mobile phones should not be allowed in schools argumentative essay

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Bans may help protect classroom focus, but districts need to stay mindful of students’ sense of connection, experts say

Students around the world are being separated from their phones.

In 2020, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 77 percent of U.S. schools had moved to prohibit cellphones for nonacademic purposes. In September 2018, French lawmakers outlawed cellphone use for schoolchildren under the age of 15. In China, phones were banned country-wide for schoolchildren last year.

Supporters of these initiatives have cited links between smartphone use and bullying and social isolation and the need to keep students focused on schoolwork.

77% Of U.S. schools moved to ban cellphones for nonacademic purposes as of 2020, according to the National Center for Education Statistics

But some Harvard experts say instructors and administrators should consider learning how to teach with tech instead of against it, in part because so many students are still coping with academic and social disruptions caused by the pandemic. At home, many young people were free to choose how and when to use their phones during learning hours. Now, they face a school environment seeking to take away their main source of connection.

“Returning back to in-person, I think it was hard to break the habit,” said Victor Pereira, a lecturer on education and co-chair of the Teaching and Teaching Leadership Program at the Graduate School of Education.

Through their students, he and others with experience both in the classroom and in clinical settings have seen interactions with technology blossom into important social connections that defy a one-size-fits-all mindset. “Schools have been coming back, trying to figure out, how do we readjust our expectations?” Pereira added.

It’s a hard question, especially in the face of research suggesting that the mere presence of a smartphone can undercut learning .

Michael Rich , an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and an associate professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, says that phones and school don’t mix: Students can’t meaningfully absorb information while also texting, scrolling, or watching YouTube videos.

“The human brain is incapable of thinking more than one thing at a time,” he said. “And so what we think of as multitasking is actually rapid-switch-tasking. And the problem with that is that switch-tasking may cover a lot of ground in terms of different subjects, but it doesn’t go deeply into any of them.”

Pereira’s approach is to step back — and to ask whether a student who can’t resist the phone is a signal that the teacher needs to work harder on making a connection. “Two things I try to share with my new teachers are, one, why is that student on the phone? What’s triggering getting on your cell phone versus jumping into our class discussion, or whatever it may be? And then that leads to the second part, which is essentially classroom management.

“Design better learning activities, design learning activities where you consider how all of your students might want to engage and what their interests are,” he said. He added that allowing phones to be accessible can enrich lessons and provide opportunities to use technology for school-related purposes.

Mesfin Awoke Bekalu, a research scientist in the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Chan School, argues that more flexible classroom policies can create opportunities for teaching tech-literacy and self-regulation.

“There is a huge, growing body of literature showing that social media platforms are particularly helpful for people who need resources or who need support of some kind, beyond their proximate environment,” he said. A study he co-authored by Rachel McCloud and Vish Viswanath for the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness shows that this is especially true for marginalized groups such as students of color and LGBTQ students. But the findings do not support a free-rein policy, Bekalu stressed.

In the end, Rich, who noted the particular challenges faced by his patients with attention-deficit disorders and other neurological conditions, favors a classroom-by-classroom strategy. “It can be managed in a very local way,” he said, adding: “It’s important for parents, teachers, and the kids to remember what they are doing at any point in time and focus on that. It’s really only in mono-tasking that we do very well at things.”

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Why Schools Should Ban Cell Phones in the Classroom—and Why Parents Have to Help

New study shows it takes a young brain 20 minutes to refocus after using a cell phone in a classroom

Photo by skynesher/iStock

Parents, the next time you are about to send a quick trivial text message to your students while they’re at school—maybe sitting in a classroom—stop. And think about this: it might take them only 10 seconds to respond with a thumbs-up emoji, but their brain will need 20 minutes to refocus on the algebra or history or physics lesson in front of them— 20 minutes .

That was just one of the many findings in a recent report from a 14-country study by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) that prompted this headline in the Washington Post : “Schools should ban smartphones. Parents should help.” The study recommends a ban on smartphones at school for students of all ages, and says the data are unequivocal, showing that countries that enforce restrictions see improved academic performance and less bullying.

It’s a fraught debate, one that prompts frustration among educators, who say students are less focused than ever as schools struggle to enforce cell phone limitation policies, and rage from some parents, worrying about a possible shooting when they can’t get in touch, who insist they need to be able to reach their children at all times. And, perhaps surprisingly, it prompts a collective yawn from students.

In fact, students openly admit their cell phones distract them and that they focus better in school without them, says Joelle Renstrom , a senior lecturer in rhetoric at Boston University’s College of General Studies. It’s an issue she has studied for years. She even performed an experiment with her students that supports what she long suspected: Cell Phones + Classrooms = Bad Learning Environment.

BU Today spoke with Renstrom about the latest study and research.

with Joelle Renstrom

Bu today: let me get right to the point. do we as a society need to be better about restricting cell phones in classrooms it seems so obvious..

Renstrom: Of course. But it is easier said than done. It’s hard to be consistent. We will always have students with some kind of reason, or a note from someone, that gives them access to technology. And then it becomes hard to explain why some people can have it and some people can’t. But student buy-in to the idea is important.

