mobile phone in school essay

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Essay on Mobile Phone: 100 Words, 300 Words, 500 Words

• Updated on  
• Feb 21, 2024

Mobile Phones are portable electronic devices used to make calls, browse the internet, click pictures, and do several other tasks. However, the mobile phones discovered in the early 1970s were quite different from the compact and slim devices we use today. Cell phones were invented by John F. Mitchell and Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973.

As modern humans, we all use mobile phones for our day-to-day functioning. At academic and higher education levels, students are given the task of writing an essay on mobile phones. An essay on mobile phones requires a comprehensive and detailed study of their history, major developments and the purposes it serve. In this article, we have provided essays on mobile phones for class 6,7,8.9, 10, and 12th standard students. Students can refer to these sample essays on mobile phones to write their own. Keep reading to find out essays on mobile phones and some fun facts about the device.

Table of Contents

• 1 Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (100 Words)
• 2 Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (300 words)
• 3 Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (500 words)
• 4 Essay on Mobile Phone: 5+ Facts About Smartphones

Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (100 Words)

Also Read: The Beginner’s Guide to Writing an Essay

Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (300 words)

Also Read: Essay on Importance of the Internet

Sample Essay on Mobile Phone (500 words)

Essay on Mobile Phone: 5+ Facts About Smartphones

Here we have listed some of the interesting facts about smartphones. These facts can be added to the ‘essay on mobile phones’ to make it more interesting. Below are the 5 interesting facts about smartphones:

• The most expensive smartphone in the world is the Falcon Supernova iPhone 6 Pink Diamond. It is worth  $48.5 million.
• The cheapest mobile phone in the world is the Freedom 251. It just cost INR 251.
• Apple is the world’s most popular smartphone
• The first phone greeting was “Ahoy-hoy, who’s calling please?” 
• The first smartphone was invented by IBM. It was released by IBM in 1994. The original screen name of the 1st smartphone was “Simon.” 
• The first text message in the world was ‘Merry Christmas’

Also Read: Holi Essay: Free Sample Essays 100 To 500 Words In English

A mobile phone system gets its name from diving the service into small cells. Each of these cells has a base station with a useful range in the order of a kilometre/mile.

Mobile phones have become extremely important due to the ease of communication it has brought about. Moreover, it can perform several major tasks easily and effectively. For example, a calculator. Aside from this mobile phones can help a user connect to the internet, and use social media applications, and other applications. Mobile phones can even assist in online payment. 

The full form or the meaning of a Moble is Modified, Operation, Byte, Integration, Limited, Energy”. John F. Mitchell and Martin Cooper of Motorola discovered the device in 1973. An essay on mobile phones can include the mobile phone full form.

Related Articles

Mobile phones have become an indispensable part of our lifestyle. There are several advantages and disadvantages of having a smartphone. However, the pros outweigh the cons. A mobile phone essay can be written by including both the advantages and disadvantages. To discover more articles like this one, consult the study abroad expert at Leverage Edu.

Blessy George

Blessy George is a Content Marketing Associate at Leverage Edu, boasting over a year of experience in the industry. Her expertise lies in crafting compelling content tailored to online courses, making her a go-to source for those navigating the vast landscape of digital learning. In addition to online classes, she writes content related to study abroad, English test preparation and visas. She has completed her MA degree in Political Science and has gained valuable experience as an intern.She is known for her extensive writing on various aspects of international education, garnering recognition for her insights and contributions. Apart from her professional pursuits, Blessy is passionate about creative writing, particularly poetry and songwriting.

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The Use of Mobile Phones in Schools

The use of cell phones in schools by students has become a fiercely debatable topic that concerns all segments of society, including students, parents, teachers, scholars, and officials. People who mostly advocate for using mobile phones consider that these devices are beneficial in providing safety and seamless connection of pupils with parents and are useful for education overall. Nevertheless, I hold to the firm conviction that the use of cell phones should be banned or maximum restricted in schools since, in most cases, they disrupt the learning process and notably impair student’s performance. Thus, in this essay, I will present valid arguments supported by statistics, credible opinions, and facts, which prove the harm of using gadgets in educational premises.

The first argument is that mobile phones disrupt the learning process by causing interruptions and distractions of students’ attention from classroom activities. It is evident that any educational material requires intense mental concentration from individuals to be adequately comprehended and memorized. This aspect is fundamental in further student’s performance and progress since one missing or misunderstood item makes it impossible to master the whole topic or even subject successfully. Moreover, because of this, students become increasingly uninterested, bored, and sometimes contemptuous towards a particular subject. Thus, the primary task and responsibility of every school or educational establishment are to create a conducive environment that promotes the learning process and helps students attain excellent outcomes.

