# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's been an issue in schools, colleges, and universities across the country for quite some time. In fact, cellular phones were an early problem when students were distracted by phone calls and texts messaging, but now smartphones can do just about anything your computer or laptop can, but in an easily concealable handheld device. According to an article posted in Trends in Ed, 50% of students own smartphones. The use of phones is usually discouraged on the first day of class by teachers and professors, or talked about in the class syllabus with consequences for even the first infraction. After all, since smartphones pretty much allow you to do anything you want these days, having them in the classroom might be distracting students more than ever.

Smartphones allow students to text, check, and interact on social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter, check their e-mails, play games online, and even watch TV. This is extremely distracting for not only the student (because they are obviously not paying attention), but can also become distracting for other students around them. If a professor or teacher has to stop their lecture or instruction to ask a student to turn off their phone, it is also distracting the entire class.

In addition, while it wouldn't be particularly easy for students to make calls during exams to cheat on tests, it can be fairly easy for students in a packed or crowded classroom or lecture hall to use their phones to access information online to cheat on tests. In fact, an article posted in Phone Arena showed some startling statistics about the use of smartphones for cheating in the classroom. This could be through the use of text exchanges with other students, using the Internet to find answers, using advanced calculators and phone applications, taking snapshots of an exam, or reading notes that are saved on the phone to help on the test.

Most smartphones are also equipped with abilities to shoot video and take pictures. This means that anything that goes on in the classroom can easily be recorded by a student and immediately uploaded to Youtube, or any other site where video and filing sharing is allowed. This could be an invasion of a classmate's or professor's privacy, as they probably would not be notified that the video was shared on an online website.

Finally, smartphones can encourage bullying and hazing. Bullying and hazing are very serious problems in schools across the U.S. As mentioned before, most smartphones do come equipped with camera and video technology, which can be used to videotape and photograph bullying and hazing. Because many of the students who encourage and enjoy bullying and hazing likely want to show what they have done to other students, they can use their smartphones to videotape incidents to ridicule the person they targeted.

Did you enjoy this article?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Negative Effects of Smartphones in the Classroom - College Degrees

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's been an issue in schools, colleges, and universities across the country for quite some time. In fact, cellular phones were an early problem when students were distracted by phone calls and texts messaging, but now smartphones can do just about anything your computer or laptop can, but in an easily concealable handheld device.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
All rights reserved by Menlo Photo Bank

The existence of smartphones is considered to be one of the defining aspects of the 21st century classroom. There has been a tremendous change on how school and classroom policies are implemented to modernize the learning process for kids as well as teachers. Meanwhile, adding to that is the advent of mobile devices which are good teaching tools to have an effective classroom communication. According to a survey done on 500 teachers and administrators, 34% employ the use of handheld gadgets. In this post, we want to provide you with great approach on how to full utilize smartphones and tablets in the classroom.

To complement the Four C's of highly effective classrooms, here are 10tips to create a conducive learning environment with the use of mobility. These can also be used while dealing with the latest tools, topics, and trends offered by Thinkfinity, a joint initiative of Verizon and some of the top educational institutions in the country.
1. Smartphones as a research tool
The use of smartphones makes it easier for students and teachers to research quickly before or during class. Instead of bringing those cumbersome laptop computers, wide screen phablets or iPad can be an innovative tool to accomplish research tasks.
2. Snap a photo
Some fail to take down notes especially when the bell rings. With the use of the most advanced phone cameras, students can take pictures of the recent assignments written on the white board. Moreover, they can also take photos of other learning materials such as textbooks and encyclopedias. Teachers can also record short sketches which are shared with the entire class through Bluetooth connection.
3. E-reader as an alternative
To ease the burden of bringing bulky and heavy books, we now have the option to download a PDF version of books online. In fact, many schools are now using ebooks instead of the traditional paper textbooks. Our friends from Teachers.net said that using ebooks has its fare share of advantages. According to them, it can develop a positive attitude and behavior towards learning.
4. SMS chat room
The beauty of using phones is that learning and class discussions are not limited in the classroom. Educators can use apps such as TextPlus, HurricaneParty, PingChat, GrouepMe, and Yobongo to create a private chat room. Aside from discussing topics, this method can create a strong bond between teachers and students encouraging them to excel in class.
5. Share through PostHaven
When on a field trip, its regular to see them taking out their devices to snap pictures. By having a PostHaven class blog, they can share these photos with everyone. This is done by sending the file to the website through email.
6. Google SMS on the rescue