BU Today: But is getting students to agree more important than getting schools and parents to agree? Is it naive to think that students are supposed to follow the rules that we as parents and teachers set for them?

Renstrom: I have made the case before that addiction to phones is kind of like second-hand smoking. If you’re young and people around you are using it, you are going to want it, too. Every baby is like that. They want to reach for it, it’s flashing, their parents are on it all the time. Students openly acknowledge they are addicted. Their digital lives are there. But they also know there is this lack of balance in their lives. I do think buy-in is important. But do it as an experiment. Did it work? What changes did it make? Did it make you anxious or distracted during those 50 minutes in class? I did that for years. I surveyed students for a number of semesters; how do you feel about putting your phone in a pouch? They made some predictions and said what they thought about how annoying it was. But at the end, they talked about how those predictions [played out], and whether they were better able to focus. It was very, very clear they were better able to focus. Also interestingly, not a single student left during class to get a drink or go to the bathroom. They had been 100 percent doing that just so they could use their phone.

BU Today: Should we be talking about this question, cell phones in classrooms, for all ages, middle school all the way through college? Or does age matter?

Renstrom: It’s never going to be universal. Different families, different schools. And there is, on some level, a safety issue. I do not blame parents for thinking, if there’s someone with a gun in school, I need a way to reach my kids. What if all the phones are in pouches when someone with a gun comes in? It’s crazy that we even have to consider that.

BU Today: What’s one example of something that can be changed easily?

Renstrom: Parents need to stop calling their kids during the day. Stop doing that. What you are doing is setting that kid up so that they are responding to a bot 24-7 when they shouldn’t be. If you’re a kid who gets a text from your parent in class, you are conditioned to respond and to know that [the parent] expects a response. It adds so much anxiety to people’s lives. It all just ends up in this anxiety loop. When kids are in school, leave them alone. Think about what that phone is actually meant for. When you gave them a phone, you said it’s in case of an emergency or if you need to be picked up in a different place. Make those the parameters. If it’s just to confirm, “I’m still picking you up at 3,” then no, don’t do that. Remember when we didn’t have to confirm? There is a time and place for this, for all technology.

BU Today: This latest study, how do you think people will react to it?

Renstrom: This isn’t new. How many studies have to come out to say that cured meat is terrible and is carcinogenic. People are like, “Oh, don’t tell me what to eat. Or when to be on my phone.” This gets real contentious, real fast because telling people what’s good for them is hard.

BU Today: I can understand that—but in this case we’re not telling adults to stop being on their phones. We’re saying help get your kids off their phones in classrooms, for their health and education.

Renstrom: Studies show kids’ brains, and their gray matter, are low when they are on screens. School is prime habit-forming time. You should not sit in class within view of the professor, laughing while they are talking about World War II. There is a social appropriateness that needs to be learned. Another habit that needs to be addressed is the misconception of multitasking. We are under this misconception we all can do it. And we can’t. You might think, I can listen to this lecture while my sister texts me. That is not supported by science or studies. It is literally derailing you. Your brain jumps off to another track and has to get back on. If you think you have not left that first track, you are wrong.

BU Today: So what next steps would you like to see?

Renstrom: I would like to see both schools and families be more assertive about this. But also to work together. If the parents are anti-smartphone policy, it doesn’t matter if the school is pro-policy. If there is a war between parents and schools, I am not sure much will happen. Some kind of intervention and restriction is better than just ripping it away from kids. The UNESCO study found it is actually even worse for university students. We are all coming at this problem from all different ways. Pouches or banned phones. Or nothing.

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Doug Most is a lifelong journalist and author whose career has spanned newspapers and magazines up and down the East Coast, with stops in Washington, D.C., South Carolina, New Jersey, and Boston. He was named Journalist of the Year while at The Record in Bergen County, N.J., for his coverage of a tragic story about two teens charged with killing their newborn. After a stint at Boston Magazine , he worked for more than a decade at the Boston Globe in various roles, including magazine editor and deputy managing editor/special projects. His 2014 nonfiction book, The Race Underground , tells the story of the birth of subways in America and was made into a PBS/American Experience documentary. He has a BA in political communication from George Washington University. Profile

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There are 26 comments on Why Schools Should Ban Cell Phones in the Classroom—and Why Parents Have to Help

i found this very helpful with my research

It was ok, but i will say i enjoyed learning more about why we should not have cell phones.

It was a great research, helped me a lot.

I think that this was helpful, but there is an ongoing question at my school, which is, though phones may be negative to health and knowledge and they’re a distraction what happens if there was a shooting or a fire or a dangourus weather event and you don’t have a phone to tell your parents or guardians at home if you are alright? (Reply answer if have one)

Yeah they would get an amber alert

well, the school has the technology that can help communicate that to the parents, and if that were to happen, I guess that’s why there’s always a cell phone in the classrooms those old-time ones, but I feel it would not be okay in case of a shooting since you have to go silence, and on the moment of fire or weather everything happens so fast in the moment.

Yeah, that’s exactly why they have those supplies or items in the classroom, to alert parents. Kids don’t need to use their phones for that.

