These days the majority children have smartphones and they like to use them a lot. But should they be allowed to use them in the classroom?
Yes – they can be very useful
Some teachers see smartphones as great educational tools and think they should be allowed in the classroom because they can be used to supplement what is being taught. Smartphones have all sorts of useful apps, plus internet access, that children can use to help them understand things better and to find out more about a particular topic. Children can use them to stay organised with their homework and tests by putting in important dates and setting themselves reminders. They’re very useful in emergency situations as children can text or call their parents straight away, instead of having to have the school get in touch with their parents; children can also use them to let their parents know if they’ve left something at home or if they need to be picked up or if they’re finishing school at a different time.
No – the classroom isn’t the place for them
Some think that children shouldn’t be allowed smartphones in the classroom simply because smartphones can be very distracting. The teacher wants peace and quiet so they can teach their lesson and having smartphones making all sorts of noises for texts, calls and notifications distracts the whole class, including the teacher. Children with smartphones can also get distracted easily and spend class time texting or going on Facebook; they can even use their smartphones to cheat on tests, looking up answers and sending them to one another. They’re there to learn and if having smartphones means they’re not going to be able to concentrate, they shouldn’t be allowed to have them in the classroom.
What do you think?
There’s no doubt that children can learn a lot from smartphones, but smartphones can also be distracting because enable children to text, go on social media, play video games, listen to music etc. Should they be allowed in the classroom because of their educational benefits or are they too much of a distraction?
