In today’s highly technological world, phones have become ubiquitous tools for students and teachers. Like Flint Hill, many schools enforce strict policies against student phone usage in the classroom. Rather than viewing smartphones as distractions, we should recognize their ability to serve as academic tools.
Phones provide students with instant information as they can access the internet at their fingertips. This instant access encourages students to explore topics beyond what is being presented to them by their teachers. Although this availability of immediate internet access accompanies Flint Hill students’ access to MacBooks, it is different as it pushes students to look beyond what is being provided by their schools, promoting a sense of curiosity and outside-of-the-box thinking. Secondly, allowing smartphones in the classroom creates a collaborative environment, enabling communication among students who may not physically be in the exact location.
A personal experience I had in which I realized that having my phone would be conducive to my learning environment was earlier in my junior year while I was in biology. My class was assigned to work on our research papers for the whole period. I often listen to music when I write because it helps me focus on my work by blocking out the surrounding noises. Because we were not permitted to use our phones and I forgot my headphones, I could not listen to music and remained mainly unproductive that day, distracted by the voices of my classmates.
Having hands-on access to phones in the classroom prepares students for developing real-world skills by providing them with opportunities to develop digital literacy skills, including information literacy, media literacy, and online collaboration skills. The future includes a highly technology-driven world, and phone usage in students’ daily lives allows them to develop these invaluable skills in preparation for a modern world.
Smartphones are powerful tools that can enhance high school education when used appropriately. By embracing technology rather than forcing it away, schools facilitate a learning experience that prepares high schoolers for success in the digital age.