All rights reserved by Menlo Photo Bank
7. Using smartphones as mobile diaries
While in school, researching can also be done without the help of an Internet access or when there's no available computer unit in the library. Through texting questions to 466453, Google's number, students can prompt the search giant to search claptrap on the web.
8. Track students' behavior
Gone are the days when students use scented notebooks as their daily journal. In the modern era, mobile phones serve as our digital diary. Students can set reminders, to-do list and organize their schedules directly from their handy device.
9. Call a friend
At times, classroom management is easier said than done. What makes it more difficult is controlling the behavior of the students. Apps like Teacher's Class BEHAVIOR PRO helps teachers organize students belonging to different classes through making categories for recurring behavior.
10. Scanning codes
Meanwhile, teachers can invite guest speakers in their class through video calling on Skype. Instead of asking them to come over, if their schedules can't permit, you can arrange a virtual meet and greet instead. Students clustered in groups can have an opportunity to talk to the expert to have an efficient classroom collaborative activity.

Since most devices can support QR Code-scanning apps, ways of presenting information have broadened. Educators can give out new lessons and assignments by generating QR scan codes. This will then lead them to a specific page online where your files can be accessed.

The 21st century students are learning so much about the world of digital convenience. With that, these are a few tips aimed to not only help them but you as well in incorporating digital gadgets in your classes. Do you have other tips to share?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Exciting Ways to Use Mobile Phones Inside the Classroom - Splash Math Blog

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
All rights reserved by Menlo Photo Bank The existence of smartphones is considered to be one of the defining aspects of the 21st century classroom. There has been a tremendous change on how school and classroom policies are implemented to modernize the learning process for kids as well as teachers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Educational Research Newsletter and Webinars

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Often viewed as a distraction in the classroom, cell phones can also be an effective tool for engaging your students in learning, reports a high school teacher who piloted the use of mobile phones in his pre-calculus class.

Teachers who want to bring cell phones into their instruction should first of all select a few roles from the dizzying array of possibilities for mobile participation, write co-authors George Engle, a teacher at Clarkstown High School South in West Nyack, NY, and Tim Green, professor of educational technology at California State University at Fullerton, CA, in TechTrends.

In this study, cell phones were used in the classroom in 3 major ways:

as an audience response system (polling)

as a research tool

as a tool for collecting evidence of student work through photographs and video recordings

"These three uses were selected because we felt they would help ease in the use of the devices in a manageable way while at the same time engaging students and allowing them to use the various capabilities of the devices to enhance their learning," the researchers write.

Polling was the most common use in the classroom. Students got immediate feedback on polling questions, and the function allowed the teacher to immediately adjust lessons to address weaknesses in student learning. The teacher could check for understanding at the beginning and at the end of the lesson.

Polling responses were collected at both www.polleverywhere.com (the other polling tool used in the study is no longer operating). The polling site allowed for the collection of anonymous responses from students.

"This anonymity has the potential to level the playing field among students by giving the shy student or reluctant student the opportunity to participate," write the researchers. "The students reported enjoying the anonymity, and looked forward to sharing their ideas with the class and reading their classmates' responses."

-------------------------

-------------------------

Here are some of the researchers' observations about the most common concerns about use of cell phones in the classroom, including inappropriate use of the devices by students, objections from parents who pay the cell phone bills, and questions about how to accommodate students who do not have cell phones or don't have the most up-to-date cell phones.

Lack of access to cell phones. There was one student in the class of 18 male and female students in the class who did not have a cell phone. The student, Aaron, also had limited Internet access at home. "Students like Aaron exist in most classrooms and must be taken into consideration when using cell phones or other mobile technologies," the researchers write. To participate in the polling activities, Aaron used a school-provided IPod with the Text Plus application that allows users to submit SMS texts like any cell phone. A wireless access point was installed in the classroom to serve this purpose.

In classrooms that do not have a wireless access point, other options for students who do not have a cell phone include writing the response on a card and handing it to the teacher or using another student's cell phones. Obviously, these are far from ideal alternatives.

To meet the requirements for projects and wiki assignments, Aaron was only required to comment on other students' posts on the wiki, the researchers report. Instead of posting on the wiki, he handwrote or typed his comments and submitted them for review. The work was collected and included in a portfolio.

"We found this to be a good alternative for him as it kept him involved and showed his growth throughout the year," the researchers write.

Inappropriate use of devices. At the beginning of the school year, teacher and students set rules together so the students would share ownership of the rules. A few simple rules were established: (a) students should only use SMS texts for class work, (b) texts should be respectful and relevant to the discussion and (c) cell phones should only be visible when needed to complete classroom activities.

