With the new smart phone craze, many students are enraptured by their tiny Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) instead of devoting their attention to their education. According to a Pew Internet survey, 58% of teenagers text in class. Each teacher has their own personal rules about cell phones in their classroom.

Mrs. Handschuh, teacher of nine years, said that she was strict on cell phones and “wished that [students] wouldn’t let cell phones control them.”

Mrs. Cahn, also strict on cell phones, said she “[takes] away cell phones when she needs [students] to pay attention.”

The district policy states: “Students may have a cell phone (NOT a camera phone) while at school. The cell phone must be turned off and concealed in the student’s backpack during school hours. If the cell phone is seen or used during school, the phone will be confiscated and returned only to a parent.” Although official district policy prohibits it, Lincoln allows cell phones outside of the classrooms.

Cell phones and other forms of technology are versatile tools, with applications for nearly anything. Lincoln has iPad and laptop carts, for online quizzes or research. Many students use their smartphones as a valuable learning tool, to look up facts and definitions, like Cynthia Ibarra, Junior, who said that her phone was really helpful to look up words, and should be used, just “not during tests.”

While technology can be a potentially powerful learning tool, it also can be distracting if students lack the willpower to refrain from using it at inappropriate times.

Freshman Quinn Brown said, “I use my phone as a calculator, but mainly for social stuff,” a sentiment mirrored by many others who use social media to connect with their friends and acquaintances.

Cell phones are a distraction in the classroom, but a boon to a student who wants to quickly look something up and stay connected.

Related

Cell Phones in Classrooms? No! Students Need to Pay Attention
73% of Teachers Use Cellphones for Classroom Activities
The Pros and Cons of having Cell Phones in High Schools