Cell phones: not in my classroom, thanks.

While the P/CP was entitled "Should cell phones be banned from classrooms?", the real discussion was not about cell phones being in the classroom at all but more specifically be used as tools integrated into the curriculum. The argument for using cell phones was that students already have these multi-use tools so use them. But the points raised against using cell phones were more compelling to me, and basically boiled down to the idea that to ensure uniform access, the schools would have to provide phones and plans and this would mean technology budget that should instead be spent on computers that do the same tasks better, perform other tasks too and are more uniform. As Josh Allen said, "You cannot
expect students to come to school with a Blackberry. If they have a Blackberry… OK, I’ll just stop there, because the discussion on why a parent bought their child a Blackberry is so ridiculous my head may explode.

Frankly, the author wanting to issue phones to all students is down right ridiculous when she suggests "Allowing cell phones to become learning tools will give teachers the opportunity to introduce appropriate cell phone etiquette to students as well as show them how their toy can become
an essential professional tool." I mean, really? As if learning how to use a cell phone now is going to be relevant to how cell phones will function in five or ten years? Look at phones of five to ten years ago, and you can see how this is a losing proposition for a school curriculum, even presuming the teachers could keep up with all the cutting edge tools on current cell phones. Besides, the newest phones function best by synching with your computer! Most functions described in the article can be done better with other tools (calculators, cameras, computers).

I am curious to see how the iPad fits into this debate (Apple iPad could be an A+ for schools), and the recent stripped down pad released in India (India unveils world's cheapest tablet computer at $35; may drop to $10). Time will tell, and we'll probably be able to read about it in the coming years on our phones!