Cell Phones: Learning’s future, or its downfall?

It’s crazy to think that 25 years ago, people had to track down a payphone to make a phone call. If they were looking up information, a trip to the library was required. Today, shooting off texts and Googling at one’s will seem almost second nature. Our daily lives revolve so much around technology that it’s nearly impossible to imagine a time without it. However, having the world at our fingertips comes with more responsibility than we may realize.

The internet is a fascinating resource to begin with, but combined with the power of smartphones, the concept of anywhere/anytime knowledge has expanded into the depths of reality with the uprise of smartphones. Communication is more instant than it has ever been, and indeed, this constant connection is all the rage. It is not unknown that cell phones are effective stimulants for one’s social life, but the possibilities of technology are endless. Could cell phones one day be integrated into classroom learning? Could these devices be fully utilized by youth as a portal into an expanse of information?

It is true that cell phones hold enormous potential for being the greatest thing since textbooks and blackboards. From access to data and material to even the use of social networking for discussion purposes, cell phones have been inching their way into an academic setting. Even now I am seeing permitted cell phone use (for learning only, of course) in my own classes. It seems quite plausible that one day cell phones might as well be a part of the cirriculum, in the same way that computers have developed a mandatory status. Computers have been roots of advancement in learning and teaching for years, and it appears that cell phones could quite easily hold the same efficacy for future teachers and students.

However, there are two sides to every argument. Cell phones have been a seasonally controversial issue, especially involving their use by kids and teens. The distractions that cell phones inevitably offer are widely acknowledged. While their use might advance researching and communication, cell phones also have the effect of diverting people’s thoughts and focus from tasks– I will not deny having been sidetracked from my homework by the buzz of a text message. With all of the advantages that academic cell phones would present, it seems difficult to overcome the hindrances to learning that studies have already shown to be tangible. Constant distractions in the form of chatting with friends, playing games, or doing other non-productive activities could effortlessly undo the good that might come about from cell phone use in the classroom; it certainly already does outside the classroom.

Cell phones present a dilemma to the world of education that can certainly not be ignored. In my opinion, everything is best in moderation, and who knows? Perhaps a compromise can be made in which both the pros and cons can be healthily balanced. Until then, I’ll be studying and waiting, my phone on vibrate in the other room.