USAGE OF PHONES BY CHILDREN
Should We Allow Cellphones in School? How Students Can Use Smartphones as Learning Tools?
Are cellphones in the classroom a good idea? Does this device serve as a valid learning tool or just as another distraction contributing to the social disengagement of children?
Smartphone Ownership
Cellphones have come a long way since the two-pound, $3,995 Motorola DynaTAC 8000X was first introduced in 1984. Subsequent generations of mobile phones continued to evolve and became more affordable and portable, and offered even more value beyond a means to call others. The advent and widespread adoption of the smartphone — essentially a miniature, portable computer — has shifted the playing field even more dramatically. What was once thought of by parents as a device for children to use “in case of emergencies” is now being used for all aspects of living.
Despite the ongoing discussion surrounding the efficacy of digital devices in the classroom, schools must face the fact that smartphones are already being utilized by students of all ages. According to Neilson Research, smartphone sales in 2012 soared with 55.5 percent of all mobile subscribers using smartphones. The numbers get more impressive the younger the demographic, as nearly 74 percent of young adults ages 25 to 34 owned smartphones. However, what is most interesting is the number of teens using these devices: The ownership of smartphones for those 13 to 17 years of age was at 58 percent, up a whopping 22 percent from 2011. Young people are acquiring smartphones at a staggering rate.
App Availability
Apple alone reported in 2012 that more than 35 billion apps had been downloaded. All in all, there were more than 1.5 million apps available, over 10 percent of which were said to be educational or reference apps. That means there were over 150,000 apps specifically geared toward students, many of which were for very young students. From colors to ABC’s to “The Little Engine That Could,” what used to be taught
Are cellphones in the classroom a good idea? Does this device serve as a valid learning tool or just as another distraction contributing to the social disengagement of children?
Smartphone Ownership
Cellphones have come a long way since the two-pound, $3,995 Motorola DynaTAC 8000X was first introduced in 1984. Subsequent generations of mobile phones continued to evolve and became more affordable and portable, and offered even more value beyond a means to call others. The advent and widespread adoption of the smartphone — essentially a miniature, portable computer — has shifted the playing field even more dramatically. What was once thought of by parents as a device for children to use “in case of emergencies” is now being used for all aspects of living.
Despite the ongoing discussion surrounding the efficacy of digital devices in the classroom, schools must face the fact that smartphones are already being utilized by students of all ages. According to Neilson Research, smartphone sales in 2012 soared with 55.5 percent of all mobile subscribers using smartphones. The numbers get more impressive the younger the demographic, as nearly 74 percent of young adults ages 25 to 34 owned smartphones. However, what is most interesting is the number of teens using these devices: The ownership of smartphones for those 13 to 17 years of age was at 58 percent, up a whopping 22 percent from 2011. Young people are acquiring smartphones at a staggering rate.
App Availability
Apple alone reported in 2012 that more than 35 billion apps had been downloaded. All in all, there were more than 1.5 million apps available, over 10 percent of which were said to be educational or reference apps. That means there were over 150,000 apps specifically geared toward students, many of which were for very young students. From colors to ABC’s to “The Little Engine That Could,” what used to be taught