People in modern society manage their communications through the most compact, convenient, and fast means available — cellular and satellite data transfer. Cellphones became an integral part of human lives in the past twenty years. Mendoza et al. (2018) state that “three-quarters of Americans use the internet on the cellphone several times a day, averaging at least 5 hours per day” (p. 52). The new generations of students rely on gadgets more than ever. However, the evolution of devices has brought unforeseen changes to society, which could imply adverse changes in the educational process.
There is a long-standing debate going on about the issues with students who use cellphones during school. For example, in California, there is a law that allows schools to issue bans of cellphone usage during the study, except for emergency purposes only. Indeed, the attention spans of new generations are considered much shorter than any other generation (Mendoza et al., 2018). Excessive use of pocket devices is one of the primary reasons behind that issue. However, it does not make cellphones definitely harmful gadgets, as they can be used in the educational process. This essay discusses the advantages and disadvantages of allowing students to have their cellphones with them during school hours.
To successfully transfer knowledge, a teacher must be able to communicate with a student engagingly and efficiently. While modern students will not suddenly increase their attention spans purely due to cellphone restrictions in school, teachers can turn this situation to their advantage. By engaging students through various means of communication throughout the educational course, a teacher can “reset” their attention span. A teacher must understand which types of activities can be beneficial to the teaching process, and apply them when necessary. Digital devices, when used as a tool for communication between a teacher and students, can create a bond between them that will make learning easier.
Cellphones have more functions than ever, which includes video and audio players, access to web materials, and the fastest communication channels possible. A teacher must understand what situations when cellphone usage is more of a distraction and selectively prevent such activities. Allowing students to use cellphone functions to assist in class with some tasks is acceptable behavior. However, some activities should be avoided during the studying process, they include browsing social media, online shopping, playing mobile games, and random web surfing. A teacher must understand when the attention of students is low, and how to lead them back to the subject.
In conclusion, while completely prohibiting the possession of cellphones could lead to severe consequences in critical situations, even simply banning their usage is not advised. Mendoza et al. (2018) argue that “to some extent, cellphones can be positive predictors for self-directed learning” (p. 54). There are obstacles in the proper implementation of cellphones as an educational utility, however, it is possible to turn their presence to the benefit for a teacher. One of the main barriers to this innovational approach is the lack of technical knowledge in teachers and educational facilities that would allow the meaningful application of device functions during the teaching process. Mendoza et al. (2018) conclude that “multitasking has become the norm for most members of younger generations” (p. 52). Cellphones pose a significant threat to modern education in the way they are perceived nowadays, however, these gadgets are not adverse by themselves, it is only a matter of how they are applied.
Reference
Mendoza, J., Pody, B., Lee, S., Kim, M., & Mcdonough, I. (2018). The effect of cellphones on attention and learning: The influences of time, distraction, and nomophobia. Computers in Human Behavior, 86, 52-60. Web.