Almost everyone has a cellphone these days, including those as young as eight years old. Texting is undoubtedly one of the most popular features of the wireless phone. Before last year, I was hardly knowledgeable about the world of texting. It took me over ten minutes to send a one sentence text. Needless to say, this is not the case anymore. Today, texting is one of my primary ways of communication and this is hardly a surprise for my generation. Earlier in the semester we discussed Facebook in the classroom, but what about cellphones? The debate about how young is too young for one to get a cellphone is somewhat old but relevant nonetheless. I have posted a link to a YouTube clip discussing this debate. Check it out.
htt://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvzRpTdY3is
After watching this clip, I am still convinced that the issue is not age but the level of responsibility one possesses. Some children are more involved and away from their parents for longer periods of time and a cellphone is necessary. I was fourteen before I was allowed to get a cellphone and my little brother was eleven. Even my ten year old cousin has a cellphone and she probably uses texting more than I do! With texting having gained such a popular interest, I believe that there has to be a way to utilize this in the classroom, for the benefit of young students/cellphone users.
Do you guys thing that texting/cellphone use can be positively used in the classroom? What place does cellphones have in education and what age do you think it is appropriate to mix it with their learning?
I am on the fence about cell phones being in the classroom. Due to the main focus of their utilization (communication), I think cell phones in the classroom would be more of a distraction than a learning tool. I think a professor to send out a homework assignment for the night through a text message as a reminder would probably be useful, however what student would want that? I also think using personal cell phones in the classroom would be difficult, because everyone wouldn't have access to the same things on their phones. Some are like mini-laptops on your hip while others are very basic. As far as students are concerned, it goes back to the age/maturity level of the student.
ReplyDeleteIt pains me to admit that, at 31, I classify myself as of the old school as it regards cell phones, not only in the classroom, but in public in general. I was a senior in college when I got my first cell phone—a good ol’ Nokia with the “spinach screen” (kids, ask your parents if you don’t get that). My little brother was still in high school when he got his, and while it was convenient for me that he had a cell phone, I cannot imagine the difficulties that educators had when swarms of cell phone-wielding teenagers descended on Mukwonago High School. Texting was in its infancy then, and I can only imagine that the difficulty of dealing with cell phones in school has gotten exponentially more difficult as the technology has gotten stealthier.
ReplyDeleteIt drives me ten kinds of crazy when people talk on their phones in public situations—in restaurants, theaters, libraries (!). I would like to think that society is getting a little more conscientious about talking in public, but the same cannot be said for the silent phenomenon of texting in public. While this may not constitute an audible distraction, it most definitely is a distraction for the texter, textee, and all surrounding them. And it is certainly, here’s where the soapbox comes out, just plain rude to hold a private conversation when you’re supposed to be paying attention to someone/thing else!
Don’t get me wrong, I am a consummate texter. If I could converse with others only one way for the rest of my life, I would choose the text message. But there is a time and a place for it, and I don’t feel that it is in an educational setting.
To answer your first question: how young is too young to have a cell phone? I have a simple rule of thumb: if you have a job and can pay for it, you can have it. I'm not a parent, but have already been thinking about how I would handle this situation when I do have children. Nothing has changed about kids being involved in after school activities. It's simple...if I, the parent, drop you, the child, off in one location then I expect to pick you up from that same location at a time we have agreed upon. Simple. If you want a cell phone, that's simple, too. Get a job!
ReplyDeleteFor the more meaningful question: are there ways to utilize cellphones in the classroom? I believe there are, but it's a very slippery slope. Once you introduce the idea to the classroom, you open the can of worms to phones being used all the time even if not for classroom purposes. One really cool way I've seen cell phones used in a classroom setting is to use is for polling using an online system called Polleverywhere.com. If students are distracted by with their cell phones, this is a great way to get them engaged in conversation.
