Technology in Education (Essay Sample)

"Should Teachers Be Allowed to Have Cell Phones in The Classroom?"
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Teachers' Use of Cell Phones in Classroom
The role of a teacher is significant in students' lives. It is rare for an educator not to have access to digital devices with the current technological paradigm. However, there is an ongoing debate on teachers' use of cell phones in classrooms. According to McKimmie (2015), teachers' competence resonates with their accrued experience and can manage using phones while teaching. Nonetheless, it is imperative not to allow teachers to use their cell phones during the learning process.
The introduction of smartphones in the classroom could potentially harm student retention levels. Occhipinti (2016) found that teachers dedicate an average of 22 hours each week to handheld technology, which could distract students. Additionally, findings from Hayley & Ingrid (2019) show that students who engage in face-to-face interactions have a higher engagement rate, indicating that time spent with smartphones could have a negative influence. Thus, the period consumed with a cell phone is even more crucial to student-to-teacher participation (Keasberry, 2018). As an alternative, it is essential to reevaluate the teacher's approach; the primary objective is to guarantee that the education system keeps on instructing children.
Teachers can use mobile phones to their advantage in the classroom. For instance, smartphones can be beneficial as teaching aids (Poye et al., 2019). Additionally, having a phone in the teacher's pocket makes it simpler to stay updated. Therefore, having additional prompts on the main points of a lesson helps the teacher achieve the lesson's goals. However, if not well utilized, it takes the teacher a lot of time to shift between tasks. For instance, Keasberry (2018) notes that teachers' choice to allow cell phones in the classroom is unreasonable as it can negatively affect both the students and the environment. Smartphones can lead to impaired efficiency. Although, it is hard to envision a world where instructors are unfamiliar with technology. Therefore, permitting cell phones in classrooms might negatively affect student performance and academic achievement.
According to Wong et al. (2020), multiple experiments on the impact of cell phone usage on a teacher's ability to teach effectively exist. Most studies demonstrate no distinction between teachers who used handheld devices and those who used laptops and desktop computers during their lessons (Wong et al., 2020, p. 16). Furthermore, Keasberry (2018) discovered that instructors who utilized smartphones while conversing with their students had a higher rate of failure. This data indicates a direct connection between teachers' use of cell phones in class and poor student performance. Additionally, Zhang et al. (2013) found that students at home lacked the same focus as those in a classroom environment, leading to issues with discipline. The evidence indicates that using cell phones in the classroom does not fulfill teachers' intended purpose.
There are numerous explanations for why it is inappropriate for teachers to allow the use of cell phones in the classroom. Teachers' use of cell phones while in class hampers the ability of students to stay focused, which affects their retention rates. Furthermore, teachers are more likely to struggle to concentrate while engaging learners when they use their phones in class. Additionally, having a cell phone as reference material in the classroom makes it harder for teachers to stay on track. All these elements lead to the conclusion that it is inappropriate