How Cell Phones Effect Students In A School Environment
Cell Phones have come a long way since they were first developed. First generation cell phones were large, bulky and had almost no battery life. They were usually one line or two line display phones that would use LED’s to display numbers on the screen. Such phones could only be used for phone calls, there was no short messaging service and no internet in these phones. Therefore it was only used by businessmen that always needed to be in contact with the world. But the second and third generation phones changed all that. Cell Phones now have short messaging service, internet and other multimedia features. This lead to the inevitable, the students and younger generation started buying the latest cell phones. Due to its unlimited features cell phones started to be more of a problem for students. Let’s look at those problems in more detail now.
Cell Phones as a Disturbance:
Cell Phones create a lot of distractions and are a source of disturbance during classes. Students that bring cell phones to class and don’t bother to turn off their ring tones can disrupt the teachers’ lectures and disturb others when his or her phone rings. But those students that actually do turn off their ring tones can talk with their friends unnoticed thanks to hands-free devices. Hands-free devices; because they are so small have enabled students to talk to their friends during class without anyone noticing.
Short Messaging Services:
A major drawback of modern cell phones in class is that student’s can text each other during class and miss out on hearing the teacher’s thoughts and opinions. This service can also be used to cheat during tests and exams. Students can message each other formulas and the correct answers in multiple choice questions. They don’t even have to look at the cell phone while writing the message so they can easily get away with such actions.
Cell Phones as a Distraction:
With the advancements in technology mobile games are becoming more and more advanced everyday. Cell Phones games no longer look like those 8 Bit games we used to play back in the nineties. They have really improved and can provide hours of entertainment. But students tend to entertain themselves with these games during class. Students would rather turn the volume low on there handsets and play games rather than listen to the teacher’s lecture. Due to Bluetooth technology, multiple students can connect their handsets wirelessly and play a multiplayer game during classes.
Cell Phone and Privacy Issues:
Modern cell phones come equipped with high quality cameras and people can take pictures as well as videos with their cell phones without anyone knowing. This can give rise to serious privacy issues in some schools.
Most institutions have realized these problems and have banned cell phones altogether on school premises. Students are not allowed to bring cell phones to school and if found their cell phones are confiscated. This is a bold and necessary step as there was no need for cell phones in the past there should be no need for them now. However if some schools cannot implement such strict laws then they should use signal jammers on the school premises. These jam all cell phone signals within their range thus within their range cell phones cannot be used for messaging or for phone calls.