In schools all teachers have cell phones. So one way or the other the messages would get out to the parents as needed. If a student gets on the cell phone to inform the parent about the activity, that’s taken place it could cause panic. School staffs are informed as to how to handle such situations.. what I have seen take place in classes are students who are texting each other either in the same room or in another classroom during the school time. Many students spend time on YouTube and not concentrating what’s going on in the classroom.

Teachers have communication with all parents and it also has amber alerts

You just give the kids watches to call there parents or guardians on.

I think that this was helpful, but there is an ongoing question at my school, which is, though phones may be negative to health and knowledge and they’re a distraction what happens if there is a shooting or a fire or a dangerous weather event and you don’t have a phone to tell your parents or guardians at home if you are alright?

I am writing a paper and this is very helpful thank you.

I am writing a paper and this is very helpful but it is true what if our mom or dad have to contact us we need phones!

this helped me with my school project about whether cell phones should be banned in school. I think yes but the class is saying no. I think it’s because I was raised without a phone so I know how to survive and contact my parents without a phone. but anyway, this helped me with my essay! thank you!

I don’t think phones should be allowed in school, and this is perfect backup! Thank you Doug

great infromation for debate

Thanks, this helped a lot I’m working on an essay and this has been really helpful.by the way, some people may think, but what if i need to call my mom/dad/guardian. but the real thing is, there is a high chance that there will be a telephone near you. or if it’s something that only you want them to know,go ahead and ask your teacher if you can go to the office.

I mean it could also depend on the student, like for example let’s say that i’m a student inside the school, if I used my phone and I got off it, for me it would instant focus, but for others students they might take longer or the same time as me, it all really depends if the student is tend to be responsible with their time trying to focus so I would say that this claim is not true.

I think that is article was very good. I’m currently writing and essay and I have used this for most of my evidence so far. I personally think that cellphones should be banned from the classroom because the school will get the information that your parents need out to them so you don’t have to cause a panic because you don’t know if your parents know what is going on at your school or not. It will just be better because then we wouldn’t have as many distractions in the classrooms as we do now because kids are always getting caught on their phones and they are constantly being sent down to the office and it takes time to get the class back on track. I personally agree with Doug that cellphones should be banned in the classrooms.

It’s striking to realize that the reason some parents feel the need to advocate for phone usage in school is due to concerns about a potential school shooting. While parents may be more informed about the harmful effects of smartphones in a learning environment, they take preference for the safety of their child in a hypothetical situation. It’s a hard debate because while the safety of their children is important, the drastic effects of students needing 20 minutes to refocus is significantly impacting their ability to learn in their classes. I find it very saddening that this is what our world has come to – prioritizing safety for a school shooting over academic performance, because it is no longer so unusual for a school to experience that type of tragedy.

I liked the comment, “Addiction to phones is kind of like second-hand smoking. If you’re young and people around you are using it, you are going to want it too,” because I experienced this phenomenon in my early middle school years, with the invention of the first iPhone. All of a sudden an invention that was broadcasted on the news became an essential for the other students in my middle school class, to the point where I became one of the only students without one. Then, I finally succumbed to the pressure, and begged my parents for an iPhone as I felt extremely left out. It’s frustrating to accept that this pressure is affecting children now younger and younger by the year, with even six year old children I babysit owning their own iPhone/iPad.

I also think that with the prevalence of child phone usage significantly increases parental anxiety, particularly for those parents who are already overbearing to start. Giving parents the ability to contact their child at any given time is harmful, and it can create a dependence on either side. It’s ironic given the fact that parents push their children to focus and succeed in their classes, yet harass them all day about minuscule things that could’ve been addressed later that day. So yes, parents need to stop calling their kids during the day.

this helped me with my school project, very reliable source.

I think that this talked more about why parents should help more than why cell phones should be banned.

I think the teachers or guardians will allow you to contact someone but I think after the shooting or crisis they will contact your parents or guardian from the office or person in charge

I agree, I’m 13 and I honestly could live without a phone

i also agree but parents need to reach their kids somehow if something happens in school

I’m also 13

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Banning mobile phones in schools can improve students’ academic performance. This is how we know

Assistant Professor of Economics, Carleton University

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The effects of mobiles phones and other technology at school is a hotly debated topic in many countries. Some advocate for a complete ban to limit distractions, while others suggest using technology as a teaching tool.

Kids in public South Australian primary schools started the school year without being allowed to bring their mobile phones to class, unless they are needed for class activity. All students in public Western Australian Victorian , and Tasmanian schools have a mobile phone ban in place since for all or some of 2020. New South Wales also banned mobile phones in public primary schools, with secondary schools having the option to opt in, since the start of 2020.

Education departments have introduced the bans for various reasons including to improve academic outcomes and decrease bullying.

Several recent papers point to positive impact of banning mobile phones at school on student performance and other outcomes. Understanding the evidence is crucial for best policy.

Read more: No, Education Minister, we don't have enough evidence to support banning mobile phones in schools

In a 2015 paper , we used a method — called a difference-in-difference strategy — as well as student data from England to investigate the effect of banning mobile phones on student performance. In this method, we compared schools that have had phones removed to similar schools with no phone bans. This allowed us to isolate the effect of mobiles phones on student performance from other factors that could affect performance.

