen to what the teacher has to say. Many students are playing games, texting or interacting on social media when they should be focused on their studies.

3. Sedentary lifestyle

Cell phones are harmful not only in class, but also at recess. Contrary to what happened in previous generations,  nowadays, school yards are full of ‘zombie’ children looking at a screen.

No playing ball, jumping rope, playing hide and seek, hopscotch. This situation produces a sedentary lifestyle that continues at home and can cause health problems.

4. Behavioral Problems

Jealousy and envy appear from the moment that having the newest cell phone model becomes synonymous with status among students.

Anyone who shows their colleagues an older device, or doesn’t have one, will be left out or even considered ‘inferior’. There are many cases of bullying against children who do not have the same technological devices as others.

Yes, cell phone must be used at school

At the opposite extreme, we find  parents and teachers who claim that bringing a cell phone to class is beneficial for children. Because? Because they must be prepared for adulthood – where everything seems to revolve around the screens – and because they can take advantage of technology to study better.

However, for this theory to be true, children must correctly use this tool that other generations did not have and that can be very useful.

Undoubtedly, sending messages or checking social networks during class is not the same thing as taking advantage of the Internet connection to search for information, images or anything else you need to participate in the class. 

If the cell phone becomes an educational material, it can be welcomed in schools. In fact, he would become a support for students and teachers. If children know how to use it correctly, why not use it to improve education?

Learning languages, using the calculator, searching for a term they don’t know, doing tasks faster, reading a specific text, researching a particular subject… Anyway, there are many ways to take advantage of the cell phone in class.

This current which states that the cell should be used in school explains that the new technologies must be integrated and not marginalized. Many of today’s students are ‘digital natives’ and perhaps that’s why they have so much difficulty paying attention to a blackboard or reading a physical book.

If, instead of demonizing screens in general or the phone in particular, we were looking for a way to combine it with education, classes would be more fun and effective. Learning by playing and with the tools that children know how to use is wonderful for today’s little ones and young people.

Is this alternative viable?

For this feature to really work, it  is at home that children must be guided so that they know how to distinguish between leisure and study times, even if they use the phone in both situations. This challenge is huge, as adults and cell phones are often inseparable as well.

The example children should be given is just the opposite:  we can have fun without having a bright screen in front of our eyes. There are times when it’s better to put your cell phone in your bag and perceive the world around you with your five senses.