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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

mobile phones in the classroom

13 replies

raisinsgalore · 26/05/2010 10:12

Should mobile phones be used as educational tools in the classroom when the Department of Health recommends that young people shouldn't use them?

www.wifiinschools.org.uk/resources/letter+May+2010.pdf

OP posts:

AMumInScotland · 26/05/2010 10:31

I haven't heard of them being used in classrooms as educational tools - is this common then? Certainly DS (16) has never used his in class for anything.

bruffin · 26/05/2010 10:39

I very much doubt they do muminscotland,

NordicCelt · 26/05/2010 10:48

Mobile phones in classrooms should be banned in all circumstances. I invigilate during exams and the number of people who have tried to cheat using mobiles astounded me.
Furthermore, they have been used as a tool to bully teachers and ruin careers.
In addition they are disruptive because they frequently go off and the children have not been taught the etiquette of using a mobile, sadly something many adults have yet to learn.

cory · 26/05/2010 11:24

If dd tried using her mobile phone in class, the greatest risk would not be from the waves, but from her teacher blowing up! Who ever heard of a school encouraging the use of mobiles in class? Sounds like your typical teen excuse (but Mum, I really have to have one, Mrs X says I won't pass my exams without it)

cory · 26/05/2010 11:26

I do let dd take one in despite the prohibition at school as her disabled transport frequently fails to materialise and I don't want her stuck on the street corner with noone to help her. But she would be in a lot of trouble if it wasn't switched off during school hours.

AMumInScotland · 26/05/2010 11:45

DS always has his with him, and it's useful if there's a problem with picking him up. But AFAIK he has to keep it switched off in class.

He also can't have it with him during the exams, so it's been sitting in his locker during those - the school has been very clear about them not being able to have them in the exam hall.

But I've never heard of any class actually using them for anything - why would they? It would be massively divisive for a start, since many children won't have one at all, and those that do may have an old model.

The link you sent mentions BECTA - they're just being stopped aren't they? If their "helpful" advice about technology in schools has been suggesting using mobiles in class, I'm not surprised someone doesn't think they're worth the money

Original poster

raisinsgalore · 26/05/2010 13:55

Three schools trialled the use of mobile phones in the classroom, and bought phones for pupils who didn't have them. Apparently is was so successful that they are continuing using them. Becta think they are useful tools for education and have awards for teachers who use mobile phones, games consoles or hand-held computers in class. I wonder who is pushing this initiative and whether money is speaking louder than common sense? Surely the Department of Health should be speaking out about it?? These things creep in and then no one can be bothered to challenge them. I don't agree with mobiles in the classroom.

OP posts:

PixieOnaLeaf · 26/05/2010 14:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Hulababy · 26/05/2010 15:00

I work in an infant school. I use my iPhone with some of my SEN/IEP children. I have phonics based and simple numeracy based games on it. the children see it as a massive treat to be allowed to use my phone in their one to one time - not used often, but enough to be a known treat.

Never known phones used in general though. Infact in secondary schools I worked at they were always discouraged if pupils brought them in,.

mummytime · 26/05/2010 17:00

In some schools you would be amazed by how much kids try to use their mobile phones in the classroom. I would never encourage it, but I have read articles on how you can get kids to do amazing things using them.

On a recent school trip I was amazed when a girl was phoned during lesson time by her father (some arrangement about lunch money).

Original poster

raisinsgalore · 26/05/2010 17:40

If phones do cause cancer, then when does it become wrong to give them to children to use in school or expect them to use them for learning? I wouldn't want a teacher to give a child a cigarette as a treat, so surely at some point we should stop schools encouraging children to use mobile phones shouldn't we? I suppose everyone will have different views on this. Lots of things will make learning fun for children, but they shouldn't necessarily all be allowed.

OP posts:

Hulababy · 26/05/2010 19:54

Is there concrete proof that mobile phones cause cancer?

And is there prrof that there is any danger from using an application on a phone, when the actial phone is not calling in/out and the mobile internet is not being used?

What about games consoles being used?

Or wireless internet at school?

Tinuviel · 28/05/2010 01:23

Haven't heard of mobiles being used but our maths dept uses Nintendo DSs with Brain Training and have noticed an improvement in speed and accuracy of basic maths.

I wouldn't be happy with kids using mobiles in the classroom - you'd never be sure what they were actually doing on them. Work would probably be way down the list!

You have to watch them like a hawk when they use laptops - they try to go on all sorts - but at least the screens are big enough to spot youtube etc!!

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