When smartphones came out in the 2000s they began to become common items for teenagers to own. Over the years the technology and apps in phones have exploded in advancements and technology, making them more and more addictive.
These developments have caused teenagers growing up with phones to become very reliant on them. This reliance has led to phones becoming distractions for students and educators in classrooms. When students have access to phones in class they are constantly alerted by different games and social media.
Furthermore, they make teachers’ jobs more difficult as they frequently need to remind students to put their phones away. A recent study found that 72% of high school teachers say that students being distracted by their cell phones in class is a major problem.
With other studies finding literacy rates in high schools to be concerningly low across the country, schools must look for solutions and should ban students from having their phones in the classroom.
It is widely believed that on top of negatively impacting students’ mental health, the distraction created by cellphones also works to hurt academic performance. Students distracted by their phones miss important learning in the classroom and disruptions can make it harder for them to regain focus.
Having phones in the classroom also provides students with tools to cheat or break academic honesty. If students are allowed access to their phones in the classroom, many attempt to sneakily use their phones to cheat.
With up to 35% of teens admitting to using their phones to cheat, this process has become much more efficient with the recent advancements made to artificial intelligence. Students can now simply take photos of tests or worksheets and immediately be provided with all necessary answers. Even more worryingly, phones can be used to take pictures of assessments in class which can spread through students in schools.
However, there are reasons to allow students to keep their cellphones, preventing quick bans in the classroom. They allow for instant communication between students and parents while also being able to supplement learning in some cases. Students also can learn self control by resisting ready distractions during their learning which prepares them for the workforce where they’d likely have access to their phones.
Although cell phones can provide some benefits to students at school, many of these arguments can be countered. Parents can still contact their children through the school during classes. Learning without cell phones can prevent cell phone distractions during work from becoming a habit.
Overall, due to their poor impact on learning they should be banned from classrooms. Schools should require all teachers to have phone pockets blocking any temptations for students to cheat or lose focus.
