Why banning mobile phones in schools is a bad idea

A study to which I once saw some sort of reference (I wish I could cite it but can’t seem to find it) said that when students study without music they retain and understand more than when they study with music. This held even for students who identified themselves as a person who ‘can’t study without music’.

If the mere distraction of music, orderly sound which triggers the pleasure centre of the brain, is sufficient distraction to reduce learning, then surely phones (and other electronic devices) in the classroom can’t be less invasive. Also, for those with Attention Deficit Disorder, a phone going off, or even being used, cannot be a good thing. And for those with what I call Hyper Attention Complex (aka, Autism, which is me, or the lesser-known derivative, Asperger’s Syndrome) these things would virtually eliminate learning of any kind.

But, I agree that if some kids have them, then all kids should have them. But, like checking your ‘gun at the door’ in an old western saloon, they shouldn’t be part of the daily learning of children. And neither should computers in the early grades, but that’s another rant.

I agree completely. I think humans in general are rarely comfortable with the pace of change. Kids are inhernetly more adaptable than adults. Both of my kids got cell phones when they were nine. The state of Michigan used to prohibit kids from having phones in school but they changed that a couple of years ago. Banning stuff like that outright is ridiculous and unworkable especially given the diminutive size of most phones today. On the other hand certain restrictions are perfectly reasonable. Kids shouldn’t be allowed to use their phones in class, no texting etc. That is disruptive and I have no problem with restricting it. Phones should also be muted. Since a large proportion of the kids (if not a majority yet) have phones, they should just be taught some basic ettiquete and leave it at that. With family share plans letting the kids have a phone is fairly economical too as long as don’t go overboard on talking and texting.

I beg to differ with you, Peter. There are probably enough distractions in schools (as well as outside them) without having SMSs and internet chatrooms competing for a student’s attention during class time. This has nothing to do with the newness of the technology but with the oldness of human nature. There is only so much time in a person’s childhood, and some of that time should be reserved for quiet contemplation. It’s true that Europeans everywhere are mobile phone obsessed, but European schooling is a lot stricter and you can bet that they don’t let students have their phones in class.

Yeah, I find that people with cellphones are all about the etiquette.
How long before these fantasy schools (oh, hold on, I got a call I have to take… … … …) How long before these fantasy schools of yours begin operating, Peter? And, until then, what do we do with the problem of cellphones in schools?

u r correct. I c the lite. Give them PSP

It’s difficult to see phone ettiquette evolving in the same environment from which came bullying. Classrooms are like churches, that’s a shortcoming. Until that model evolves to something new phones would not only distract the ‘priest’ but also the paritioners. In the end we’d have kids who can use phones like Garret Mason plays guitar but would write like Marian’s example above.

I agree with you Peter on the use of the technology to facilitate learning. I have students in class with their laptops, fully connected to the internet - probably working on other homework or answering email - or in my dreams googling what we are talking about to get more information. I rank that up with reading an assignment for a different class instead of paying attention to what we are discussing - not great, but hey we have all done it at one time or another.

I just bring up one more thing to think about…testing. Talk to any college professor and they will say that mobile phones are the key way students are cheating these days during exams. I feel like a jerk when I have to enforce my no mobile phones as calculators (the dependance on calculators for simple math is a whole other can of worms) on an exam - but text messaging and taking photos of the exams are the key ways they are being used to cheat during exams.

Phones in schools - ok. Phones in classrooms - not ok in my opinion. There are plenty of tools that can be used, and maybe phones are one of them, but not on a daily basis.

I hope that in my (college) classes that my students and I create an intimate learning community possible only when they turn off their cell phones and live in the “here and now.” I sometimes ask them to honor a 5 minute cell phone ban as they exit class, hoping that they will ponder our conclusions about the day’s discussion before they reconnect with everyone else in their world.
There is a place in education for technologies available through cell phones. But as we consider in what ways those technologies are furthering our students’learning, maybe we, as teachers, should be asking whether we are also creating experiences and opportunities that can only happen without cell phones.

Chewing gum was a new technology once.

Although Portuguese grannies may be great cellphone users I doubt sincerely that Portuguese teachers allow cellphone use in class. Time to research the matter before you leave Oporto.

Schools of the future will have their own cell phone networks. GSM, CDMA, analog will all be served by ‘cell sites’ that supersede access to the regular public network. Emergency 911 dialing will always be available to all students, however other services will be customized to the students. Every student will have a phone which at a minimum will work within this school cell network. Text messages will be used to manage homework assignments, report grades, school news, etc. While on campus students will be subject to the service restrictions based on which class they are in, if they are taking a test, etc. The outside world will be screened by a voice menu system, and if an urgent call needs to reach a student, it will require a pin number on the parents part to reach their child, or manual intervention by a scretary to allow the call to get through.

Each student’s phone will be like an extension of the schools PBX system and PA system. Attendance could be monitored as well within this system.

Implementing this ‘campus cell network’ will be something PEI could lead the world in. Then students, teachers, and parents could control the functionality of this school cell network to best serve the goal of teaching.

The teacher’s phone would report any activity of their student’s phones during class time, based only on the students in their class.

Campus cell networks. That’s where it’s at.

As for now, Aliant, Rogers, and any other service providers should be required to install a cell site that covers just the school campus.
This puts the infrastructure in place to develop the ‘campus cell network’.
For now, only outgoing calls and messages would be allowed from within any public school on a cell phone. That means no ringing, ever, of a cell phone in a public school. This means student-to-student calls could not be placed while on campus. You could however call home, or 911, or anywhere.

This is better than jamming all cell phones completely.

And silence would be golden. In fact, if a cell phone rings on campus, a report would be made to the cell service providers to follow up on any holes in the coverage on campus.

NO INCOMING CALLS! OR SHORT MESSAGES! Isn’t that simple enough?

I suppose after school hours, two way calling could be restored, so when the final bell rings it would be service as usual.

Here is the only campus cellular network I could find on the web.

The University of Mississippi has it’s own cellular network. While on campus your cellphone uses the private campus network. When you leave campus, you are back on the public cell phone network.

Cellular South (a service provider) installed it for free!

“I

Parkdale Doris chucked her cell into the garbage.

this idea of ban phones is not good for the people at school

YA!!!

that is a grate idea!