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ARGUMENTATIVE PAPER

Does Usage of Smartphones Should be Allowed Inside the Classroom?

Presented to

DR. SUSAN P. MAGTUBO

Marikina Polytechnic College

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements

for Psycho-Philosophical

Foundation of Education

Graduate Shool

ANTHONY JOSEPH A. KING

October 20, 2018


Introduction

The smartphone is now the most widely used medium in in the Philippines and it has major

educational implications. Most users, however, do not realize the smartphone's potential for

education, nor even for the communication functions for which it was originally designed.

Most educators still see that cell phone is unrelated devices, and the smartphone more as a

personal accessory, especially for young people. With falling prices and increasing

functionality, however, it is virtually certain that not too far in the future all of the world's

students will have a smartphone. This is sufficient reason and motivation for educators to

explore the possibility of making the smartphone an important tool in the educational

systems of developed and developing countries.

Background

What is the difference between smartphone and a cellphone?

A mobile phone is more frequently called a cellular phone or cellphone. These

communication devices connect to a wireless communications network through radio waves

or satellite transmissions. Most mobile phones provide voice communications, Short Message

Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), and newer phones may also provide

Internet services such as Web browsing, instant messaging capabilities and e-mail. Here in the

Philippines, the most common usage of cellphone are SMS and making calls, and sometimes

taking photos.

A smartphone is considered to be the evolution of cellular phone, with a bigger focus on the

cellular phone part. These handheld devices integrate mobile phone capabilities with the

more common features of a handheld computer. Smartphones allow users to store


information, e-mail, install programs, along with using a mobile phone in one device. A

smartphone's features are usually more oriented towards mobile phone options than the

desktop computer-like features. There is no industry standard for what defines a smartphone,

so any mobile device that has more than basic cellphone capabilities can actually be filed

under the smartphone category of devices.

This paper will discuss why the usage of smartphone should be maximized inside the

classroom.

Debates

In the past, mobile phones were mostly about making phone calls. They had a number pad, a

digital phone book and a pick-up/hang-up button and not much more. Now smartphones

offer so much more – they’re really fully-fledged computers that you can fit in your pocket.

They can run programs and games, access the internet, send email and much more. Nearly all

smartphones now use touchscreen controls. Instead of having hardware buttons like before,

one side of the phone is taken up mostly by a touchscreen that you control using taps and

gestures. There aren’t even any number buttons; when you want to make a call, a number

pad will pop up on the touchscreen. Becoming familiar with a smartphone can take a little bit

of practice. But when you do become familiar with it, you’ll find that a smartphone can do

more than you ever thought possible on a mobile phone.

Smartphones has a lot of educational applications that can be used inside the classroom that

could be used by both the teachers and the students. Just as students are no longer tethered

to textbooks (in most formal education settings), apps that are strictly didactic–designed to

promote academic proficiency and foundational fluency–are often the first that parents and

teachers reach for when looking for something “constructive.” But the reality is, the 21st
century is as much about finding, evaluating, managing, sharing, and curating information as

it is reading texts, answering questions, and applying memorized formulas to neatly

scaffolded problems.

So, critical thinking and transfer over accuracy and recall.

In that context, what are often thought of as “productivity apps” are not only “educational,”

but are often the real marrow of 21st century learning.

Also, note at the bottom at each app are upvote and downvote buttons–quick feedback for

additional data on what others think. Thus, a teacher can evaluate if the application is useful

or not.

In relation to this, Joe Mecca published Seven Reasons Why Students Should be Allowed to

Use Cellphones in School on kwikboost.com. Here are the following reasons:

1. In Preparation for a Real-World Job. Most working people benefit from having their cell

phones on them. They can access their email, call clients, check inventory, read the news, use

software applications, and more. Students need to learn how to use their cell phones

responsibly.

2. To Teach Responsibility. Students know they shouldn’t use their cell phones in school to

play Angry Birds, or listen to music, or text their friends about the quiz they just took. Phones

and tablets should be used responsibly and for educational purposes. Students could do

research for English papers, or download an app that provides extra information on one of

the chemical elements in the periodic table. When necessary, teachers could combat cheating

by making students put their phones on “airplane mode” or any mode that will not allow them
to send/receive any messages or use the Internet. Whenever there is a test, teachers can

make students put their mobile devices in the front of the classroom until the test is over.