We found banning mobile phones at school leads to an increase in student performance. Our results suggest that after schools banned mobile phones, test scores of students aged 16 increased by 6.4% of a standard deviation. This is equivalent to adding five days to the school year or an additional hour a week.

The effects were twice as large for low-achieving students, and we found no impact on high achieving students.

Our results suggest low-performing students are more likely to be distracted by the presence of mobile phones, while high performing students can focus with or without mobile phones.

The results of our paper suggest banning mobile phones has considerable benefits including a reduction in the gap between high- and low- achieving students. This is substantial improvement for a low-cost education policy.

Other studies show similar results

Recent studies from Spain and Norway , using a similar empirical strategy to ours, also show compelling evidence on the benefit of banning mobile phones on student performance, with similar effect size.

In Spain, banning mobile phones has been shown to increase students’ scores in maths and science. Researchers also documented a decrease in incidences of bullying.

In Norway, banning phones significantly increased middle school students’ grade point average. It also increased students’ likelihood of attending an academic high school rather than choosing a vocational school. And it decreased incidents of bullying.

Evidence from Belgium suggests banning mobile phones can be beneficial for college student performance. This context might be different, but still informative as students are of similar age to those in high school.

Research from Sweden , however, suggests little effect of banning mobile phones in high school on student performance. It is worth noting, however, the study did not find any detrimental effect of banning mobile phones.

Read more: Don't blame the teacher: student results are (mostly) out of their hands

A similar conclusion can be drawn from the literature on the effect of computers used at school. Evidence from the US suggests using laptops in class is detrimental to learning, and the effects are large and more damaging for low-performing students.

Potential psychological mechanisms involved

The psychological literature might shed lights on the potential mechanisms as to why mobile phones and other technology in school might affect student performance. This literature finds multitasking is detrimental to learning and task execution.

Many recent experimental papers present evidence mobile phone use while executing another task decreases learning and task completion. Research also shows computers might be a less efficient way to take notes than pen and paper.

It may be that taking notes by hand allows you to remember the material better than typing those notes on a computer. This may be because students are not just typing out every word said, but thinking of how to summarise what they’re hearing.

Read more: What's the best way to take notes on your laptop or tablet?

These findings do not discount the possibility mobile phones and other technology could be a useful structured teaching tool. However, ignoring or misunderstanding the evidence could be harmful to students and lead to long term negative social consequences.

• Education policy
• Multitasking
• Disadvantaged students
• Test results
• technology in schools
• Student Achievement
• School bullying
• mobile phone ban

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Cell Phones Should Be Allowed in School: An Argumentative Perspective

Table of contents, enhancing learning through technology integration, promoting effective communication and collaboration, preparing students for the digital age, fostering individual responsibility and autonomy, addressing concerns and implementing guidelines.

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Why Students Should Not Be Allowed to Use Their Cellphones in Class? Essay

Introduction.

The job of a teacher is both highly rewarding and demanding. Educators need to dedicate their efforts, knowledge, time, and passion to their work in order to do it in a truly productive way and reach the most positive outcomes. However, this profession is also quite stressful: students may be ill-disciplined and inattentive, which leads to distractions during classes. Ironic as it is, the greatest of such diversions occur due to technological development.

Cellphones, which were devised to offer people more mobility and convenience, have become the nightmare of professors because their students are constantly distracted during lectures and seminars. Even though one may receive an important message occasionally, it seems that the use of cell phones should be forbidden during classes.

The major reason why mobile phones should not be allowed in class is that they distract students from their primary goal and duty: obtaining an education. According to research, young people check their mobiles every 15-20 minutes (Kamenetz). Taking into account the average duration of a class, it is possible to conclude that each learner gets distracted at least 3-4 times. Consequently, much significant information is missed out, leading to further misunderstanding of the topic or even the whole subject.

Thus, students should not use their cell phones in order to increase their learning abilities and enhance their understanding of the issues learned. Scholarly research indicates that the heavy use of smartphones is directly related to lower-quality sleep and lower GPAs (Kamenetz). Since the purpose of education is to make young people smarter and more knowledgeable, it is obvious that cellphones constitute a serious obstacle in the way to gaining knowledge and learning valuable information. Some subjects may be easier to catch up with, but there are complicated studies that require full-time attention and presence.

Thus, it is necessary to limit the number of times students should be allowed to use their devices at schools, colleges, and universities. It is crucial to create the most comfortable conditions for learners, but they frequently abuse the right to convenience. Every student should realize that personal life should not affect educational achievements. Moreover, it is quite often that students do not solve any serious problems with their family or other close ones, merely browsing social websites or checking the news. Therefore, the limited use of cell phones during classes would be beneficial for learners: they would spend all their time concentrating on the new material rather than diverting their attention from important issues.

Another problem associated with the use of cell phones in classes is that professors cannot reach the highest outcomes of their work. There are many types of classes, as well as various kinds of student work, each of which demands proper attention and dedication on the part of not only the teacher but also students. Educators whose students constantly get distracted feel stressed out and do not consider themselves content with their work. According to the study performed by professors at the University of Colorado Boulder, over three-fourths of undergraduate students admit texting during classes (Kamenetz).

