Mobile phone use in schools

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The use of mobile phones in schools has become a controversial topic debated by students, parents, teachers and authorities.

People who support the use of mobile phones believe that these phones are useful for safety, allowing children to communicate with their parents and guardians, and teaching children how to deal with new media properly as early as possible. In addition, people suggest that schools should adapt to the current technological landscape where mobile phones allow access to vast amounts of information, rendering the need to memorize facts obsolete, allowing schools to shift their focus from imparting knowledge to emphasizing critical thinking skills and fostering the development of essential personal qualities.

Opponents of students using mobile phones during school believe that mobile phones are the main source of declining mental health among adolescents, hampering social development and enabling cyberbullying.

Different countries across the world have had to respond to the increasing presence of mobile devices in schools and weigh the potential harms and benefits all while maintaining their privacy laws. To prevent distractions caused by mobile phones, many schools have implemented policies that restrict students from using their phones during school hours. The company Yondr, for example, pioneered the concept of phone-free schools with a lockable pouch product that students place their phones in at the start of each school day, allowing them to experience the focus, creativity, and relief that comes from a phone-free learning environment. Some administrators have attempted cell phone jamming to monitor and restrict phone usage, with the goal of reducing distractions and preventing unproductive use. However, these methods of regulation raise concerns about privacy violation and abuse of power, as well as being illegal in certain jurisdictions.^[1][2]