This has always been an interesting topic to me, along with social media outlets. I find it absolutely amazing how quickly technology growth reaches its constituents. For as long as I can remember I have always had a cell phone...when they became "necessary." I agree with Constance that it might not be generations or age that classifies someone as a "texting" or "cell phone" expert. My mother has some trouble when texting, but in recent weeks she has gotten so good I don't know how to react. The same for my father, however he seems to create abbreviations where abbreviations never existed, so deciphering has become a challenge. With that being said, I heavily rely on other forms of communication, face to face being last on the list. I find this somewhat unfortunate that it has come to this, but these other ways of communication have become the fastest way for me to get things done.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how I feel about incorporating the cell phone for education purposes. However, using texting as a notification device I think serves to be effective. For instance, JMU has the text messaging system where students can get notifications via text message. This is important to me because then I know right away about urgent or necessary information regarding my safety or the University.
I do think the idea Tisha brought up about the website would be beneficial and definitely more efficient in the classroom. I am still hesitant though as to what sort of boundaries should be set. As far as this topic I think there should be limited use of a cell phone for educational purposes and stick to computers in the classroom for now.
As far as the question about how young is too young, I'm not quite sure about that. I know my cousins (10 and under) have the opportunity to "earn" their way up to getting a cell phone. It has now become an incentive. Whether or not I agree with this it seems to get my cousins motivated to get to a point of accomplishment. Maybe this can be a way to keep kids on task. I do, however, believe there needs to be boundaries and rules with the cell phone. I'm sure most children (at least I'm hoping) just have the basic necessities on their phone. I do think it is important to be able to contact your child and vice versa at anytime.
"I could take a road trip in college, and never have to worry about my mom bothering me" the words of a friend's parent when talking about her younger days. Cell phones have become almost an expectation these days, however I do believe that there should be a sense of responsibility involved when children get their first cell phone. It does not seem necessary for children who are always with their parents to have a cell phone (like my 9 year old cousin, for instance). It is a distraction, and they are used more as a "show and tell" item during school (at inappropriate times) than anything. I am in agreement with Tisha on her philosophy about dropping off and picking up your children - cell phone free!
ReplyDeleteAs for cell phones used as an educational tool, I am also against this. With the shortcuts and abbreviations used in text messaging today, the quality of children's writing has dramatically decreased. My freshman year at JMU (2006), I wrote a paper on a school in Australia where students had begun using so many texting abbreviations in their formal writing, that it was sometimes hard to understand. In my opinion, if for nothing more than to preserve the sanctity of future literature, keep the texting between friends and in social settings - not in the classroom...I would like my degree in English to still be worth something in 10 years!
I don't think cell phones will be a major component in the schools. However, unless everyone has an iPHone type phone then it would be hard to have the same functionality referencing different service providers, coverage etc... There are too many variables that just don't pan out in my opinion. There are some good tools out there that attract the attention of teachers for use in their classroom. One that I might mention is
ReplyDeletewww.polleverywhere.com
This is a neat little polling tool for students (probably high school/college) to engage with. You simply text the proper code regarding the answer to another short number. The website pulls up the results in real time.
Other than this though I think cell phones may have little use as far as I can see currently in education. I can be completely wrong though but so far I don't see it as a very necessary tool for the classroom.
I loved reading these comments. I agreed with alot of what you all were saying. I was a junior in high school when I got my first cell phone. However it was a pay as you go phone. I was working a part time job after school and this was how I paid for the minutes on the phone. My first year of college my parents allowed me to tag onto their plan for $10 a month but we then split the bill 3 ways. I often laughed about the situation and thought when my brother and sister get old enough for a phone they won't have to pay-boy was I wrong. To this day my sister (junior in college) and my brother (junior in high school) still split the bill with my parents.
ReplyDeleteLots of the posts above made the comments that if a child was responsible enough, if they had a job to pay for it, etc, then they could have a phone. I agree with this statement but how do you determine these factors.
