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While many parents allow children free reign of the internet at home, it's a common debate in education circles on how-and if -digital devices should be allowed at school.

Supporters of technology in the classroom say that using laptops, tablets, and cellphones in the classroom can keep students engaged. Technology is what they know. Most students today don't even remember a time without the internet.

But critics say it's yet another distraction in the classroom. From social media to texting, allowing digital devices could hinder a student's performance in the classroom.

Read on to discover the main arguments surrounding the global debate on digital devices and their place in our schools.

Pros of digital devices in the classroom

Peace of mind: Cellphones and smartphones can offer parents a little more peace of mind when their children are at school. Parents know that in an emergency the student can contact them, or vice versa. In addition, more and more cellphones and smartphones contain GPS devices that can be tracked if necessary.

Instant answers: Access to the internet provides instant answers for the curious. This is the search-and-learn environment kids are involved in today. Now, when they want to know "Why do leaves change color," they are only a search away from an answer. This also gives students the ability to get an answer to a question they may feel uncomfortable asking in class. If a teacher uses a term they don't understand, they can find the answer discretely, and without interrupting the class.

Wider access to information: With internet access, children can be exposed to a world of creative ideas outside of their bubble. They can learn other languages, teach themselves how to draw, knit, or play chess. They have access to an endless array of options available to help them learn, and gain skills they might not otherwise be exposed to. All of this can be accomplished through a smartphone, which can be a valuable learning tool, if used correctly.

Access to video: Electronic devices in the classroom can enhance the learning experience by providing instant video access. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech is not just something to read about. Man's first step on the moon, early flight, presidential speeches, bridges being built-they all are made more real and easier to digest in the form of instant video availability.

Wide range of music available: Sure, you might think of kids listening to their pop, hip-hop, and rap music on digital devices, but remember that all music is available. This gives students access to classical, jazz, big band, and early rock 'n' roll. Students could have the opportunity to compare and discuss the differences in these styles in a way that is familiar to them.

Social learning: Social media can have a negative connotation when you link it to kids. However, there can be an educational aspect. Social learning is a great way for students to share information, thoughts, and ideas on a subject. Properly focused, quieter, and shyer students may blossom in a social learning situation made possible by digital devices.

Teacher advancement: Finding ways to effectively utilize digital devices in the classroom provides teachers with an opportunity to advance their skillset and grow with their students. Many teachers are taking their digital literacy to the next level by earning an master's degree in education technology.

Cons of digital devices in the classroom

Harmful effects of digital devices: There are concerns from the EPA about long-term exposure to wireless devices and computer screens. While there is no direct evidence of harmful effects, the EPA discourages too much exposure for students who have video screens in front of their faces or computers in their laps. If students frequently use these devices at home, additional exposure at school could be viewed as harmful.

Inappropriate materials: While schools can limit the availability of websites that can be viewed on their network, students may find links that slipped through the system. There will also be times that students will not be accessing the internet through a monitored network.

Distraction from schoolwork: With the temptation of social media and texting in their hands, students may focus solely on their social life instead of the lesson plan.

Child predators: Child predators are a problem everywhere. Using digital devices at school creates just that much more exposure and potential danger for students.

Cyberbulling: This is an increasing issue that's grown exponentially in recent years. Permitting use of digital devices in the classroom could potentially lead to more of it.

Provide a disconnect: While some believe digital devices make for greater connections for students, there are also those who believe too much time with digital devices disconnects students from face-to-face social activities, family communications, and nature. Digital devices in the classroom could lead to an even greater disconnect.

Could widen the gap: Technology spending varies greatly across the nation. Some schools have the means to address the digital divide so that all of their students have access to technology and can improve their technological skills. Meanwhile, other schools still struggle with their computer-to-student ratio and/or lack the means to provide economically disadvantaged students with loaner iPads and other devices so that they can have access to the same tools and resources that their classmates have at school and at home.

Should schools permit digital devices?

Some school districts have seen great improvements by allowing digital devices in the classroom. One thing is clear: if digital devices are permitted, there should be guidelines and rules in place.

Students need to be taught online safety, the use of judgment in determining good quality sources of information, and restraint from personal use in the classroom. In other words, they need to learn all about digital literacy and digital citizenship.