In this context, the students who have gadgets during school classes are usually inclined to use them for communication in social networks and viewing pictures and videos on the Internet, which produces unwanted distractions. Additionally, a constant risk exists that pupils can watch embarrassing videos or content of pornographic nature via smartphones, which corrupts the students’ morals and even makes them incapable of perceiving useful, educational information. As Danielle Einstein, a clinical psychologist from the University of Sydney, asserts, the overall situation is complicated because these devices provoke dopamine release leading to strong psychological addiction (Heizer). Furthermore, Henderson, a journalist for The Independent , describes a phenomenon called phantom vibrations that occur as a result of “learned bodily behavior” (Henderson). Namely, even the slightest vibration can make an individual feel like the phone vibrates, although, in fact, vibrations were absent. Numerous phone calls from outsiders, that is, parents, relatives, and friends, also cause interruptions in learning the material taught by the teacher.

Besides, many scholars have confirmed via experiments that the presence of mobile phones in school disrupts the learning process. For example, two researchers from Western Carolina University, Lawson and Henderson, conducted the study involving 120 first-year students, which demonstrated that students who were texting during lectures obtained considerably less score regarding comprehension and performance (Lawson and Henderson 121). This study only confirmed the results of the previous similar research indicating that “texting can reduce comprehension of class material at a rate of 10–20%” (Lawson and Henderson 119). It is worth noting that these results were related to comparatively simple material.

The second argument that can be advanced against the gadgets’ use is that they can adversely affect the individual’s cognitive capabilities that are vital for students’ performance and studying. For example, the recent research performed by Ward et al. concluded that even the close location of a smartphone near the user, for instance, on the desk, can worsen cognitive capacity and fluid intelligence (140). Moreover, cognitive damage is directly proportional to the dependence from a smartphone. The research indicates that “the presence of students’ mobile devices in educational environments may undermine both learning and test performance” (Ward et al. 151). It should be mentioned that the study consisted of two experiments that involved 520 and 275 smartphone users, respectively.

The third argument is connected with cheating since many students tend to use smartphones while taking a test or even an exam. For example, according to a Pew Research Center study, 35 percent of pupils use their phones to complete tests or assignments, and 65 percent of teens reported that they see how smartphones were used by others (Morin). Overall, in the educational environment, not only does cheating make it impossible to evaluate students correctly and rightly but also allows them not to prepare for exams appropriately. This has adverse consequences for their performance and the ability to master the necessary knowledge.

Another issue that gains the increasing alert among pedagogues and parents is that cell phones can promote cyberbullying that implies threats, harassments, humiliation, or torments by means of technology. Cyberbullying can be executed through social media sites or other websites and text messages or emails. Besides, this phenomenon has various forms, including impersonation, that is, fake accounts, trolling, flaming, namely, posting derogatory comments, cyberstalking, trickery, and denigration, that is, posting gossip and rumors about someone. According to the survey conducted by the Cyberbullying Research Center in 2016, around 34 percent of middle and high school students have experienced cyberbullying; some of them cyberbullied several times (McCullum). It should be specified that cyberbullying leads to significant negative outcomes and can cause depression, anxiety, feelings of isolation, low self-esteem, loss of interest in studies, and even using alcohol and drugs. Moreover, this type of bullying is difficult for teachers to track and stop.

The last argument is correlated with disconnection from face-to-face communication and a decrease in the students’ participation in outside and social activities. Working together and leading in-person discussions about a particular topic is an indispensable part of education. Moreover, involvement in sports and social activities play an essential role in the psychological and physical development of children and adolescents. With the excessive use of gadgets, many teens tend to avoid traditional, alive conversations and outside games and prefer to communicate using smartphones, play digital games, and hang on the Internet. In this regard, secondary schools in the UK began establishing stricter rules regarding cell phones, prohibiting using them in school premises individuals under sixteen years of age (Hymas). This measure has resulted in the fact that students become more active, alert, and sociable in the school setting.

To summarize, in this essay, I have advanced valid and persuasive arguments against the use of mobile phones in schools, maintained by statistics, credible opinions, and facts. These arguments include the disruption of the learning process, the adverse effect on the individual’s cognitive capabilities, cheating, cyberbullying, and disconnection from face-to-face communication. For example, the disruption of the learning process caused by possible distractions related to phone calls or communication in social networks while cyberbullying is accompanied by threats, harassments, humiliation, or torments using technology. In conclusion, as Nick Gibb, a British politician, said, “Every hour spent online and on a smartphone is an hour less talking to family, and it’s an hour less exercise, and it’s an hour less sleep” (Austin). Thus, people, especially teachers, students, and parents, should be aware of the harm of using mobile phones in schools to prevent unfortunate consequences concerning students’ performance, education, their mental health, overall.

