The ban on the use of mobile phones or smartphones be prohibited in school has both its advantages and disadvantages, but it is difficult to imagine the current youth without gadgets in their hands on the school grounds. Smartphones are so deeply rooted in our daily routine that it is foolish to deny their virtues. The experts from pro-papers.com tried to go into this matter.
Children, parents, and teachers take sharply opposite positions on this issue, but agree on one thing: gadgets have already taken over educational institutions whether this is good or not. A ban is a counter-revolution in education.
It is necessary to consider some of the advantages and disadvantages of using smartphones in schools.
The advantages of such a prohibition on the use of smartphones include the following:
1. Improvement of academic performance
Some of the conducted surveys show that test results of students who do not use smartphones during their studies are higher by 6%.
2. More face-to-face communication
Indeed, in the 21st century, people more and more often ignore personal communication, because it is much easier to drop a message than to meet a person in real life spending time and energy.
3. Health improvement
Physical, because with gadgets children move less so the cardiovascular system suffers and mental because studies show: those who spend more than two hours a day in social networks are more likely to find mental problems.
4. The decrease in the level of Internet addiction
In the United States, in the 2000s, “digital detoxification” was organized, some kind of summer camps so that children could spend some time without gadgets. In many educational institutions in the UK, smartphones in schools are prohibited only to students of first grades, because it is believed that at this age the risk of Internet addiction is higher.
5. Elimination of cyberbullying
Sexting – sending sex messages or erotic photos and videos via a mobile phone. Western experts say that now it is quite common among adolescents. Therefore, supporters of smartphones ban in schools hope that at least for the time of occupations sexting among students will stop.
The disadvantages of the ban include the following:
1. Violation of the “digital connection” with parents
That basically means the possibility for students to stay in touch with parents during the day. Parents are scared that their children might get lost or might get in trouble and will not be able to contact parents as soon as possible remaining without support or telephone advice.
Failure to hear the voice of the child during the day can increase the anxiety of modern parents. In the USA reverse processes occurred precisely because of this aspect. In 2015, the New York authorities cancel the ban on smartphones in schools, which lasted for 10 years.
2. Quick access to information
One of the main advantages of smartphones, which will lose its power when prohibiting phones, is quick access to information. Many students are used to looking up to essay help online in order to get new ideas. They will suffer a lot from having bans on smartphones.
3. Students are isolated from reality.
In the opinion of Bavaria teachers, it is worthwhile to teach children how to properly use the Internet and gadgets, not prohibiting them. Teachers believe that students should not be isolated from reality and must have permanent access to their personal lives. It will show that school trusts students and supports them despite them being in school or out of it.
According to the Minister of Education of Italy Valeria Fedeli, if someone leaves a child alone with a smartphone, it is likely that he will be deceived by fake or become a victim of cybercriminals. If a qualified teacher instructs a student, he has a proper understanding of do’s and don’ts.
4. Lose of modern learning tools
It is like giving up thousands of computers. It is said in the United States, Canada, Scandinavian countries – where there are programs for the inclusion of students’ gadgets in the educational process. The practice of BYOD (Bring your own device) has been active in Belgian schools since the last year and in Canada since 2012.
5. Rules will be violated anyway
Journalists conducted their own research on whether the rules are being implemented in those educational institutions where the ban on smartphones has already been imposed. Students told about a variety of tricks. For example, students have two phones, one of which they give away at the entrance to a school, while the other is secretly used.
It basically shows that the idea that smartphones be prohibited at school is very vulnerable. Without offering students some alternatives, it is almost impossible to make them give up on smartphones and fully concentrate on books. People are inclined to violate any rules they are made to follow.