There are many the skills and qualities students should have in order to be successful in the digital world. ISTE also teamed up with Google and developed an online digital citizenship game called resources for teaching these concepts, and a great place to start is the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). Their comprehensive standards focus on Interland. It educates kids about digital citizenship in interactive ways. Students learn how to be good digital citizens as well as how to combat hackers, phishers, oversharers, and bullies.

If a school is going to allow and/or encourage the use of digital devices in the classroom, then teachers also need proper support in terms of training, professional development, and curriculum. They can start with curriculum and PD resources such as those provided by Common Sense Media , but in order to fully utilize them, teachers need time to plan and collaborate. Digital devices should only be used when there are specific goals in mind, focusing on student safety, digital citizenship, critical thinking, collaboration, advancement, and equity.

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Pros and Cons: Debating the Usage of Digital Devices in the Classroom | Resilient Educator

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While many parents allow children free reign of the internet at home, it's a common debate in education circles on how-and if -digital devices should be allowed at school. Supporters of technology in the classroom say that using laptops, tablets, and cellphones in the classroom can keep students engaged.

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Should you let your kids have a cellphone in school?

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Digital device policies are all over the map in U.S. schools. Parents and teachers are divided on whether to curb or ban phone use on school grounds.

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c   this video wa made 9 years Ago
r This is why student should not have cellphones in class .
a This proves it because they are not supposed to do thing like this but they do it anyway.
a They want to get ride of thing like instagram and tik tok because of all of the student are always on it during class
p This proves that student should not have cell phones in class because it is a wast of time.

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c This artical was created 6 years ago
r This artical shows that student should not have their cell phones in class
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At Bak Middle School of the Arts [MSOA], students are not allowed to use their cell phones on campus unless permitted. Many students are upset about this.

The staff believes that cell phones should not be allowed at all during school hours, because it will just be a distraction to students, this will be another cause of bullying, and students can use a classroom or Student Services phone instead.

One reason the staff believes this, is because cell phones will just be distraction to students. Zane Hurley, sixth grade science teacher, said that it seems like cell phones would create more distractions from studies. Instead of paying attention, kids would go on social media and watch silly videos. According to theambonline.com, cell phones cause a concern for some educators. Schools and teachers fear that many of their students are easily distracted in class as their friends send them a text message and they attempt to reply under their desks. This can lead to trouble in school and a decline in grades and overall performance.

Another reason the staff believes that cell phones should not be allowed, is because this will just be causing bullying through technology. According to lobbyobserver.org, with the help of a smart phone, bullies can harass students at any time during the school day. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, when cellphones are allowed in school, it is almost as if the school is encouraging bullies to send awful messages to students all day. Social networking sites can be accessed at any time during the school day if cellphones are allowed and this could be the perfect opportunity for a bully to upload nasty comments. The children's safety is what is most important for any school and a simple device such as a cell phone could jeopardize their security, so why risk anything? For these reasons, some schools have limited the use of cellphones in school and other schools have even banned cell phones altogether.

Sometimes parents may need a way to contact their child at school, so some say that cell phones are essential to take to school. But students can just go to Student Services or use a classroom phone to call their parents. Student Services lets students use a telephone to contact people if they have a valid reason to make the call. This will even be better than personal cell phones, because at least a teacher now knows what a student needs, and can determine if the student's need is important or not. Ashley Kulberg, sixth grade communications major, said that one time she did not know how she was getting home from school. Since phones were not allowed to be out during class, she asked her teacher how to reach her mom. Her teacher gave her a pass to Student Services, and she could easily call her mom. There was no need to have a cell phone with her.

The staff definitely believes that students should not be using cell phones during school hours at Bak MSOA. Students can help by explaining to their friends why cell phones are not allowed, and why they should not be upset by this rule. They can also encourage themselves to let go of their phones before they go to school.

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Cell phones cause disruption in school, should not be allowed

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At Bak Middle School of the Arts [MSOA], students are not allowed to use their cell phones on campus unless permitted. Many students are upset about this. The staff believes that cell phones should not be allowed at all during school hours, because it will just be a distraction to students, this will be another...

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c This article was created 1 years ago.
r This shows that this articual proves that student should not have cellphones in class.
a This all goes together they want us not to but we do anyway.
a They talk about cyberbullying and how it is not right to are community.
p That kids do not care that if it gets taken their parents can not do nothing about it.

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Sexting. Cyberbullying. Googling test answers. Taking a picture of a quiz and sending it to friends who have the same class later in the day. Paying more attention to Instagram notifications than biology class.