Teacher and students also discussed the possibility of inappropriate comments with anonymous polling. The teacher needs to build trust with the students that they will not engage in inappropriate comments during the class activities.

Parent support and approval. The principal sent a letter to parents seeking permission for their children to use cell phones in the classroom. Parents were told they would not have to change their cell phone plan in order for their children to participate. Students would have to use the SMS text, vido and digital camera functions of their cell phones.

An information session was held with the parents the first week of school to discuss the program and to answer their questions. Although most parents had a favorable opinion of the pilot, 2 parents withdrew students from the class. One parent had concerns about excessive texting and another believed the technology components of the course made homework more time-consuming.

"The more information parents have about who, when, where, and why the devices will be used the more likely they will be in support of their use," the researchers write. "A letter home and an informational session are great ways to get parents engaged and inform them."

Besides using cell phones for polling purposes, students also used cell phones in class to research new math concepts on the Internet, helping to convert them from passive to active learners. For example, when students were introduced to the concept of matrices, their first reaction was to mention the popular movie, "Matrix." The students had no idea how a matrix might apply to mathematics. They worked in small collaborative groups to research how matrices applied to mathematics.

The students shared the information they found with the class through texting, allowing for a rich discussion of the new topic. Students who did not have phones with Internet capabilities were able to use iPod touches with the installation of a wireless access point in the class.

The third role of cell phones in class was to allow students to take pictures or videos of their work and upload them on Flickr ( www.flickr.com) and a class wiki. Students with cell phones that did not have a good camera function could use digital cameras.

Once images were posted, students were asked to reflect on their work on the wiki. They were also asked to provide peer review. Students commented on at least 2 of their classmates' work, helping the reviewer and the peer to increase their understanding of the material. Later in the school year, students created videos with their phones or other recording devices. In their reflections on their work, some students said talking about their work on the videos helped them better understand the material.

What were the positive effects of cell phone use in the classroom? The researchers say there was an increase in class participation during the pilot program. Students were able to use their phones either to comment on the lesson, to answer questions, or to participate in research. There was also an increase in the quality of assessments. Students were able to prove their understanding through their wiki projects and on class tests. They also learned to reflect on their work.

According to the researchers, after recording a video for the class on rational functions, one student wrote, 'By describing all the steps as I went along it helped me to better remember the steps,."

The program will be expanded to all of the classes of one of the authors. More instructional activities will be used with the phone and other faculty members will be trained in bringing the technology into their own classrooms, the researchers report.
"Cell Phones in the Classroom: Are we Dialing up Disaster?" by George Engle and Tim Green, TechTrends, March/ April 2011, Volume 55, Number 2, pps. 39-45.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Often viewed as a distraction in the classroom, cell phones can also be an effective tool for engaging your students in learning, reports a high school teacher who piloted the use of mobile phones in his pre-calculus class.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A survey of 2,462 Advanced Placement (AP) and National Writing Project (NWP) teachers finds that digital technologies have helped them in teaching their middle school and high school students in many ways. At the same time, the internet, mobile phones, and social media have brought new challenges to teachers.

In addition, they report that there are striking differences in the role of technology in wealthier school districts compared with poorer school districts and that there are clear generational differences among teachers when it comes to their comfort with technology and its use in their classrooms.

Asked about the impact of the internet and digital tools in their role as middle and high school educators, these teachers say the following about the overall impact on their teaching and their classroom work:

92% of these teachers say the internet has a "major impact" on their ability to access content, resources, and materials for their teaching

69% say the internet has a "major impact" on their ability to share ideas with other teachers

67% say the internet has a "major impact" on their ability to interact with parents and 57% say it has had such an impact on enabling their interaction with students

At the same time, 75% of AP and NWP teachers say the internet and other digital tools have added new demands to their lives, agreeing with the statement that these tools have a "major impact" by increasing the range of content and skills about which they must be knowledgeable. And 41% report a "major impact" by requiring more work on their part to be an effective teacher.

AP and NWP teachers bring a wide variety of digital tools into the learning process, including mobile phones, tablets, and e-book readers

The survey reveals the degree to which the internet and digital technologies, particularly mobile phones, suffuse teaching activities. Laptops and desktops are central, but they note mobile technology use has also become commonplace in the learning process:

73% of AP and NWP teachers say that they and/or their students use their mobile phones in the classroom or to complete assignments

45% report they or their students use e-readers and 43% use tablet computers in the classroom or to complete assignments

Teachers most commonly use digital tools to have students conduct research online, which was the focus of an earlier report based on these data. It is also common for these teachers to have students access (79%) and submit (76%) assignments online. More interactive online learning activities, such as developing wikis, engaging in online discussions, and editing work using collaborative platforms such as GoogleDocs, are also employed by some of the teachers in the sample.

