001Cellphones



Though you may not realize it, cell phones have been around for over 30 years. If you have ever watched “Saved by the Bell” you would recognize one of the first cell phone designs, sometimes known as the “Zack Morris” phone. Cell phones have come a long way in 30 years in terms of technology and thanks to that some schools are now considering using them as a teaching tool. It has only been in the last 7 years or so that cell phones have advanced enough to have access to just about anything. These days, cell phones are essentially hand-held computers you can talk on. Whether or not they are beneficial or detrimental in the classroom is still up for debate with equally remarkable points on both sides. Cell phones have made extraordinary enhancements over the last 30 years and are a major part of our world, which relies on technologies. Thanks to the inventor of the cell phone, Martin Cooper, we literally have the world in our hands. There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages to using cell phones in the classroom. The first cell phone was invented in 1973 and weighed 2.5lbs. This new device allowed anyone to talk wherever they pleased. Martin Cooper was able to triumph and win the race for creating the first portable phone. The idea for a cell phone first came around in the 1940’s. However, no one had created a prototype. It wasn’t until 1983 however, that the cell phone actually became available to consumers. The first phone was made by Motorola and was called the “DynaTAC” and cost $3,500 (G. Marples, 2008). According to an article on, TheHistoryOf.net, this cell phone had 35 minutes of talk time and took 10 hours to recharge (G. Marples, 2008). This is much different than today’s 3-4 hour talk time with only a few hours to recharge. Cell phone use is becoming more and more frequent, with millions upon millions of people around the world who own them. Currently, some schools are even using cell phones in the classroom as an educational tool. It wasn’t long ago that many schools around the country had cell phone bans. Many rules stated if your phone was seen or heard it would be taken and returned at the end of the day or when a parent came to pick it up. It wasn’t until tragic events, like Columbine and the September 11th attacks, that some school districts removed the cell phone ban in case of emergencies like those in schools. However, schools are still struggling with this issue and there are few schools currently using cell phones in the classroom as a teaching aid. A study was conducted by Digital Millenial testing whether or not high end cell phones could improve grades of low income students in 9th and 10th grade. According to //The New York Times//, “The students used the phones for a variety of tasks, including recording themselves solving problems and posting the videos to a private social networking site, where classmates could watch. The study found that students with the phones performed 25 percent better on the end-of-the-year algebra exam than did students without the devices in similar classes.” As of now, schools haven not widely accepted the use of cell phones in the classroom. Cell phone use in the classroom has been a heated debate with both pros and cons recognizing valid thoughts on both sides. Although generally cell phones have not been welcomed in schools, there are several arguments for the place of cell phones in the classroom. Schools are embracing cell phones as “essential tools that enhance safety and communication” (publicschoolreview.com, 2008). When students have access to phones emergency situations can be handled much more safely. One example of this is campus-wide text messaging that sends texts to students when a dangerous situation is reveled. Programs for smart phones can allow both parents and teachers to observe text messages sent by students. This will cut back on student cheating and sending texts during class (nytimes.com, 2009). A study in which students were given smartphones to use during school showed that “students with the phones performed 25 percent better on the end-of-the-year algebra exam than did students without the devices in similar classes” (nytimes.com, 2009). Advocates for using smartphones instead of computers state that “schools now spend hundreds of millions of dollars on computers to provide an average of one computer for every three students, at a cost of $1,000 a year for each machine” (nytimes.com, 2009). Buy purchasing smart phones instead of computers, advocates believe that they can increase the number of students with access to the same technology on the computers. Some advocates even suggest using smartphones instead of textbooks since, “ the cell phone version is multi-media. The Project K-Nect problem sets begin with a Flash video visually demonstrating the problem -- you could theorize that this context prepares the student to understand the subsequent text-based problem better. You could also theorize that watching a Flash animation is more engaging (or just plain fun) and so more likely to keep students' attention” ( Bjerede, 2010). This content is also very personalized; students can receive individual questions, which can reduce the cheating. Teachers can also use the student’s own phones in the classroom. Certain websites, such as Wiffiti or Polleverywhere, assign teachers a number which students can text answers or questions to; these texts will appear online automatically. Students can respond to questions, take practice quizzes, and ask questions without feeling embarrassed. A study found that for many students who are generally quiet and unresponsive in class, the use of cell phones helped them open up to asking and answering questions (historytech.wordpress.com, 2010). By allowing students to text in answers and questions, teachers can better understand just what they need to focus on more with the students. One junior stated that, “If a bunch of us get it wrong, they explain things more in depth, it’s helpful” (Heitz, 2010). A sophomore in the same school stated that “it’s better than trying to read a book, it’s something we like because we do like our phones” (Heitz, 2010). Of course, despite all the positives there are reasons to make students leave their cell phones at home. Most naysayers cite the obvious - cell phones are a serious distraction. Students pay more attention to their phones than they do class. They sneak to the bathroom to use them or hide them under the desk. Some students have memorized where the keys are, so they don’t need to look at the phone in order to text. Also, with internet access and video games available on phones now-a-days it only temps the students to pay more attention to the phone. Not to mention, if a phone goes off in class, everyone is suddenly more interested in the phone than the lesson; even worse, students answer them. Another reason for keeping cell phones out of schools is the potential for inappropriate pictures to be taken in bathrooms and locker rooms; this yields a severe “potential for lawsuits” (Shaw, 2005). There is also some thought that allowing cell phones will increase jealousy and perhaps even theft in under privileged students. Is it really acceptable to permit “well-off students to benefit from them and deny the same benefits to poorer students” (Shaw, 2005)? And perhaps, the biggest reason to keep cell phones out of the classroom is the massive amount of students that use them to cheat. Kids text answers to each other and take pictures of tests and textbooks in order to use while taking exams. According to USA Today, one-fourth of teens’ texts are sent during class. Out of the 1,013 teens surveyed, a large number have admitted to having had information stored on their phone to use during tests. Out of these students, about half believe it is not a “serious offense” (Toppo, 2009). Perhaps the world just isn’t ready for the introduction of cell phones in the classroom. It seems that cell phones have a lot to offer. But for as many advantages as there are, there are still many downsides. Whether we like it or not, though, cell phones are here to stay and they will just continue to change with technology. In the end the judgment on whether cell phones belong in the classroom is up to the head of the class, the teacher.
 * References: **

Kolb, L. (2010, September 20). //From toy to tool: cell phones in learning//. Retrieved from []

Wiebe, G. (2010, March 11). //Cell phones in the classroom.// Retrieved from []

Toppo, G. (2009, June 17). Survey: many teens use phones in class to text or cheat. Retrieved from []

Shaw, K. (2005). Students and Cell Phones: Controversy in the Classroom. //Associated Content.// Retrieved from []

Bjerede, M. (2010). Cell Phones in the Classroom Surprising field studies suggest cell phones could be effective learning tools. //O’Reilly Radar.// Retrieved from []

Heitz, D. (2010). North Scott begins using cell phones in classroom. //Quad-City Times.// Retrieved from []

Chen, G. (2008, October 30). //Should public schools ban cell phones?.// Retrieved from []

Marples, G. (June, 2008 6). //The history of cell phones-a vision realized.// Retrieved from []

Stone, B. (2009, February 15). //Industry makes pitch that smartphones belong in classroom.// Retrieved from []



Tiegen Hauser Elizabeth Schomburg Nicole Raymond