Just as many high school teachers are becoming comfortable with incorporating smartphones and other digital devices into classrooms to aid with learning, a new study finds that a majority of high school students are already using cell phones in class—to text, send emails, and browse social media sites.
Photo: Jupiterimages, Brand X Pictures.
The study, from researchers at the University of Haifa in Israel, focuses on 9–12th grade students at three different high schools. Out of the 591 students surveyed, a whopping 95 percent said they regularly sent emails or texts during classroom lessons, while 94 percent said they browsed file-sharing sites or social media sites like Facebook. Listening to music is another popular classroom activity, according to 93 percent of students, while 91 percent admitted to actually talking on their phones during class. Overall, 60 percent of students use their cell phones in class, with 10th graders the most aggressive cell phone users and 12th graders picking up their phones the least, according to the survey.
This may present a sobering reality check to many educators in K–12 schools who have been looking for the best ways to incorporate digital tools into their classrooms. Already the number of Web-connected computers per student is increasing rapidly across the country. In 2000, the ratio of students to each Internet-connected computer was 6.6 kids per every device, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d11/tables/dt11_109.asp); by 2008 (the latest year for which complete statistics are available), that number had jumped to 3.1 kids per device.
Successful school programs utilize digital devices in ways that keep kids engaged, such as conducting polls during civics lessons or searching for materials on a school library site. But in practice, there can be a big difference between the efficacy of using school-issued laptops and tablets compared with students’ own devices, at least among the older grades, according to the study.
With personal devices, students have more control over their own tools—and the ability to hide their online activities, particularly on phones with small screens.
“Students use their mobile phones in various ways—to surf the Internet and access social media, to listen to music, take photos, play games, and send text messages and photos,” say the researchers. “Based on our findings, there is almost no moment during any class when some pupil isn’t using their cell phone.”
About Lauren Barack
MYsteryious
not cool to use it for unschool like things!!
Yes, yes it is cool
‘Tis indeed cool. In fact… it may be “too cool for school”. (lowkey flame)
i think kids should be allowed to use it in school
I agree with you!
I dont think so. Kids need to be focusing on school work.
Cellphones are a huge problem where I teach. They’re also being stolen at an alarming rate.
Go to Wall Mart and buy a security camera or two ,that way you can keep up with the trouble makers, AND the theifs.
Never go to Walmart….. Never
Fine then, go to K-mart.
I think cellphone should be use in school for emergency only
Of course, how is there going THAT big of an emergency
Remember the school shootings? That’s an emergency.
i think they should because if somone is hurt and if they have a phone and they copy just take a picture
Exactly.
I think that kids shouldnt use cell phones if they dont want it taken away and actually pay attention to school and not to senseless things like Facebook.
Well you see, you have to think of the upsides to haveing technology in classrooms. I go to an early college high school where we were given iPads. It eliminated the amount of books that we had to carry, and they let us take them home so we can work on homework assigned to us. Also, we can further our eduction with them. Not everything is bad. I may only be a freshman, but please hear me out. It’s not a bad thing because I have witnessed firsthand the advantages of having technology in classrooms.
Thank you,
Haley.
cell phones can be a distraction depending on the student, but can at the same time be a helpful tool in the classroom.
True.
i love this ! jk i hate it
There is nothing as insulting to a teacher who spends hours planning their lessons than to be teaching and seeing a kid with earbuds in his ears or watching students as they scroll their phones during class or watching the reflection of the phone screen light in a students face while you’re trying to teach. Children are not supposed to use phones in the classrooms of my school district yet they plug them in around the room (or try) and then someone steals it. Then they come to us, the teachers to try and find their phones. I’ve had 7 phones stolen in my 6 classes this year. Give me a brake. There are apps that are free to load on your phone to track it. I teach, I’m not the cellphone police. Now I know why the teacher on a You Tube video took a cellphone and smashed it on the floor during class. WE’RE SICK OF CELLPHONES! SIGNED A TEACHER
break*
Thank you for finding that spelling mistake :) haha you’d think that a TEACHER would know how to spell.
Haha IKR!! You’d think a TEACHER would know how to spell -_-
Man I’d hate to be in this guy’s classroom. It would be like the Charlie Brown teacher, BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH…… BBBBLLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAHHHHHHH. Signed, someone who has nothing better to do.
Y’all are all so stupid ! Students should have cell phones in school
AMEN!!!
Ya’ll from the south
I was doing a research paper for school on cell phones in school, and this article helped a lot.
I’m looking at this in class :)
What If u break a leg and ur parents aren’t home or don’t answers the school but they answers u so u need ur phone to call someone for emergencies at least
Exactly.
Cell phones should totes be used in school cuz they make kids look totes awesome
U say totes a lot
I think cell phones r awesome… And if kids wanna throw away grades and play their phones all through class they should be able to. But the smart kids who want to go to college and get a job could be smart and listen.
Guess who’s not going to college :D
That’s what I think.
They should have phones be able to use phones need to text parents maybe.
Cells are the best it don’t matter I got all A’s and B’s.
They trip-pin
I think kids should use their phones and be able to do whatever they want because kids have just the Same amount of rights like adults have. We are human beings too!!!!!
AMEN TO THAT!!!!!
Haha yeah I am southern xD lol y’all are all pretty awesome :) y’all got contacts?
Haha yeah I am southern xD lol y’all are all pretty awesome :) y’all got contacts? -_- er met gerd why you no send comment?
I LIKE PIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!