Smartphones have transformed the way we communicate, but there's no question they can be a major headache for teachers and administrators.

That's why a flurry of schools have recently put in place restrictions or bans on students' use of cellphones in school. The changes represent a pivot away from the more open student cellphone policies that districts instituted in previous years. But not everyone thinks the new restrictions are a step in the right direction.

The recent changes are fueled by frustrated educators, who worry that by allowing students to spend so much time on their devices, they are feeding an addiction and stunting students' development of face-to-face communication skills.

That was a big reason why the Forest Hills district, near Grand Rapids, Mich., decided at the start of this school year to ban cellphones throughout the school day, even during lunch.

"We really wanted to provide a clean break for students and not have the frenetic energy that can happen if kids start texting each other or social-media posts start going," said Dan Behm, the superintendent. The district piloted the ban last school year and found that students said they were less anxious when they weren't so attached to their devices, Behm added.

More than 30 schools, or in some cases, entire districts have enacted or stepped up some sort of cellphone restrictions beginning in either the 2018-19 school year or the start of this academic year, according to an Education Week analysis.

California recently passed legislation that allows school districts to restrict or prohibit device use in class, although it's not a requirement. And at least four other states debated putting significant limits on the devices.

Other countries have had more success enacting widespread bans. Ontario, a Canadian province, is restricting student cellphone use during instructional time. (The restrictions, which are scheduled to go into effect later this year, include an exception for classroom activities and health and other emergencies.) And in 2018, France passed a law outlawing the use of cellphones in schools for students up to age 15.

But banning cellphones can come with its own vexations. Enforcement can be difficult, and districts are wary of taking on liability for holding a student's confiscated phone. Many teachers like using some cellphone-based applications in class, such as online microscopes and polling applications.

What's more, some experts say it's better to keep cellphones in school and help train students how to use them responsibly, rather than just banning their use.

Plenty of educators agree.

Brian Toth, the superintendent of Saint Mary's Area school district in northwestern Pennsylvania, said he'd never consider nixing student cellphone use in school-even though some of his teachers have asked him to do so.

Toth said the devices can be a great teaching tool. Educators in his district check for student understanding using cellphone applications like Kahoot, or they send their students on scavenger hunts that also rely on cellphone technology. And the district's instructional-technology coach focuses on teaching students to use their devices responsibly.

"Anybody who wants to ban it is just hiding from reality," Toth said. "It's just common, everyday practice these days that you have a cellphone."

Parents' Big Concerns

Restricting cellphone use is a lot easier said than done. There are big concerns, for instance, about school safety. How could parents get in touch with their children during a school shooting or a dangerous weather event?

One school in Wisconsin had a low-tech solution: Families could call the front office, just like they did before cellphones were so ubiquitous, said Jo-Ellen Fairbanks, the assistant principal of Portage High School, which requires students to keep their cellphones in their lockers during the school day.

And during an emergency, students are best off making sure they concentrate on following through with a safety plan, not staring at their cellphone screens, said Adam Gelb, the assistant principal of San Mateo High School near San Francisco, which recently required students to keep their cellphones in a pouch that renders them inoperable during the school day.

"Nowhere in any [safety protocol] does it say get on your cellphone and notify a family member," he said.

But some parents want to be able to reach their children at any time-even if it means texting them in class, educators say.

Reaction from families to a recent ban on cellphones in the Warwick district near Providence, R.I., has been mixed. Some are supportive. Others "have said, 'You can tell us what to do when you pay our phone bill,' " said Karen Bachus, the chairwoman of the school board.

What's more, enforcing a ban can bring with it its own set of administrative hasssles. The nation's largest school district, New York City, dropped its cellphone ban in 2015, in part because it was being enforced more harshly in lower-income schools than more advantaged ones.

The Marshall school district, in the southwestern corner of Minnesota, also dropped its cellphone ban several years ago.

What the policy largely prompted was kids texting under their desks or hiding their phones under big sweatshirts, said Principal Brian Jones.

A total ban "sounds great, I just don't think it's realistic. I don't like to have unenforceable policies," Jones said.

What's more, he added, "for some students, the anxiety of not having that device with them caused more harm than good. It reminded me of the cartoon [Peanuts and] Charlie Brown and Linus with his blanket."

Now, the district allows students to use their phones after school, during lunch, and at some times during the school day, if it is for educational purposes. "They've got to learn how to self-regulate once they leave us," Jones said.