Works Cited

Austin, H. “ Mobile Phones ‘Should be Banned from Schools,’ Minister Says. ” Independent , 2019, Web.

Heizer, S. “ What do Five Experts Think about Mobile Phones in Schools? ” Guardian , 2018, Web.

Henderson, E. “ Phantom Vibration Syndrome: Up to 90 Percent of People Suffer Phenomenon while Mobile Phone Is in Pocket ”. The Independent , Web. 2016.

Hymas, C. “Secondary Schools Are Introducing Strict New Bans on Mobile Phones.” The Telegraph–UK , 2018.

Lawson, Dakota, and Henderson, Bruce B. “The Costs of Texting in the Classroom.” College Teaching , vol. 63, no. 3, 2015, pp. 119-124.

McCullum, K. “ Cyberbullying in School: Prevention and Support. ” Accredited Schools Online. Web.

Morin, A. “ How Teens Use Technology to Cheat in School. ” Verywell Family , 2019, Web.

Ward, Adrian F., Duke, K., Gneezy, A., and Bos, M.W. “Brain drain: The Mere Presence of one’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity.” Journal of the Association for Consumer Research , vol. 2, no. 2, 2017, pp. 140-154.

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StudyCorgi. (2022, January 27). The Use of Mobile Phones in Schools. https://studycorgi.com/the-use-of-mobile-phones-in-schools/

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1. StudyCorgi . "The Use of Mobile Phones in Schools." January 27, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/the-use-of-mobile-phones-in-schools/.

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The Use of Mobile Phones in the Classroom Can Help Students Learn Better Essay

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Introduction

It is undeniable that today’s world revolves around technology due to its growth over the past decades. Mobile phones as a part of technology have become increasingly common in modern society. Today, it is impossible to imagine an adolescent or an adult without a cell phone. Students have started to use mobile phones in classrooms, which has raised many concerns among teachers, schools’ authorities, and parents. While there are several disadvantages of the utilization of technology during classes, the advantages of it prevail.

The benefits of technology for students are evident. First, mobile phones can substitute textbooks and notebooks, which may have a positive impact on individuals’ health as they do not have to carry heavy bags to schools. Students can download learning materials in electronic form and use them during classes. Moreover, they can find the information faster and save time to perform other important tasks. Second, with the help of mobile phones, students can have access to their textbooks, lectures, and notes anywhere and at any time. They can read on the bus on their way to school, which may increase the time they dedicate to the analysis of the learning materials and help them to reflect on the topics of discussions.

Furthermore, students can use mobile phones as dictionaries in language classes. It may save their time and ensure that the long learning process does not discourage them. Also, they can download applications that are designed to assist in acquiring new language skills.

It is necessary to mention that students can use mobile phones as organizational or planning tools. They can plan their time based on the deadlines, arrange their activities and track their grades and performance in class. While many students use notebooks for such purposes, the utilization of mobile phones allows for having all the information in one place and ensuring that no important data is lost. Moreover, teachers can be involved in the organizational process too by sharing the necessary information about due dates and requirements via applications. It may improve teacher-student relationships and increase individuals’ performance in class.

There are several drawbacks associated with the use of mobile phones in the classroom. The primary one is that they can distract students from learning, as they may prefer to play games or use social networks. Moreover, individuals can become aggressive if the teachers or school authorities try to forbid the use of technology in class. To eliminate the possible negative outcomes, it is necessary for students to learn how to avoid distraction while working with mobile phones.

For example, they can delete unnecessary applications or restrict their use during classes. Apart from that, students can improve their performance by studying the factors that can cause distraction and avoiding them. Teachers and schools’ authorities should also consider investigating the benefits of the technology to prevent the establishment of unnecessary policies related to its use in the classroom.

The use of mobile phones in the classroom can improve student’s performance and help them to have better learning outcomes. It can save their time, prevent them from carrying heavy bags with textbooks and notebooks and increase the accessibility of course materials. The possible drawbacks of the use of technology in class are individuals’ distraction and aggression. However, students can eliminate the disadvantages of the utilization of mobile phones by avoiding the factors that can cause negative learning outcomes.

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1. IvyPanda . "The Use of Mobile Phones in the Classroom Can Help Students Learn Better." July 18, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-use-of-mobile-phones-in-the-classroom-can-help-students-learn-better/.

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IvyPanda . "The Use of Mobile Phones in the Classroom Can Help Students Learn Better." July 18, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-use-of-mobile-phones-in-the-classroom-can-help-students-learn-better/.