Overall, 62% of AP and NWP teachers feel their school does a "good job" supporting teachers' efforts to bring digital tools into the learning process, and 68% say their school provides formal training in this area. Still, 85% of these teachers seek out their own opportunities to learn new ways to effectively incorporate these tools into their teaching.

Teachers worry about digital divides, though they are split about the impact of digital tools on their students

These teachers see disparities in access to digital tools having at least some impact on their students. More than half (54%) say all or almost all of their students have sufficient access to digital tools at school, but only a fifth of these teachers (18%) say all or almost all of their students have access to the digital tools they need at home.

Teachers of the lowest income students are the least likely to say their students have sufficient access to the digital tools they need, both in school and at home. In terms of community type, teachers in urban areas are the least likely to say their students have sufficient access to digital tools IN SCHOOL, while rural teachers are the least likely to say their students have sufficient access AT HOME.

Overall, while many AP and NWP teachers express concern about growing disparities across schools and school districts, they are divided as to whether access to digital tools is leading to greater disparities among their students. A large majority of these teachers (84%) agree to some extent with the statement that "Today's digital technologies are leading to greater disparities between affluent and disadvantaged schools and school districts." However, asked whether today's digital technologies are narrowing or widening the gap between the most and least academically successful students, 44% say technology is narrowing the gap and 56% say it is widening the gap.

Teachers of the lowest income students experience the impact of digital tools in the learning environment differently than teachers whose students are from more affluent households

AP and NWP teachers' experiences with using digital tools in their teaching vary in some notable ways depending on the socioeconomic status of the students they teach. Among these findings:

70% of teachers working in the highest income areas say their school does a "good job" providing teachers the resources and support they need to incorporate digital tools in the classroom, compared with 50% of teachers working in the lowest income areas

73% of teachers of high income students receive formal training in this area, compared with 60% of teachers of low income students

56% of teachers of students from higher income households say they or their students use tablet computers in the learning process, compared with 37% of teachers of the lowest income students

55% of teachers of higher income students say they or their students use e-readers in the classroom, compared with 41% teaching in low income areas

52% of teachers of upper and upper-middle income students say their students use cell phones to look up information in class, compared with 35% of teachers of the lowest income students

39% of AP and NWP teachers of low income students say their school is "behind the curve" when it comes to effectively using digital tools in the learning process; just 15% of teachers of higher income students rate their schools poorly in this area

56% of teachers of the lowest income students say that a lack of resources among students to access digital technologies is a "major challenge" to incorporating more digital tools into their teaching; 21% of teachers of the highest income students report that problem

49% of teachers of students living in low income households say their school's use of internet filters has a major impact on their teaching, compared with 24% of those who teach better off students who say that

33% of teachers of lower income students say their school's rules about classroom cell phone use by students have a major impact on their teaching, compared with 15% of those who teach students from the highest income households

There are notable generational differences in how teachers experience the impact of digital technologies in their professional lives

As is the case among the full adult population, differences in technology use emerge between older and younger teachers. Specifically:

Teachers under age 35 are more likely than teachers age 55 and older to describe themselves as "very confident" when it comes to using new digital technologies (64% vs. 44%)

Conversely, the oldest teachers (age 55 and older) are more than twice as likely as their colleagues under age 35 to say their students know more than they do about using the newest digital tools (59% vs. 23%)

45% of teachers under age 35 have their students develop or share work on a website, wiki or blog, compared with 34% of teachers ages 55 and older

Younger teachers are also more likely than the oldest teachers to have students participate in online discussions (45% v. 32%) and use collaborative web-based tools such as GoogleDocs to edit their work (41% v. 34%)

Younger teachers are more likely to "very often" draw on colleagues for ideas about how to use new technologies in the classroom (22% of teachers under age 35 do this), when compared with teachers age 35-54 (16%) and teachers age 55 and older (13%)

At times, teachers' own use of digital tools can run counter to their concerns about and perceptions of student use

In an earlier report on these data, we found that teachers expressed some concerns about what they saw as students' overreliance on search engines to find information and complete research projects. In their words, their students increasingly "equate research with Googling," and use search engines in lieu of more traditional sources without sufficient ability to judge the quality of information they find online. Regarding students' use of search engines, the survey found:

76% of AP and NWP teachers "strongly agree that "search engines have conditioned students to expect to be able to find information quickly and easily"