'Have a Plan, Not a Ban'

That philosophy jibes with recommendations from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit based in San Francisco that focuses on children, technology, and media.

In an April survey, Common Sense found that 80 percent of schools implement some kind of cellphone policy. About a quarter of teachers find cellphone policies difficult to follow, while roughly two-thirds find them easy to follow, according to the survey. High school teachers were more likely to report that implementing cellphone policies was difficult.

Educators should "have a plan, not a ban," said Elizabeth Kline, the organization's vice president for education. "There isn't a real reason to have a ban, but there is absolutely a big need to have clear guidelines and guidance for both students and parents around personal devices."

Cellphones can be an important teaching tool, Kline pointed out. Kids can create their own videos using cellphones, and teachers can integrate special apps for understanding concepts or investigating questions.

There's also a big equity issue, she said. Some students may not have laptops-or even internet connectivity-at home. So their cellphones may be the only way they can complete some technology-focused assignments.

Still, expectations need to be clear.

"If you're using the phone for learning, then the whole class has to agree that they are not going to be snapchatting in the middle of a lesson on velocity," Kline said.

And educators need to make sure they model those behaviors, which means not checking their own text messages during class, she said.

Extremes Miss the Point

Kline emphasized that by absolutely prohibiting cellphones, districts could miss out on an opportunity to teach their students how to use the devices responsibly and in moderation.

"There are moments at school or at home that should be device-free moments," Kline said. "Letting kids go wild with no norms or rules is not the right thing to do. Both extremes are missing the point."

The Novi district, in the Detroit suburbs, strives for that balance.

Cellphones must stay in lockers all day at the middle school and are not allowed in elementary schools. But at the high school level, students are allowed to have phones in class, under limited circumstances. The teacher sets a color-red, for no phones allowed; yellow, which signifies that phones can be out if the class isn't moving forward with new content; and green, which is typically used when the devices are part of a lesson.

To be sure, the district, like most in the country, still sees its share of problems stemming from cellphones, including a lunchroom of students texting each other instead of engaging in conversation. ("Like adults do in restaurants," said Steve Matthews, the superintendent.) But the distict also wants to instill social-media lessons, including showing students how to be careful about what they tweet out or share on social media.

"There are times it would be easier to just ban [phones] altogether, but we don't want to communicate to kids that school isn't relevant to their lives," Matthews said. "We're trying to help them use it in an appropriate and meaningful way."

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Schools Say No to Cellphones in Class. But Is It a Smart Move?

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A flurry of schools have recently put in place restrictions or bans on student cellphones, a pivot away from the more open policies instituted in previous years.

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c This video was created 6 years ago.
r This video show that student should not have cellphones in school.
a They should band phones from school but not o the bus
a they are talking about how they want to get ride of them for good
p That the news has a lot of saying this to because it is true it kills their brain cells

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Should mobile phones be banned in schools?

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c This video was created 1 year ago.
r This video shows that student should not have cell phones in school.
a   This shows that hey are trying hard to get the things to stop having phones in class
a They are trying to get the best of the things to make it happen.
p Some teachers are letting them do it but they will not do it.

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Should phones be banned in schools? | A Current Affair

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c This picture was created 6 years ago.
r  This proves that cell phones should not be allowed in school
a This also proves that will take a lot of people and manpower to get ride of cell phones in class but it may help out and it should work out but it may not work out hat much but it should help and or work out just fine.
a This proves that student can not be trusted to do anything so don't trust student because they may. take their phones to the bathroom
p This proves that student should not have cellphones in class.

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c   This picture was created  3 years ago
r    this shows that kids are lazy when they are on there phone
a they need to take kids phones away and keep the away not have them anymore it is so ridiculous. a
a They need to take away all of the things they can by doing what's right not wut is wrong
p They wear almost done doing the law but it stopped because the kids wear fighting it so they did not go threw with it .

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c This picture was created  6 years ago.
r It Shows why cell phones should not be in class.
A It shows that kids do not follow the rules.
a It tells you that kids do not care what they're told to do.
p They wont you do to do what they want not what they want you want to do.

# data[].attributes.body
c  This picture was created 6 years ago
r this is why student should not be allowed to have cell phones in class
a they want to give there teacher their facebook and that is so weird but it is true they want to so they can follow up what they did over the summer
a The told the parents that the student should not have facebook because there is a lot of bulling going on in it.
p They said they wanted to make it so they can make it private so they cant have the wifi.