Furthermore, such in-class texting is connected with the average drop of “half a letter grade” in a course (Kamenetz). It is viable to note that professors suffer not only from students’ disrespectful behavior towards them but also from learners’ poor achievements. Therefore, the second reason why cell phones should be banned during classes is closely associated with the first one, but it is more teacher-centered. Poor results prevent learners from participating in group or class activities effectively. For instance, a student that missed some important information because of using a smartphone during a lecture will not be able to contribute to a project as well as his or her peers who were attentive.

Since teachers’ job is giving knowledge to students, the former become upset when the latter pays little or no attention to them. Thus, professors try to come up with solutions to the problem of using cell phones in classes. One of the proposed approaches, made by Doug Duncan, is offering a participation point for turning off a mobile phone and leaving it on the professor’s desk during the class (Kamenetz). Thus, it is possible to find creative solutions for the problem, and some professors already work in this direction.

At the same time, there are scholars that disapprove of taking cell phones away from students. A research psychologist at California State University, Larry Rosen, notes that “simply incentivizing” learners to turn off their phones is not a good idea (Kamenetz). Rosen remarks that taking away the phone does not reduce the level of distraction. Students keep thinking about all the messages and notifications they are probably missing, which leads to stress and anxiety.

To prove his point, Rosen performed some experiments which indicated that students’ heart rate and other vital signs increased when they heard their mobiles ring but were not able to answer them (Kamenetz). Thus, Rosen argues that keeping cellphones in learner’s sight but out of their reach intensifies anxiety, which leads to distraction. Instead, the researcher suggests making “tech breaks” at measured intervals to allow students check on their devices and reduce anxiety (Kamenetz).

Rosen suggests starting with a fifteen-minute interval and gradually moving to a thirty-minute period without students looking at their cellphones. Although this idea sounds good, it seems that the overwhelming problem of smartphone dependence has reached too serious a point. It seems that strict measures are necessary not only for reducing students’ distraction levels but also for teaching them not to be so attached to their mobiles.

People that abuse the use of applications and social media tend to be less concentrated in all spheres of life: in the shops, while driving a car, or even when communicating with their children. Therefore, helping individuals to cope with their dependence at a student age can promote their better understanding of real values in the future. Thus, the suggestion made by Duncan is more helpful than the one made by Rosen.

While a student may occasionally receive an important message during a class, the majority of cases when learners check their cellphones are associated only with checking updates and browsing social websites. Therefore, students should not be allowed to use these gadgets during their classes. Getting distracted leads to poor academic results and can prevent one from finding a good job in the future.

Moreover, since research indicates that the level of anxiety increases when a cellphone is taken away for a short time, it is crucial to train students to be less dependent on their devices. Thus, finding solutions to this problem is a better idea than keeping learners use their phones only because they feel bad without them.

Kamenetz, Ania. “ How to Get Students to Stop Using Their Cellphones in Class. ” National Public Radio . 2015. Web.

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1. IvyPanda . "Why Students Should Not Be Allowed to Use Their Cellphones in Class?" October 30, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/why-students-should-not-be-allowed-to-use-their-cellphones-in-class/.

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Cell Phones should be Allowed in School an Argumentative Essay

How it works

The debate over whether cell phones should be allowed in schools is a prominent issue in the modern educational landscape. With the ubiquity of cell phones in daily life, especially among younger generations, schools are reconsidering policies regarding their use during school hours. Proponents argue that cell phones can be a valuable tool for learning and safety, while opponents worry about distractions and potential misuse.

One of the key arguments in favor of allowing cell phones in schools is their potential as educational tools.

Smartphones give students instant access to information, online educational resources, and learning apps. They can enhance learning experiences through interactive activities, research, and the ability to document school projects and experiments. Furthermore, in an increasingly digital world, teaching responsible and effective use of technology is seen as an essential skill for students.

Another important consideration is the aspect of student safety. Cell phones can serve as a crucial line of communication between students and their parents, especially in emergencies. In situations where immediate contact is necessary, such as sudden illness or school lockdowns, having a cell phone can provide peace of mind to both parents and students. They also enable parents to monitor their children’s whereabouts and well-being.

However, the argument against cell phones in schools primarily focuses on the potential for distraction and misuse. Constant notifications and social media can divert students’ attention away from classroom activities, hindering their ability to concentrate and learn. There are also concerns about cheating during exams, cyberbullying, and the invasion of privacy. Additionally, constant access to cell phones can foster an overreliance on technology, potentially diminishing students’ social interaction and communication skills.

In conclusion, while the integration of cell phones into school settings presents challenges, their potential benefits cannot be overlooked. A balanced approach, perhaps involving regulated use and educational guidance on digital citizenship, might be the key to harnessing the positive aspects of cell phones in educational environments. As technology continues to evolve, schools have the opportunity to adapt and integrate these tools in a manner that benefits both students’ learning and their safety.

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Argumentative Essay on the Use of Mobile Phones in Schools

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Student Opinion

Should Schools Ban Cellphones?

Rules restricting when students can use phones are on the rise. Do they work? Are they fair?

By Jeremy Engle

Nearly one in four countries has laws or policies banning or restricting student cellphone use in schools .

Proponents say the smartphone crackdowns reduce classroom distractions by preventing students from scrolling through social media and sending bullying text messages.

