SHOULD STUDENTS BE ALLOWED TO USE THEIR CELL PHONES IN CLASS?
Duo Fu | COMM-34 Professor: Anne Gin | Nov 9, 2108
Assignment 1: Opinion Essay
Should students be allowed to use their cell
phones in class?
With more and more advanced technology developed, cell phones are
getting more and more advanced and popular. Nowadays many students
have cell phones in their pockets or backpacks. But should students be
allowed to use their cell phones in class?
Some people may say YES because cell phones can bring many benefits
to students.
Cell phone is small yet with strong functions. It can complete many
functions like other electronic devices do. For example, many free APPs
for educational purpose are now available for cell phones to install, such
as Google Classroom, Remind… etc. Cell phones also have other tools for
students to improve their time management and organization skills.
Moreover, cell phones may be used as a teaching tool. Some schools or
teachers have developed their own learning platform or message boards,
for the students to access learning resources, participate in the
discussions and share thoughts and ideas. With these tools, teachers
can easily supplement lessons with digital materials like videos, news
stories, online discussion groups, and more. Allowing students to access
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Assignment 1: Opinion Essay
these resources in class can help encourage participation and
discussions.
However, the above listed benefits can be gained only if the students use
them in a right way, which is not always true. The drawbacks of allowing
cell phones in class seem to me have more impacts on the students’
productivity than the benefits. In my opinion, students should NOT be
allowed to use their cell phones in class.
First, to achieve effective learning, students need to be in an environment
where they can focus on their studying. (Oxford Learning, 2018)Students
are likely distracted when using cell phones in class. They can easily
turn away from school-related tasks. They may turn to check their social
media accounts. They may text their friends and frequently check if they
text back. All these activities with their phones could lead to distractions
to the students and their peers. The teachers may have to remind the
students to turn off their phones and it leads to disruption to the class.
Imagine what a class would look like when lots of “ding” sound or other
sounds accidently leaked from videos shown on cell phones in the class.
Secondly, students using cell phones in class could develop other bad
behaviors, such as cheating in a test, cyberbullying in social medias.
(ABIGAIL, 2018)In a test, some students may use a cell phone as a
cheating tool to access information when taking a test. That’s why in
most situations cell phones are banned in tests. In social medias, some
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Assignment 1: Opinion Essay
students may use cell phones for cyberbullying while other users become
their victims. We have heard that many students become depressed from
cyberbullying and even commit suicide. It’s difficult for schools to
identify and stop when it is happening. That’s why some elementary
schools are totally banning students carrying their cell phones in the
school. For example, Winston Churchill P.S., Kingston does not allow
students to use cell phones at school from Grade 1-6. (W.C.P.S, 2018)
Because students may not be self-disciplined enough for them to stick to
school-related use of their cell phones in class, banning cell phones used
in class could help them concentrate on class activities and achieve
better learning outcome. In addition, banning cell phones usage in class,
can also lead to them more face to face activities and better interpersonal
skills. By making sure they are avoiding distraction when studying we
are setting them for success. So, students should not be allowed to use
their cell phones in class.
Works Cited
ABIGAIL. (2018, November 9). writeabout.com. Retrieved from writeabout.com:
https://www.writeabout.com/2015/01/should-studentsbe-allowed-to-use-cellphones-in-school/
Oxford Learning. (2018, November 9). Oxford Learning. Retrieved from Oxford Learning:
https://www.oxfordlearning.com/study-without-getting-distracted-tips/
W.C.P.S. (2018, November 8). Winston Churchill P.S. Retrieved from Winston Churchill
P.S.: https://winstonchurchill.limestone.on.ca/
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Assignment 1: Opinion Essay
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