Cell Phones: Classroom Technology of the Future
1 The cell phone. No longer a device just to make telephone calls, cell phones can now be used to take pictures and record video, send text messages and tweets, and access the Internet. Using a smartphone, you can receive and send email, get directions, play games, listen to music, and watch movies. You can now speak to your cell phone and it will answer back. Ask it a question and it can tell you the answer. At some stores, customers can pay using their cell phones. The cell phone has become a handheld computer—an integral part of day-to-day technology. The question, therefore, inevitably arises: Is it appropriate for students to use cell phones in schools? Some schools have adopted policies to ban cell phone use in the classroom, but are these initiatives reasonable? Although they have limitations, cell phones can be used to ensure student safety, help with job skill preparation, and aid in classroom instruction.
2 The first cell phone call was made in 1973 by Martin Cooper, an engineer at Motorola. On a New York City street, he wowed observers with the new device. Ten years later, mobile phones were available to the public, and since then cell phone technology has completely changed communication (CBC News, 2013). According to the International Telecommunications Union (2013), a part of the United Nations, there are currently an estimated 7 billion cell phone subscriptions globally. Research completed for the Pew Research Internet Project reveals that in 2012, 85 percent of American adults had a cell phone (Duggan & Rainie, 2012). The popularity of cell phones has expanded among adolescents in the past few decades as well, and now 78 percent of teens use cell phones (Madden et al., 2013).
3 This proliferation of cell phone use among teens can work to their benefit. It can help keep them safe. Allowing cell phones in schools can increase student safety in the event of emergencies at or near school. It is unfortunate but true that recent events have proven that students are proactive in using their cell phones in times of emergency on school campuses.
4 Cell phones also allow students access to important public announcements and alerts. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have developed Wireless Emergency Alerts. These are text messages that will warn the public about severe weather events, possible floods, or other local and national emergencies (FCC, n.d.). Having access to cell phones in schools can be the key to keeping students safe.
5 On a more routine basis, cell phones can assist with multiple aspects of learning about technology. Technology is continually advancing and becoming increasingly integral to everyday life. Instead of ignoring technology in the classroom, teachers should instruct students how to use it appropriately. Researchers agree, calling the understanding of media and technology the “new literacy” (Moje, 2009). They argue that not only should technology be used in schools, but that technology lesson plans should be incorporated into the classroom.
6 The new literacies are important both for classroom learning and for securing jobs after graduation. Students need to know how to use databases, conduct internet searches, and understand social networking sites. Communication and connection with others in the job market is key for success. The new generation of students must be adequately prepared for jobs that rely on smart phones to complete these tasks.
7 Policymakers in the White House agree. In 2013, President Obama launched the ConnectED Initiative. This project aims to connect almost all students to the internet, in their classrooms and libraries, within the next five years. The ConnectEd Initiative also hopes to improve teachers' skills by making sure that they get the support and training needed to use technology (Culatta, 2013). Since most students already have cell phones, why not let phones be part of the technology used in classrooms?
8 Opponents of cell phone use in schools believe that cell phones are a distraction to many students. They argue that if students have access to personal calls and texts, they will not focus on their classwork. However, it is possible that cell phones can be advantageous for both teachers and students. Educational applications and internet access on smartphones are useful tools. In history classes, for example, cell phones can be used to explore primary sources on the internet or to find facts about current events that are not yet in textbooks. Cell phones can also be used to increase student collaboration, critical thinking, and personalized feedback from teachers (Biancarosa & Griffiths, 2012). Cell phones are already enhancing some classroom experiences. According to a Pew Research Center study, 73 percent of Advanced Placement and National Writing Project teachers claim that their students use cell phones to complete assignments in their classrooms (Higgins, 2013).
9 Cell phones are an integral part of life for adolescents. As students enroll in college and enter the workforce, cell phones will continue to be important. While some educators think that cell phones are a distraction, cell phones should be seen instead as tools that improve student safety, employability, and learning. Rather than arbitrarily banning cell phones, school administrators should work on developing technology guidelines and lesson plans that include cell phone use in the classroom. New policies for the twenty-first century will benefit students,
Which paragraph best supports the claim that cell phones have evolved in their use?
A)paragraph 2
B)paragraph 9
C)paragraph 7
D)paragraph 1
A) paragraph 2
This paragraph discusses the evolution of cell phone technology from being a simple device for making phone calls to a handheld computer that can perform numerous tasks. It highlights how cell phones have completely changed communication and how they have become an integral part of day-to-day technology.