Critics believe the bans could limit students’ opportunities to develop personal responsibility and warn that enforcing restrictions could increase harsh disciplinary measures like school suspensions.

What do you think?

How would you and your peers react to a cellphone ban in your school? Could a no-phone rule work? Would it be fair? Would you welcome or oppose it? Or, perhaps, does your school already have a ban?

In “ This Florida School District Banned Cellphones. Here’s What Happened ,” Natasha Singer writes that in the wake of Orlando’s new policy, which bars students from using cellphones during the entire school day, student engagement increased, but so did the hunt for contraband phones:

One afternoon last month, hundreds of students at Timber Creek High School in Orlando poured into the campus’s sprawling central courtyard to hang out and eat lunch. For members of an extremely online generation, their activities were decidedly analog. Dozens sat in small groups, animatedly talking with one another. Others played pickleball on makeshift lunchtime courts. There was not a cellphone in sight — and that was no accident. In May, Florida passed a law requiring public school districts to impose rules barring student cellphone use during class time. This fall, Orange County Public Schools — which includes Timber Creek High — went even further, barring students from using cellphones during the entire school day. In interviews, a dozen Orange County parents and students all said they supported the no-phone rules during class. But they objected to their district’s stricter, daylong ban. Parents said their children should be able to contact them directly during free periods, while students described the all-day ban as unfair and infantilizing. “They expect us to take responsibility for our own choices, ” said Sophia Ferrara, a 12th grader at Timber Creek who needs to use mobile devices during free periods to take online college classes. “But then they are taking away the ability for us to make a choice and to learn responsibility.” Like many exasperated parents, public schools across the United States are adopting increasingly drastic measures to try to pry young people away from their cellphones. Tougher constraints are needed, lawmakers and district leaders argue, because rampant social media use during school is threatening students’ education, well-being and physical safety.

Ms. Singer discusses some of the benefits of a phone-free environment:

In September, on the first day the ban took effect, Timber Creek administrators confiscated more than 100 phones from students, Mr. Wasko said. After that, the confiscations quickly dropped. Phone-related school incidents, like bullying, have also decreased, he said. The ban has made the atmosphere at Timber Creek both more pastoral and more carceral. Mr. Wasko said students now make eye contact and respond when he greets them. Teachers said students seemed more engaged in class. “Oh, I love it,” said Nikita McCaskill, a government teacher at Timber Creek. “Students are more talkative and more collaborative.” Some students said the ban had made interacting with their classmates more authentic. “Now people can’t really be like: ‘Oh, look at me on Instagram. This is who I am,’” said Peyton Stanley, a 12th grader at Timber Creek. “It has helped people be who they are — instead of who they are online — in school.”

The article also addresses some of the downsides of cellphone restrictions:

Other students said school seemed more prisonlike. To call their parents, they noted, students must now go to the front office and ask permission to use the phone. Surveillance has also intensified. To enforce the ban, Lyle Lake, a Timber Creek security officer, now patrols lunch period on a golf cart, nabbing students violating the ban and driving them to the front office, where they must place their phones in a locked cabinet for the rest of the school day. “I usually end up with a cart full of students,” Mr. Lake said as he sat behind the wheel of a black Yamaha golf cart during lunch period, “because I pick up more on the way to the office.” Mr. Lake said he also monitored school security camera feeds for students using cellphones in hallways and other spaces. Students who are caught may be taken out of class. Repeat violators can be suspended. Whether the potential benefits of banning cellphones outweigh the costs of curbing students’ limited freedom is not yet known. What is clear is that such bans are upending the academic and social norms of a generation reared on cellphones.

Students, read the entire article and then tell us:

Should schools ban cellphones? Would you welcome a ban in your school? Why or why not? Did anything in the article change your thoughts on the growing trend?

How widespread is cellphone use at your school? How much do you use your phone during the school day? Do you think that phones interfere with your, or your peers’, academic learning, quality of social interactions and overall engagement in school?

Nikita McCaskill, a government teacher at Timber Creek High School who loves the new policy, stated, “Students are more talkative and more collaborative.” Which of the benefits of a cellphone ban discussed in the article do you find most appealing?

Many students, however, said the new rules made school more prisonlike. Others argued that the ban was infantilizing. Sophia Ferrara, a 12th grader at Timber Creek, noted: “They expect us to take responsibility for our own choices. But then they are taking away the ability for us to make a choice and to learn responsibility.” Which downsides described in the article concern you most?

What rules, if any, does your school have about cellphone use? How are they enforced? Do you think they are effective? What changes would you recommend to the current policy?

What, if anything, do you think is missing from this conversation? What do you think teachers, educators and parents may not understand about cellphones, especially how young people use them?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Jeremy Engle joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2018 after spending more than 20 years as a classroom humanities and documentary-making teacher, professional developer and curriculum designer working with students and teachers across the country. More about Jeremy Engle

Persuasive Essay: Should Cell Phones Be Allowed in Schools

Banning cell phones in school? Allowing students to use their cellphones in the classroom is 

a controversial topic. But students have already found ways of using cell phones in school for academic purposes. After all, allowing cell phone usage can help students during the day by learning in a way they are comfortable, keeping in contact with their parents, and devices provide easy access to information. I do not agree with the cell phone ban!

