Today’s class explored the discussion on whether cell phones should be banned in the classroom or not. As speakers from the agree and disagree side narrowed down their points, my head kept buzzing with the reality of what is happening in the classroom. Listening to the supporting speakers and the resources shared, I can truly relate to the fact that the use of cell phones causes unnecessary distraction during instructional time, and impacts learning and concentration in the classroom, thus causing detrimental effects on students’ academic performance, and students can use them inappropriately. Several studies have provided support for the argument advocating the restriction of cell phones in school settings. For example, Beland and Murphy’s (2016) research titled “Ill Communication: Technology, Distraction, and Student Performance” demonstrated that standardized test scores of students saw an average increase of around 6%, with a more significant increase of over 14% observed among low-achieving students following the implementation of a ban on cell phones in educational environments.From the video resources shared, including the below video, one could hear the students admitting that cell phones cause distraction in the classroom.

Well, even if there are strong reasons why cell phones should be banned or restricted in the classroom, the disagreeing side outlined key benefits of using cell phones: enhance student collaboration, communication, and content creation skills, enhance safety measures, and support teachers in their responsibilities to protect students, especially during emergencies (Sledge, 2018), access to educational apps, digital platforms, and supplemental lessons that can be used to support learning outside the school/classroom. The study by Gikas and Grant (2013) reported on both the benefits and challenges of using cell phones and other computing devices among university students. However, it seems the challenges identified in this paper were more pronounced by students who had the option of attending face-to-face lessons than for those who had work obligations or other important situations to attend. Reflecting on both sides of the argument, I think the use of cell phones is very important despite the challenges that come with using them, just like every other technology. However, total banning from school is NO..NO…NO because these students are already using cell phones and it has become a significant part of there lives, but probably making them put the phone away during school sessions and making them see reason for doing this might be helpful. More importantly, I feel parents should also be involved in taking responsibilities of how their children use phones. For instance,  parents and students could be made to sign a memorandum of understanding on phone usage in school at the beginning of the year, a copy should be given to them; and they must always be reminded about their commitment to the signed document. Regardless of the policies on banning phones, I think educating students about the appropriate use of cell phones and how it can affect their lives even in the workplace or community goes a long way.

“We need technology in every classroom and in every student and teacher’s hand, because it is the pen and paper of our time, and it is the lens through which we experience much of our world.” – David Warlick