83% agree that "the amount of information available online today is overwhelming for most students"

71% agree that "today's digital technologies discourage students from finding and using a wide range of sources for their research"

60% agree with the notion that "today's digital technologies make it harder for students to find and use credible sources of information"

Yet, the survey also confirms that search engines, and Google in particular, are key resources for AP and NWP teachers. Specifically:

99% of AP and NWP teachers use search engines to find information online

90% name Google as the search tool they use most often

Virtually all AP and NWP teachers (99%) use the internet "to do work or research for their job"

Almost three-quarters (73%) of AP and NWP teachers are "very confident" in their online search abilities

These results indicate that while these teachers are concerned about how their students use the internet in general-and search engines in particular-to find information, they are confident in their own ability to use these tools effectively.

In a similar vein, AP and NWP teachers use the online encyclopedia tool Wikipedia at much higher rates than U.S. adult internet users as a whole (87% vs. 53%). Wikipedia relies on user-generated, crowd-sourced content, a process that sometimes calls into question the accuracy of its information. In focus groups with teachers and students prior to the survey, Wikipedia was often noted as a tool teachers discourage or bar students from using because of concerns about the reliability of its content.

The internet and digital tools also play a key role in classroom preparation and professional networking

Digital tools are critical to AP and NWP teachers' lesson preparation, networking and professionalization. Among the key findings in this area:

80% of AP and NWP teachers report getting email alerts or updates at least weekly that allow them to follow developments in their field

84% report using the internet at least weekly to find content that will engage students

80% report using the internet at least weekly to help them create lesson plans

AP and NWP teachers outpace the general adult population in almost all measures of personal tech use, yet 42% feel their students know more than they do when it comes to using digital tools

AP and NWP teachers are well ahead of national benchmarks in almost all measures of personal technology use:

94% of AP and NWP teachers own a cell phone, slightly higher than the national figure of 88% for all U.S. adults

58% of these teachers (68% of teachers under age 35) have a smartphone, compared with 45% of all adults

93% of teachers own a laptop computer vs. 61% of all adults

87% own a desktop computer vs. 58% of all adults

39% own a tablet vs. 24% of all adults

47% own an e-book reader vs. 19% of all adults

78% use social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn or Google+, compared with 69% of adult internet users and 59% of all adults

26% use Twitter vs. 16% of adult internet users and 14% of all adults

Despite their heavy tech use, 42% of AP and NWP teachers say their students usually know more than they do when it comes to using new digital technologies. Just 18% feel they know more than their students. This is despite the fact that over half of AP and NWP teachers (56%) are "very confident" when it comes to learning how to use the latest digital tools, and another 39% say they are "somewhat confident."

About this Study

The basics of the survey

These are among the main findings of an online survey of a non-probability sample of 2,462 middle and high school teachers currently teaching in the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, conducted between March 7 and April 23, 2012. Some 1,750 of the teachers are drawn from a sample of advanced placement (AP) high school teachers, while the remaining 712 are from a sample of National Writing Project teachers. Survey findings are complemented by insights from a series of online and in-person focus groups with middle and high school teachers and students in grades 9-12, conducted between November, 2011 and February, 2012.

This particular sample is quite diverse geographically, by subject matter taught, and by school size and community characteristics. But it skews towards educators who teach some of the most academically successful students in the country. Thus, the findings reported here reflect the realities of their special place in American education, and are not necessarily representative of all teachers in all schools. At the same time, these findings are especially powerful given that these teachers' observations and judgments emerge from some of the nation's most advanced classrooms.

In addition to the survey, Pew Internet conducted a series of online and offline focus groups with middle and high school teachers and some of their students and their voices are included in this report.

The study was designed to explore teachers' views of the ways today's digital environment is shaping the research and writing habits of middle and high school students, as well as teachers' own technology use and their efforts to incorporate new digital tools into their classrooms.

About the data collection

Data collection was conducted in two phases. In phase one, Pew Internet conductedtwo online and one in-person focus group with middle and high school teachers; focus group participants included Advanced Placement (AP) teachers, teachers who had participated in the National Writing Project's Summer Institute (NWP), as well as teachers at a College Board school in the Northeast U.S. Two in-person focus groups were also conducted with students in grades 9-12 from the same College Board school. The goal of these discussions was to hear teachers and students talk about, in their own words, the different ways they feel digital technologies such as the internet, search engines, social media, and cell phones are shaping students' research and writing habits and skills. Teachers were asked to speak in depth about teaching research and writing to middle and high school students today, the challenges they encounter, and how they incorporate digital technologies into their classrooms and assignments.