I teach third grade and it blows me away how many of my children already have cell phones. I feel like it's too young personally but then I hear about all the activities they are involved with-gymnastics, wrestling, baseball, dance, etc. Do they need a phone to let parents know when to pick them up? I'm not a parent-so this is just me going out on a limb.
As for using the cell phones in the classroom I agree with Eric and Saadia. Unless everyone has the same phone with the same applications how can it be a useful tool. Plus kids are sneaky, if they are supposed to be using a specific application how do you know that they aren't texting their friends in the classroom next door. I don't think we are quite ready for cells in the classroom! Maybe one day.
Has anyone ever heard of the firefly phone? I think that's what it's called. I think AT&T put it out. It's a phone that is programed to only dial a certain amount of numbers and 911. You can program mom, dad, grandma and 911. This seems like something I would be comfortable with my young child having. This link tells alittle about it.
http://www.fireflymobile.com/about/
I think that a cell phones primary use is communication. With this communication comes a distraction if you are supposed to divert your attention to something else more important. I would have to say that I strongly disagree with texting in the classroom only because I know firsthand the distraction it can cause. I don’t really see the educational significance. If there were a more concrete educational significance I would be more on board.
ReplyDeleteThe above comments were very interesting - as I was reading I reflected on a time before cell phones. When you needed to get in touch with someone there were phone booths - I can't tell you the last time I saw a phone booth. As for when someone needs a cell phone - the one advantage I've found is that if I have car trouble I can call my husband from my car and not have to walk up a road, which these days is NOT a safe thing for girls and/or women to be doing. Having said that if I had a teenage daughter, she would have a cell phone for safety reasons. My granddaughter, age 7, texts me quite a bit. She doesn't have a cell phone but uses her mother's. This has actually worked great in helping with her spelling. Do I think she needs a cell phone, absolutely not.
ReplyDeleteI am opposed to cell phones being actively used in classrooms. It's to tempting - how many students would ignore their friends text messages if they could repond with the teacher thinking they are doing classwork? I don't see how using your cell phones in a classroom could increase learning.
I think at any age, especially the younger generations who are more adapt, technology always can be beneficial. Of course there is always the dilemma of distraction when it comes to using technology, but that ultimately falls upon the student and how much they care about their own education. I think cell phone usage, especially with texting, it can be a beneficial tool to helping student be more successful in school. A great example would be homework. We've all had it happen, a teacher assigns homework as we are rushing out the door to our next class. With the popularity of automated texting services the student would simply be able to text a certain number and find out what their assignment was. The automated texting could be utilized in so many different ways that it might even add an element of fun to education. But like many have said, with the use of technology there is always the element of distraction, which ultimately the responsibility falls back on the student. Or does it? I questioned at what age level should the student be responsible versus when is it the teachers responsibility.
ReplyDeleteConcerning how young is too young to have a cell phone, I am not quite sure. My brother and I were both very lucky to be given cellphones in the beginning years of high school--so between 14-16 years of age. I think this is reasonable personally, if the child/teenager exhibits responsibility. It is especially necessary in my opinion once teenagers begin to drive on their own, if affordable.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the use of cell phones in the classroom, I am against it. I do not see how it could be beneficial to learning for many reasons, a few have already been listed by others. Since it cannot be assumed that all students have cell phones, this would be an unfair advantage/capability in the classroom. Also, not all cell phones function the same. As others have explained, some cell phones are like a mini-laptop, while others are used for the basic functions only. I personally think using cell phones in the classroom setting would only serve as a distraction. However, Austin makes a good point about using cell phones literally OUTSIDE of the classroom. His idea of having some sort of number to text in order to receive an automated text with the assignment(s) for that day would be helpful--especially when you're on the go. This being said, it brings me back to the issue of this being a fair/unfair advantage. To conclude, I do not think there will ever been a reason or reasonable way to incorporate the use of cell phones within the classroom, but I do think there is possible potential for use of the cell phone outside of the classroom in relationship to attaining assignment descriptions, etc.