Essay Tips- Cell Phones in Schools Pros & Cons

Today cellphones are an extension of who we are. Many of us put our contacts, calendars, and personal information into our phones. With the help, we stay connected to the internet and can place a phone call and text via cell phone.

Families providing cell phones to children:

Many families nowadays are providing their student’s cell phone today as people provide other means in past. Kids get a cell phone when they show that they can respond with it or the family feels the need for their child to have one.

So we are seeing children with cell phones in schools. The ownership of children having tablets has risen from 26 percent to 55 percent.  According to recent statistics, the average age for a child to have a cell phone is 10 years old.

In this article, we are going to have a look at the pros and cons of having cell phones in school.

Pros of cell phones in schools:

First of all, let’s have a glance at the pros of cell phones in school.

Cell phones provide a source of learning:

It provides students with a multi-layer of learning assistance. Moreover, educational apps can bring lesson plans to lives. Creative learning and an interactive approach help students retain more information.

It also allows students to play music and more chances to focus on the work they need to complete. Cell phones also provide access to a complete database of information about subject matters they are interested in while in school.

Helpful in emergencies:

    There is another layer of personal security available to the student by having a cell phone. If they feel any kind of trouble, can use the phone for an emergency call.  Cell phones are helpful for both children and students in emergencies.

   Kidnappings, fires, medical emergencies, and the incidence of attacks can be quickly reported for help.

Offer the opportunity for social interaction:

    Learning in school includes reading, writing, and arithmetic. Using cell phones, students learn how to interact with one another. Online interactions are also necessary as personal interactions for learning.

It allows students to have social interaction via phone, call, and online social forums. By teaching them how to build strong relationships, it becomes possible to prevent the toxicity of many online environments.

Access to research:

Cell phones become an essential part of the learning environment because students are encouraged by teachers to complete their research tasks. The ability to locate specific information items is becoming an important part of many job responsibilities today.

Practicing and the ability to use and identify relevant research give students a skill that they can use in near future.

Recording voice notes:

The Voice recording feature can be helpful for students and they can record their lecture so that they can revise their lecture afterward. If students miss any important information during their lecture they can cover it by playing voiced notes. Students always can’t have easy access to voice notes so students can jot some essential information using voice notes.

Help to keep contact with parents:

Cell phones allow students to contact their children when necessary. If students feel ill or forget anything at home then they can ask for help from their parents using a mobile phone. With the help of GPS, parents can keep themselves updated and track the location of their children.

Support of visual learning:

As smartphones have access to the internet, students can watch specific topics on the internet by taking guidance from the teacher and peer students. Later teacher and student can discuss the topic as presented in the video and learn from experience.  Cell phones also provide support to retain a small amount of information in a small period.

Individualize learning process:

It facilities the individual learning process for effective learning. Some students can grasp information in any environment quickly. While on the other hand, some require silence to laser focus on things, and others need only some music to focus on things.

Cons of cell phones:

Now let switch towards the cons of cell phones.

Cyberbullying:

Bullying is most common in school life. Access to cell phones increases the chance of bullying. Social media, online apps, and other tools increase the likelihood of bullying as they magnify the effect of bullying.

Voice mails, texts, photos, and videos can be spread through cell phones which help  in spread bullying.

The addiction associated with cell phones:

Cell phone also offers different types of social media apps, games, texting apps that are addictive. Cell phones have become best friend from the virtual world and it disconnects students from the real world. Students these days spend more time with cell phones and it directly affects their studies. Using an excess of cell phones affects their learning potential.  Cell phones make students disconnected from their families as well as friends. A person simply gets attached to cell phones all the time.

Health issues associated with cell phones:

Cell phones emit harmful radiations which harm your overall health.  Long-term use of the smartphone can affect our eyes and blue light emitted from a cell phone can be dangerous for the eyes. Hypertension, weight loss, migraine, and irregular sleep patterns are some common health issues regarding the use of cell phones.

Safety concerns and class disruption:

According to recent statistics in the USA, one out of every five teens has received an unwanted sexual solicitation because of online activities. It is due to contact with strangers. Many children at an early age hide these kinds of activities from their parents and it leads to sexual crime.

Message alerts, cell ringtone, and other notifications disturb the class. Some students use a cell phone during lectures and it also disrupts other students.

Keep students away from the real world:

Cell phones help students to get connected with the whole world. While on the other hand, it slowly disconnects you from your family and friends. Having more indulged in cell phones, slowly also disconnects you from sports, family events, and social activities. Getting engaged with the phone so much have a serious threat connected with it.

Bottom-line:

Summarizing the article, we have discussed both the pros and cons of having cell phones in school.