Smartphones in school - Discussion 

Title- Smartphones in school? Only when they clearly support learning

Author- Audrey Azoulay

Link- Smartphones in school? Only when they clearly support learning

Overview- In the article "Smartphones in school" the author talks primarily about how smartphones can support learning but it can also be very disruptive. They talk about a student having a phone nearby receiving notifications and students tend to lose focus. Studies show that it takes about 20 minutes for the student to regain their focus. Schools in the UK, Belgium, and Spain have removed smartphones in school and they have seen a tremendous change. There is also concerns in the students and the schools data privacy. There were children at the age of nine asking for phones. A phone is a huge responsibility especially for a child.

Findings- Some of the findings in this article was mainly on the amount of studies that are done that prove students should not have a cell phone during school. The article states "students need to learn the risks and opportunities that come with technology and not be shielded from its entirety". I completely agree. Some countries have kept the phones and let students use them for pedological purposes, with this being said they ban apps instead. Like TikTok, Microsoft, Google workspace etc.

Opinion- In my opinion, Students should be allowed to have their cell phones in their backpack or in a cubby. If I put myself in the shoes of a teacher I would not be wanting to tell a student to put their phone up repeatedly in the middle of class. This would be causing a disruption and a waste of time that takes away from the designated lesson time. But if i put my shoes in the mind of a parent I would like my child to respect every other students privacy and most definitely the teachers. There are instances where they have emergencies at schools and I would want my child to contact me.

How I will include mobile devices in my classroom- In my classroom I will have cubbies for each student. When necessary they will be allowed to retrieve their phone and use it if we have any work or lesson where we have to use them. If there is an emergency I will also allow my students to retrieve their devices. I will teach them the responsibility that they have with their phones and also to respect everyone's privacy.