I read the point/counterpoint on cell phone use in classooms. In my opinion, cell phones do not belong in classrooms at all. Perhaps I feel that way because I barely know how to use my own Blackberry and not have a cell phone until my 3rd year of college, but I honestly feel that cell phones in classrooms will be more of a distraction than a learning tool.
Josh Allen says "You cannot expect every student to come to school with a Blackberry"
and he is completely right. I remember how important the brand of jeans you wore was when I was in middle school, I think cell phones are probably even bigger status symbols than jeans and it is unfair to require them. There will be students who don't have them. And there will be students who will have them but without the bells and whistles that their peers have. Anyone can see the problems that will be caused and worsened by encouraging this socio-economic division in the classroom. There will be the haves and the have-nots and it will be obvious who is in each group.
Liz Kolb, who argues for implementing cell phones into classrooms, says "As an alternative to spending time and money creating policies to fight cell phone use
in schools, teachers and administrators could spend their time finding useful ways
to integrate these devices." I don't understand how it costs time and money to create policies to fight cell phone use, and she doesn't explain. I don't see the need to create a policy to fight cell phones, and the idea is actually pretty silly. In my classroom, I will tell students that if I catch them texting in class I will take their phone. I will have a container to put them in on my desks. I won't automatically take them away but I will as soon as it becomes a problem, which is how I think teachers currently handle things that are potential problems.
I suppose the main question that arises from this argument is "Can cell phones be used as useful tools for education?" Sure they can, but is it appropriate to require this technology, which we know will be used more often for non-educational purposes in class? Cell phone use is not a necessary or even useful addition to curriculum and I think it will cause more harm than good.
Kim, Kim, Kim....While I understand where you are coming from with the cell phones; I have to disagree. I feel the battle with cell phones is on that is going to go on and on, until we embrace it. So why it, lets spend a little time and money and create a curriculum that works with them. I am not saying that only kids with cell phone can participate but allow them to use them for the various functions they possess. I know not every kid is going to have a blackberry, I don't even have a blackberry. But the basic phone does have tools we can incorporate into the classroom.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. I think that cell phones do not belong in the classroom. I like when you talk about the haves and the have-nots and it will be obvious who is in each group. That is a great reason to ban them. It makes students feel bad and not cool if they do not have one. I like were you are coming from in this. Cell phones do not belong in the classrooms and should not be allowed.
ReplyDeleteThey sure don't!
ReplyDelete