Cell Phones in the Classroom

Elena Halley

When I think about classrooms and cellphones after everything Ive learned through my
education classes the first thing that comes to mind is how they can be integrated into the
classroom as a tool. But many from the old guard of teachers still feel they are nothing more than
a distraction, if not an all-out disruption. In an age where most teenagers carry in their pocket a
computer more powerful than the ones on any of the Apollo missions (Dunbar), the debate exists
whether to take advantage of such a resource, or if the distractions that can accompany it
outweigh the benefits.
I believe that cell phones have a place in the classroom. A teacher allows the students use
of their smartphones assigns students to come up with a totem for their tribe while studying
Easter Island. One of the students uses google to research the possible animals that used to
inhabit the island and shares the results of her searches with her teammates. The access to more
information leads the students farther and father in their searches so that they are fully engaged
in the lesson while personalizing it to their specific interests. For ten dollars, a structure can be
built to augment cell phones to replace microscopes in a classroom (UC Berkeley) and
students will always carry a calculator with them to assist with any math assignment. There are a
variety of ways to integrate this technology in the classroom to enhance and focus learning.
Not everyone agrees with me, while most undergraduate students support the use of
cellphones and technology in the classroom can be beneficial, while university faculty seem to
think its disruptive and distracting (Baker).
I feel this debate will continue for a while but that it is in the best interest of educators
and schools to overlook the distractions and focus on the positives so that students are prepared
to use the marvelous tech at their disposal to better enhance their learning
Works Cited
Baker, William M., Edward J. Lusk, and Karyn L. Neuhauser. "On the Use of Cell
Phones and Other Electronic Devices in the Classroom: Evidence From a Survey of Faculty and
Students." Journal of Education for Business: 275-89. Print.
Dunbar, Brian. NASA. NASA, 2 July 2009. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.
"UC Berkeley Researchers Bring Fluorescent Imaging to Mobile Phones for Low-cost
Screening in the Field." 07.21.2009. Web. 12 Nov. 2014.