Focus group discussions were instrumental in developing a 30-minute online survey, which was administered in phase two of the research to a national sample of middle and high school teachers. The survey results reported here are based on a non-probability sample of 2,462 middle and high school teachers currently teaching in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Of these 2,462 teachers, 2,067 completed the entire survey; all percentages reported are based on those answering each question. The sample is not a probability sample of all teachers because it was not practical to assemble a sampling frame of this population. Instead, two large lists of teachers were assembled: one included 42,879 AP teachers who had agreed to allow the College Board to contact them (about one-third of all AP teachers), while the other was a list of 5,869 teachers who participated in the National Writing Project's Summer Institute during 2007-2011 and who were not already part of the AP sample. A stratified random sample of 16,721 AP teachers was drawn from the AP teacher list, based on subject taught, state, and grade level, while all members of the NWP list were included in the final sample.

The online survey was conducted from March 7-April 23, 2012. More details on how the survey and focus groups were conducted are included in the Methodology section at the end of this report, along with focus group discussion guides and the survey instrument.

About the teachers who participated in the survey

There are several important ways the teachers who participated in the survey are unique, which should be considered when interpreting the results reported here. First, 95% of the teachers who participated in the survey teach in public schools, thus the findings reported here reflect that environment almost exclusively. In addition, almost one-third of the sample (NWP Summer Institute teachers) has received extensive training in how to effectively teach writing in today's digital environment. The National Writing Project's mission is to provide professional development, resources and support to teachers to improve the teaching of writing in today's schools. The NWP teachers included here are what the organization terms "teacher-consultants" who have attended the Summer Institute and provide local leadership to other teachers. Research has shown significant gains in the writing performance of students who are taught by these teachers.

Moreover, the majority of teachers participating in the survey (56%) currently teach AP, honors, and/or accelerated courses, thus the population of middle and high school students they work with skews heavily toward the highest achievers. These teachers and their students may have resources and support available to them-particularly in terms of specialized training and access to digital tools-that are not available in all educational settings. Thus, the population of teachers participating in this research might best be considered "leading edge teachers" who are actively involved with the College Board and/or the National Writing Project and are therefore beneficiaries of resources and training not common to all teachers. It is likely that teachers in this study are developing some of the more innovative pedagogical approaches to teaching research and writing in today's digital environment, and are incorporating classroom technology in ways that are not typical of the entire population of middle and high school teachers in the U.S. Survey findings represent the attitudes and behaviors of this particular group of teachers only, and are not representative of the entire population of U.S. middle and high school teachers.

Every effort was made to administer the survey to as broad a group of educators as possible from the sample files being used. As a group, the 2,462 teachers participating in the survey comprise a wide range of subject areas, experience levels, geographic regions, school type and socioeconomic level, and community type (detailed sample characteristics are available in the Methodology section of this report). The sample includes teachers from all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. All teachers who participated in the survey teach in physical schools and classrooms, as opposed to teaching online or virtual courses.

English/language arts teachers make up a significant portion of the sample (36%), reflecting the intentional design of the study, but history, social science, math, science, foreign language, art, and music teachers are also represented. About one in ten teachers participating in the survey are middle school teachers, while 91% currently teach grades 9-12. There is wide distribution across school size and students' socioeconomic status, though half of the teachers participating in the survey report teaching in a small city or suburb. There is also a wide distribution in the age and experience levels of participating teachers. The survey sample is 71% female.

About the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project

The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project is one of seven projects that make up the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan, nonprofit "fact tank" that provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. The Project produces reports exploring the impact of the internet on families, communities, work and home, daily life, education, health care, and civic and political life. The Pew Internet Project takes no positions on policy issues related to the internet or other communications technologies. It does not endorse technologies, industry sectors, companies, nonprofit organizations, or individuals. While we thank our research partners for their helpful guidance, the Pew Internet Project had full control over the design, implementation, analysis and writing of this survey and report.

About the College Board

The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of over 6,000 of the world's leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success - including the SAT ® and the Advanced Placement Program ®. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools. For further information, visit www.collegeboard.org.

