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Cell Phones at School
I don't agree that cell phones should be banned in school because they are very useful and can be used for many positive purposes. Some people disagree because they say that these mobile devices can be a distraction for students and might be used for cheating or other inappropriate purposes. Furthermore, banning cell phones is not a solution anyways because many students will still break the rule.
Many schools are trying to establish a new rule where students won't be allowed to bring mobile devices in school. Educators worldwide think that this ban is important because students will see better academic results. Meanwhile, the majority of students find this unreasonable and consider it as absurdity.
Having cell phones in school has many advantages and one of them is for safety purposes. Many parents defend cell phones because their children can use them is case of an emergency. Even though school can communicate with the parents in emergencies, it would be better if students have their own phone and access to their parents directly. Also they can tell their parents for any change in their schedule and the time they must pick them up without going to the school office. The purpose of all this it to make their children independent and responsible so they don't have to depend on someone else.
The new phone technology makes it a valuable learning tool. Rather than viewing it as a distraction, cell phones should be seen as a real tool that students should learn how to use during class time. Many teachers ask the students to use their phones in class for educational purposes. These defenders want to educate their students how to be responsible and use their mobile phones in an appropriate way. Also the lesson becomes more fun and interesting for the students. For example, many teachers use Kahoot! in their classrooms. The students have a lot of fun using this free game-based learning platform and it encourages the whole class for participation.
According to a study conducted in 2015, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Laura King, and Ed Diener found that happiness causes success. Therefore if students are happy they will be more willing to learn, more productive, and more likely to succeed. And isn't that what everyone wants? Cell phones in class will bring that happiness because the lesson will become more entertaining and the students won't get bored.
Those who oppose cell phones in school say that they are a distraction in class because students can use them for texting or playing games. Anyways, I think that there won’t be any distraction if the phones are turned off and kept in pocket.
Another concern is that cell phones are used for cheating in exams. Students will open google to find the answers or text someone else to help them. Not having cell phones in school doesn't mean that students will stop cheating because they can find plenty more methods to cheat. Anyways, a solution might be to keep the phones in a phone box inside the classroom during exams.
Considering the minor distractions, I find it unreasonable to ban cellphones in schools. Still, guidelines are necessary to control acceptable use: keep the phones on silence, keep them in pocket, and use only with permission. It's clear that cell phone technology is here to stay. Just as schools have adapted to technological changes in the past—calculators, internet—they will learn to cope with the new technology of today.
In this evaluation essay I shared my personal opinion about cell phones in school and why they should not be banned.