Jenny Damon (Edison): Cell Phone Use in Schools

  The impact of the cell phone on the institution of the school is significant and its use in school will continue to need to be refined.  The conflicting priorities of young people, parents, and teachers lead to problematic use in school.  Young people use it to connect with their social network with flexibility and mobility.  It is considered a status symbol.  In a study of 9-10 year-olds, 86% of the students who owned a cell phone kept it on in school.  Schools report that its use disrupts and reduces the student’s attention.  Use of the phone to cheat has been documented and “cyber-bullying” is evident.  Schools race to implement new policies to counteract the negative behaviors in the school environment.  It is critical that the schools create new social constructs to meet the evolving needs.

2 Responses to “Jenny Damon (Edison): Cell Phone Use in Schools”

  1. Mr. Andoscia says:

    Nice. I was discussing this very issue with a professor from another school who claims that at any given time 1/3 of her students are texting. This is a new plot, but an old theme to a very familiar story. How do we get students to pay attention in class when there are so many more interesting things to grab our attention? This problem will certainly get worse as technology continues to shrink.

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