About the National Writing Project

The National Writing Project (NWP) is a nationwide network of educators working together to improve the teaching of writing in the nation's schools and in other settings. NWP provides high-quality professional development programs to teachers in a variety of disciplines and at all levels, from early childhood through university. Through its nearly 200 university-based sites serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, NWP develops the leadership, programs and research needed for teachers to help students become successful writers and learners. For more information, visit www.nwp.org.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Teachers Are Using Technology at Home and in Their Classrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A survey of 2,462 Advanced Placement (AP) and National Writing Project (NWP) teachers finds that digital technologies have helped them in teaching their middle school and high school students in many ways. At the same time, the internet, mobile phones, and social media have brought new challenges to teachers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Kids aren't far behind adults in knowing exactly where their phones are at all times, and checking theirs at all hours of the day. Yet, when kids spend a good chunk of time at school, the question rises for staff about how cell phones can affect their students in the classroom, and whether it's a good or bad thing.

Although American schools haven't rolled out a unified policy banning or permitting cell phones in class, there are a number of sound arguments for not allowing them.

10 Cons of Having Cell Phones in Schools

With technology becoming more of a teaching element in schools, the question about cell phone use frequently gets brought up. While there's a grab bag of positive and negative things that come with students being able to whip out their phones at any time of the day, there are some specific cons you might never have thought about before.

Related Articles

They Can Be a Distraction

At the end of the day, the purpose of school is to learn, and research shows that cell phones might be hindering students' concentration. According to a 2010 study from Pew Research Center, 64% of students say they've texted in class and 25% have made or taken a call. And it's not just talking to others. That same study noted that 46% of students play games and 23% access social networks on their phone at any time.

More recently, a 2016 study assessing the impact cell phone bans have on student test scores found that students' results on important exams increased by 0.07 standard deviations on average after the bans were implemented.

If students get bored in class, it doesn't take much for them to get their cell phone out and play some games or endlessly scroll on TikTok. If students don't have access to cell phones, they have one less thing to get distracted over. And, given how much stuff you can do on a cell phone - the possibilities for distraction are endless.

Social Media Trends Can Disrupt Learning

If you've walked through the hallways of a middle school or high school in the past few years, you'll see kids filming things everywhere. TikTok is the hot button app right now, and students will break out a TikTok trend at the drop of a hat, including during a lesson.

There's no time or place in the school day that's exempt from being interrupted by some silly dance or challenge. Because documenting and posting your participation in something is almost more important than just doing the thing, cell phones are a vital piece of the disruption puzzle.

They Can Make Cheating Easier

Obviously, kids can't chat each other up in the middle of an exam, but the concept of "passing notes" has made it to the digital age, thanks to texts, notes apps, and galleries. Kids can text each other when teachers aren't looking about answers to the questions, and they can update their friends - or even the whole class - on some of the harder answers with a quick trip to the bathroom.

Cell phones are also advancing and improving faster than teachers can keep up with. Catching cheaters isn't as easy as finding them writing the answers on the inside of a water bottle label or carving out the scantron sheet pattern onto a large eraser.

Just take look at the statistics on how cell phones make cheating easier; a study from The Benenson Strategy Group in 2009 stated that 35% of the surveyed students have used cell phones to cheat. Additionally, 41% of students admit to storing notes on phones to use during tests and 46% of teens admitted to texting friends about answers.

The possibilities for cheating and copying are literally limitless when students have access to cell phones in class. And tech being such a big presence in the curriculum (school-provided laptops and mandatory online assignments, for example), makes it easier than ever for students to use dishonest methods to get the grades they want.

Expensive Phones Pose a Theft Threat

Cell phone theft is a problem in America, with 3.1 million cellphones being stolen in 2013, according to Consumer Reports. In 2020, the Prey Project released its second Mobile Theft & Loss Report, which claimed from its user's experiences that common robbery, which includes cell phone theft, went up by 10.51%.

Now add still developing brains, hormones, and flexible social status to the mix, and you can have the perfect combination for stealing. Considering how expensive cell phones are today, the last thing you want to do is to tempt would-be thieves by sending your kid to school with a $1,000+ phone that makes them a target. Lockers are more likely to be broken into, for example, if perpetrators know there's something of value in there.

There's a Risk of People Taking Illicit Pictures

Kids will be kids, so with hormones raging during their school days, there's a distinct possibility that some students may take explicit pictures or videos. This is especially dangerous when students take explicit pictures of other students, violating their consent. What used to be email chains and text threads have transformed into viral social posts that can't be scrubbed from the internet. So, what can start as a cruel prank can quickly turn into something criminal.

They Can Make Cyberbullying Easier

Along the same lines, cell phones also make it easier to cyberbully, which is when a person uses electronic communication to intimidate, threaten, or humiliate a person. Not only can cell phones make it easier for rumors to spread like wildfire throughout a school, but students can also send mean or hurtful texts to others or post inappropriate pictures of students.