3. To Avoid Double Standards. Administrators often take notes on their phones as part of

teacher observations. Some teachers, coaches, and counselors use their cell phones in school

settings, too. It may not be permitted, but they are allowed to do so without the same

consequences as students. Why shouldn’t students be able to do the same?

4. In Case of Emergency. If a student forgot his homework or calculator on the day of a calculus

test, he could call his parents and ask them to bring it to school without causing a scene. In

more serious emergencies, like a school threat or shooting, cell phones could help students

connect with worried parents.

5. As Learning Aids. Many phone apps offer visual representations of difficult-to-grasp

subjects (like astronomy, science, or anatomy) that can assist visual learners and/or students

who have dyslexia. Tablets offer the same services, but may provide a better user experience

because of the size difference.

6. To Make Detention More Bearable. All students dread detention, and skipping it only gets

them in further trouble. Why not give students an incentive to attend? Teachers can place a

cell phone charging station at the front of the classroom, allowing students to recharge their

phones while they’re busy with homework. The M8 Mobile Charging Station (shown below)

is a perfect solution. This prevents students from using their cell phones during punishment

and makes them feel comfortable knowing their precious lifelines will be charged after

they’ve served their time.


7. To Keep Students Happy. According to a study conducted in 2005, Sonja Lyubomirsky, Laura

King, and Ed Diener found that happiness causes success. Therefore, if we keep students,

grades k-12, happy they will be more willing to learn, more productive, and more likely to

succeed. And isn’t that what everyone wants?

Furthermore, Smartphones gives benefits galore for school work. According to Marcus A.

Hennesy, smartphones give students a wealth of creative options to enhance the classroom

experience, including:

 Access to the internet for research and referencing

 Access to e-mail

 The ability to snap a picture of the day’s homework assignment scribbled on a

whiteboard or take a short video of a key lecture moment

 Apps like Evernote to store, catalog, and annotate smartphone photos

 Apps like ResponseWare that convert smartphones into classroom “clickers” that can

answer multiple-choice questions.

 Recording lectures with Voice Memo and other third-party note-taking apps

 Using QR codes to find relevant websites with a simple click

 Keeping track of schedules and dates

Usage of smartphone also helps coping with distracted and disengaged students. Sam Evans-

Brown recently posted an excellent blog about smartphones in class on the NPR “All Tech

Considered” page. In it, teachers say that if students are actively engaged in class, they’re

much less apt to search for other things on their phones. Also, if you designate a time when

kids can text at will, they’re disinclined to conduct “pocket texting” or “sweatshirt texting”

during lessons.
According to one teacher Evans-Brown interviewed, emphasizing good digital citizenship goes

a long way towards discouraging cyberbullying and the posting of embarrassing content.

Conclusion

Therefore, I conclude that maximizing the usage of smartphone will truly helps the students

in his/her education. By simply taking photos of the lectures on the board is a big help for

students. As a teacher we should know the full capability of a smartphone. We should know

how to use the smartphone, that every student has, in our lessons.

Allowing mobile technology in class has an "inevitable march of progress" feel to it, like when

calculators were first allowed. And in classrooms around the country, this change is already

occurring.

If educators teach respectful and appropriate use of technology in the classroom and use it

to build their skills as well, the future of education technology looks bright.
References

Hennessy, Marcus. Using Smartphones (and other PDAs) in Class: These Days, it’s Cool from
http://lessonplanspage.com/using-smartphones-and-other-pdas-in-class-these-days-its-
cool/

Brown-Evans, Sam. 2012. Some Schools Actually Want Students To Play With Their
Smartphones In Class from
https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2012/10/03/162148883/some-schools-
actually-want-students-to-play-with-their-smartphones-in-class

Telstra Corporation Limited. Introduction to Smartphones. page 4 from


https://www.telstra.com.au/content/dam/tcom/seniors/pdf/beginners-intro-
smartphones.pdf

Beal, Vangie. 2008. The Difference Between a Cell Phone, Smartphone and PDA from
https://www.webopedia.com/DidYouKnow/Hardware_Software/smartphone_cellphone_pd
a.asp

Ramos, Angelo. 2007. Uses of the Cell Phone for Education in the Philippines and Mongolia
from
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01587910701439266?scroll=top&needAcce
ss=true

Teaching Thought Staff. 2016. 61 Educational Apps For The 21st Century Student from
https://www.teachthought.com/technology/61-educational-apps-for-the-21st-century-
student/

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