First of all, allowing cell phone usage lets students learn in a way where they're comfortable.  

Cell phones are like a tool to students these days, it helps them in many ways and it makes them feel comfortable and learn better.  According to the text, “Smartphones are young-person intuitive.  More and more students know how to use them, and they are becoming the most used "tool" by teens "(The SHARE team, resilient educator). In addition, allowing students to use their cell phones keeps them in contact with their parents. And know there are phones in schools but parents feel safe to know that their children can reach them at any moment. Based on the text, "Contacting parents mediated by school sometimes takes time so one of the best options is if the student can contact them directly.  This is especially useful during medical emergencies.  There are also times where the parents need to get ahold of their child for some important reason or just to check up on them on why they are running late "(Todd VanDuzer, student-tutor). 

In fact, letting students use their phones in schools also lets them access information easier.  

Some students may find it hard to keep on top of all their assignmens and by giving them access to information on the internet they can learn more about the topic and help them be on top of their work.  As said in the text, "If smartphones are allowed in school, students will have easy access to more information and therefore will be more participative during the class discussion" (Todd VanDuzer, student-tutor).  Being able to search up facts in just a few clicks is one of the biggest advantages of using technology.

On the other hand, Cell phones in the classroom promote cheating.  There are many websites, online forums, and tutors available online.  Most of the websites require subscriptions.  These resources, allow students to ask a question about their homework and they will be provided the answer.  If a student is allowed to bring their cell phone, he will have access to submit his question and receive the answer.  As said in the text "As said before, kids are getting distracted and not paying attention, so when it comes to taking a test they have no idea what the answers are so many students will cheat and not even learn anything" (Amie Vitello, Middle Borough TV).

In conclusion, cell phones should not be banned from schools because they are used for academic purposes. They provide quick access to knowledge, and they are learning in a method that is comfortable for them, and they can maintain in touch with their parents. In the end mobile devices have their benefits. So, should we ban them?

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Cell Phones in School: Should Be Banned, Restricted or Allowed?

Why cell phones in school should be banned.

The use of mobile phones in schools has attracted the attention of many individuals, state organizations, learning institutions, the media and the society at large. Different views have been raised on the positive impacts and the negative repercussion that come as a result of the use of mobile phones in schools. Although some positive aspects can be drawn from the use of mobile phones in schools, the negative impacts are saddening and the need to be looked at with great caution. Poor school performance of children and cheating in exams can be attributed to the use of mobile phones in schools.

School children with mobile phones tend to have a short span of attention in class due to various activities, as surfing the internet, playing games and texting. These children are also likely to cheat in exams by searching for answers through the internet or texting their colleagues for answers. Likewise, cases of mobile phone theft increase due to the urge of getting better phones to those who already have and the desire of having a phone to the poor children who cannot afford it. These should thus give an alarm to the school board to ban the use of mobile phones.

One of the major reasons why the use of mobile phones by school children should be banned is because it promotes cheating during exams. The mobile phones may provide good avenues for the children to cheat in exams and thus earn undeserved credits. Children use the taken pictures of class notes, videos, text messaging as well as wireless earbuds to gain access to materials that assist them during the exams. According to the National School Resource Officer Survey in 2004 by NASRO, it was estimated that more than 41 percent had reported handling cases of students using mobile phones improperly. The officers reported that among the improper ways school children had used mobile phones included cheating in exams, particularly through text messaging and the internet.

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Another reason why the school board should ban the use of mobile phones is due to the short span of attention by the children. Student’s concentration in class is distracted on various occasions in the presence of mobile phones. In certain instances, the disturbance can be carried on to the rest of the children in class if the phone rings out loud. This is more likely to happen and cause a lot of distraction, hampering the learning process if these phones are not put in silent mode. Moreover, if a phone is put in silent mode or on vibration, it distracts the owner leading to a short attention span in class. If a call or message, for instance, comes in, the student loses concentration and diverts their attention towards reading the message or answering the call. These lower the student’s understanding of things taught in class and in turn results in poor performance.

It is essential for the school board to note that the use of mobile phones by children promotes theft. The changing technology results in the production of more attractive and expensive mobile phones that not every child can afford. Theft complaints are thus not going to stop anytime soon if the use of mobile phones in schools will not be banned. Despite the fact that some of the children already own mobile phones, they will be tempted to steal the more sophisticated ones from their friends. The poor children who cannot afford a cell phone are no exemption and they are most likely to steal any type of phone for them to own one. It is best if schools ban their use to prevent such cases of theft.

It is thus justifiable to conclude that the school board has a big part to play in making the learning environment suitable for all the children. The ban on the use of mobile phones will be very beneficial to all and would lead to better performance. The children’s concentration span in class would improve, cheating in exams would be minimized and cases of mobile phone theft in schools would be forgotten. If the school board embraces the idea of making it illegal to use mobile phones, the society will benefit and the school children will all have a favorable environment to learn.

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Why Cell Phones in School Should Be Restricted?