Data from the Cyberbullying Research in 2016 showed that 33.8% of students have been bullied in their lifetime, 11.9% have been threatened through a cell phone text and 11.1% have had a hurtful image of them posted. In addition, a whopping 25.7% have experienced one or more different types of cyberbullying.

By 2022, 49% of 15-17-year-old students polled by the Pew Research Center have experienced some form of cyberbullying. With cell phones readily available in schools, cyberbullying is a lot easier to do.

They Can Exacerbate Social Stratification

In schools, the social hierarchy is everywhere, and it affects everything. Owning the latest cell phone can mean the difference between flying under the radar and being singled out.

Ultimately, the cell phone performs as an extension of class and financial means. People with older phones are viewed (and sometimes treated) differently than their peers. This negative feedback loop only hurts everyone involved. People who want to 'fit in' lean into these social rules and look down on those who can't afford the best tech, while those who don't have access to expensive phones might struggle to find their place in the school's social sphere.

They Make Accessing Inappropriate Material Easier

While most schools have filters and regulations to block out inappropriate material, Gen Z and Gen Alpha students are more tech savvy than any generation before. Large classrooms can also make accessing inappropriate material easier. And, since every cell phone can use data to get online, students can bypass the school servers and look up whatever they want to simply by turning off the Wi-Fi.

They Can Increase Kids' Chances of Being Taken Advantage Of

If you grew up in the early 2000s, then you remember the huge internet safety movement that warned kids about the dangers of talking to strangers online. Oh, the irony of social media creating a central place for kids to interact with complete strangers all the time.

Without having fully developed brains, kids can't even conceive of the consequences that can come from DMing a totally random person. Because cell phones aren't always connected to the wi-fi, and if we're being honest, schools aren't monitoring their daily internet activity at that detailed of a level, it's so difficult to monitor kid's safety online. But, with limited access to devices that let them get online, there are fewer chances for them to be taken advantage of.

There's an Unquantified Health Risk

The EPA has regulations that discourage too much exposure to technology and allowing students to have cell phones in school can increase their screen time during the day. Cell phones give off a low level of non-ionizing radiation, for which the long-term effects at low levels are still being studied. However, letting students use their cell phones during school adds to their exposure to this type of radiation, which could in turn have increased harmful effects on their developing bodies and minds.

It's More Complicated Than a Yes or No

It's important that we don't moralize cell phones. They're just a technological tool that lets us do a myriad of things, both good and bad. Yet, as younger and younger students are bringing phones to school, it's worth thinking through the possible negative side effects that can come with it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Cons of Having Cell Phones in Schools | LoveToKnow

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Concerned about how cell phones impact your kids in school? Check out these 10 cons for having cell phones in school.

# data[].attributes.body
Survey teachers as well as studnets.

# data[].attributes.body
Cell phones have become part of our culture in and out of schools

# data[].attributes.body
"Teacher researchers must pay attention to the culture of the school" (p.174)

# data[].attributes.body
"Teacher researchers are the data collection instruments constantly monitoring what is going on in their classrooms" (p.29).

# data[].attributes.body
Not all students have cell phones / internet connectivity

# data[].attributes.body
"All research studies involve ethical considerations" (p.27).

# data[].attributes.body
Send teachers in the school a classroom cellphone usage survey to collect data and thoughts

# data[].attributes.headline
How  to Conduct Collaborative Action Research

# data[].attributes.subject
How  to Conduct Collaborative Action Research

# data[].attributes.body
Sagor, R. (1992). How to conduct collaborative action research.

Problem Statement Questions
1. Who is affected?
2. Who or what is suspected of causing the problem?
3.What kind of problem is it?
4. What is the goal for improvement?
5. What do we propose to do about it?
(p.23-24)

# data[].attributes.headline
Teachers who do not allow cell phone usage

# data[].attributes.subject
Teachers who do not allow cell phone usage

# data[].attributes.body
- They are a distraction to students

- It is the schools rules

- Can lead to cheating

# data[].attributes.body
-Takes away from class time telling students to put them away.

-Administation is lax on enforcing rule

-Other teachers let studnets use cell phones in class

-Studnets can use them for researching class topics

# data[].attributes.body
- Will allow students to use cell phones only at specified times.

- Give students the option to use their phone.

- Use apps that supplement class material and support understanding

# data[].attributes.body
I plan to
Study cell phone usage in classrooms.

Discover their effects and show their benefits or detriments

Better understand the best way to implement them in the mathematics classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
Mills, G. E. (2014). Action Research: A guide for the teacher researcher.