Debate...Should Cell Phones Be Allowed in Schools?

On the America's Debate website, they are contemplating both sides of whether Cell Phones should be allowed in schools. It is a great way to read about all different perspectives on this issue. Probably one of the most cited reasons for allowing cell phones in schools is "student safety" and not for learning. I think this may be because many are unaware of potential learning opportunities that can occur from coupling cell phones with classroom content. The debate is interesting and worth a read (maybe even a contribution if you are so included). While I believe that cell phones have learning potential and should be explored by teachers, I am not advocating that they have to always be brought into the classroom in order to be effective. As I have mentioned previously on my blog there are plenty of outside of school activities where the students can use their cell phones such as field trips or homework assignments. Additionally, by creating podcasts or collecting video or images with their cell phones for homework, teachers can save time on the in-class data collection activities and focus more on content learning.