People create different devices and machines due to the constant growth of human needs and demands. It is connected with the appropriate improvement in the quality of life. In fact, the creation of such a modern device as a cell phone refers to great wonders of the twenty-first century, even if its use at school is under great concern. Thus, the development of the cell phone and its regular use can improve the process of studying at school, but it can also destruct the way students thinking and learning.

The cell phone makes a revolution in education. It widens children’s outlook and suggests new ways and approaches for learning more information in different subjects through video use. It becomes evident that “allowing students to use cell phones in the classroom for specific, academic purposes has the power to increase student engagement and allow teachers to more effectively assess learning on a daily basis” (Giambalvo).

It means that the particular use of this device contributes to the development of creativity and interactive experience. Students can get free access to a large number of sources which can be essential in studying. In this case, juniors are motivated to set their goals and reach them observing different videos based on the learning topics. Additionally, this issue includes social and emotional aspects that show how an individual can assess himself/herself to reveal the appropriate persistence and diligence. Thus, modern teachers consider cell phones as a useful tool for learning, which makes studying easier and more interesting.

The cell phones provide new effective ways of learning for those who try to overcome the difficulties with the second language. In this case, it’s primary purpose is to improve the limits of students’ vocabulary. With the help of mobile dictionaries, students can memorize many new words including their translation and spelling. They also develop their vocabulary while writing a test after reading the assignment, which seems to be rather difficult (Lu 515). The point is that students do not have any limitation to learn more words every time they look up a new one and its various meanings. It is known that lexical information improves the intellect, and students’ speech becomes better. Therefore, the effectiveness of cell phone use is obvious, and it is necessary to further develop this approach.

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On the other hand, cell phones cause cheating and unceasing ringing that destroys classroom policies at school. Many teachers claim that “the technology is considered a serious source of distraction in the classroom” because it has a negative impact on academic performance (Campbell 280). In such a way, plagiarism becomes a common problem that exists among students. After finishing high schools, they are not ready to develop and create their own ideas. Students have boundless access to the Internet, thus they simply copy and paste the suggested information. It brings harm to the students’ studying as they do not make any considerable effort to develop their own intellectual skills and abilities in the process of learning. Additionally, teachers often complain that they cannot concentrate on the representation of new material due to the ringing in the class.

Moreover, parents notice that their children stop paying much attention to the school assignments but talk over the phone all the time. Perhaps, it is a precise result of parents’ numerous requests to allow their children to use mobile phones at school as they are against the past ban (Taylor). Thus, the cell phone becomes children’s obsession as they gradually begin to depend on this advanced technology.

In conclusion, the use of the cell phone improves the quality of studying as teachers can apply various teaching videos. Students can also learn the second foreign language via the cell phone by consulting the dictionary and memorizing new words as well as establishing communication and interacting with each other. However, the use of cell phones has several disadvantages while studying: the main one is cheating. This leads to reducing students’ own knowledge because they are out of practice. Therefore, it is necessary to restrict the use of cell phones at school in order to avoid plagiarism which is not good for students studying.

Why Cell Phones in School Should Be Allowed?

In terms of using cell phones in school, various improvements have been established at different schools, which benefited students since their privacy has been improved as well as an effective and essential means of communication was implemented. Schools are trying out various policies that allow having cell phones at schools with some permitting students to use their phones only during breaks or at lunchtime. Other schools are encouraging students to have cell phones at school in order to enhance the educational process, the main purpose of which is to improve understanding in the classroom.

This is helpful in various ways since it provides suitable platforms for enhancing educational understanding. Other policies that were implemented allow students to carry cell phones to school and use them after classes and at breaks. The phones should be kept in lockers or backpacks during classes. This is unlike the policy of some schools that allow phones and encourage students to carry them to school and use them in class for their educational advantage.

Cell phones use in high school during break times should, therefore, be allowed because of personal rights, privacy issues, and effective and essential communication. The use of cell phones during breaks prevents students from losing attention in class and allows them to maintain necessary communications with their parents as well as provides them with the advantages of e-learning tools. Allowing students to use cell phones at school gives students the right to personal life and privacy. In addition, cell phones enhance research and improve students’ understanding since they have more access to information that is available on the Internet.

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Argumentative

Book report, environment, evidence-based practice, informative, please notice.

Some text in the modal.

Students should not be allowed to use mobile phones at school. Do you agree or disagree with this view

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Include an introduction and conclusion

A conclusion is essential for IELTS writing task 2. It is more important than most people realise. You will be penalised for missing a conclusion in your IELTS essay.

The easiest paragraph to write in an essay is the conclusion paragraph. This is because the paragraph mostly contains information that has already been presented in the essay – it is just the repetition of some information written in the introduction paragraph and supporting paragraphs.

The conclusion paragraph only has 3 sentences:

• Restatement of thesis
• Prediction or recommendation

To summarize, a robotic teacher does not have the necessary disciple to properly give instructions to students and actually works to retard the ability of a student to comprehend new lessons. Therefore, it is clear that the idea of running a classroom completely by a machine cannot be supported. After thorough analysis on this subject, it is predicted that the adverse effects of the debate over technology-driven teaching will always be greater than the positive effects, and because of this, classroom teachers will never be substituted for technology.

Start your conclusion with a linking phrase. Here are some examples:

• In conclusion
• To conclude
• To summarize
• In a nutshell

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