Essay on Mobile Phone for Students [100, 150, 250, 400 Words]

Essay on Mobile Phone: Mobile Phone is a wonderful gift of science. In this article, you are going to learn to write an essay on Mobile Phone in English (100, 150, 250 and 400 Words). So, let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Essay on Mobile Phone: 100 Words

The mobile phone is one of the greatest gifts of modern science. It is also called cell phone or smart phone.  It is a great medium of communication. In earlier times mobile phones were used only for communication. But now-a-days a mobile phone is used as an entertainment device. We can use it for watching videos, listening to music, capturing pictures, web browsing, calculating, navigating and many more purposes.

The mobile phone has many advantages but we should use it in moderation. Excessive use of mobile phones can affect our physical and mental health. Students often misuse it and their study is affected badly. We should use our mobile phones very wisely.

Mobile Phone Essay: 150 Words

The mobile phone is a miracle of science. From a minor student to an ordinary Worker, everyone possesses a cell phone. Indeed, this is a very popular item today. It is truly, a mark of modern living, a part of the modern life-style. Of course, its usefulness is undeniable. Now a man can have communication anywhere, anytime to anyone sitting thousands of kilometers from him.

Today it is not only a communication device. It can be used for a number of purposes like online ticket booking, navigation, playing video games, taking pictures, recording videos, web browsing, video calling etc. In fact, now we use mobile phone for taking online classes. Hence it is called a Smart Phone. At the same time, the excessive craze for this is not desirable and may even prove dangerous. Mobile phone is to be taken as an utility service, and not as a show-piece.

Also Read: Paragraph on Computer in English

Essay on Mobile Phone: 250 Words

A mobile phone or cell phone is a hand-held portable radiophone that uses the cellular or satellite network for voice or data communication. Unlike landline phones, which are fixed, mobile phones can be easily carried, and one can contact a person anywhere whether at home, on the bus, in street, or in a meeting. Apart from talking, it can be used for sending SMS, e-mail and for taking photos and videos.

High-end mobiles act as mini computers, offering services like internet, diary, music, iPod, calculator, alarm clock, etc. It is extremely useful in emergencies. But there is a tendency to abuse it. To many, it is an Addiction rather than a necessity. A cell phone ringing in an auditorium is most annoying. Using a mobile phone while driving a car or a motorbike and crossing a road or a railway track had led to many accidents.

Teleshopping is a great nuisance. Privacy is often violated, as most mobile users are unaware that they could be photographed or tracked. Terrorists use this gadget to trigger bombs and achieve their ends. Mobiles can also cause health hazards. The radiations from mobiles may cause injury to the brain. Cellphones on vibration mode put in front pocket may damage the heartbeat system. With all its advantages, what is, therefore, needed is moderation in the use of mobile phones.

Also Read: Essay on Television in English

Essay on Mobile Phones: 400 Words

When telephone was first introduced in the world in the 1950s, people were keenly interested in it. As an easier way of communication, telephone has its own merit. Of late, the introduction of mobiles makes an easy access to communication. It is in fact inevitable in the present day of hurry and business. People have warmly accepted mobiles as the blessing of science. There is little doubt that without the use of mobiles none is nowadays able to lead one’s life quite normally. One is capable of communicating with people, staying far away very quickly. Thus many a problem can be well- solved by way of using these mobiles.

But everything has its merit and demerit. As science is a bane as well as a boon, mobiles are to some extent to be cursed. People, especially the young generation, have been abusing mobiles. They not only chat in an unexpected way but also indulge themselves in leading immoral life by abusing mobiles. Apart from this, several mercenary companies exploit the advantage of mobiles to meet their selfish ends. They do business through mobiles. As a result, young people have been misguided. To use mobiles is for them to be up to date. They avail themselves of the opportunity of the internet connection in their mobiles and do whatever they like to do. Obscene video clippings and some other versions of immoral entertainment are now available in mobiles. Therefore, the students have now tremendous fascination for the mobiles. Consequently, instead of studying, concentrate on using mobiles for sheer fun.

Another demerit is that because of the excessive use of the mobiles different companies plunge themselves into doing profitable business. Consequently, numerous towers have been erected for the network of mobiles. It is well known that a particular wave which is responsible for the mobile network does harm to the ecological balance of the environment. It is evident in the pale colors of the trees and fruits adjacent to the mobile towers.

Thus, it is the time to be conscious of the abuse of the mobiles. The concerned authority should take immediate steps to stop immoral business which is proliferating in abusing mobiles. All should remember that the sole purpose of mobile is to communicate. Entertainment may be available in the network of mobiles. But there should be no immoral design. Above all, the government should restrict the use of mobiles, so much so that anti-social activities may not be done through mobiles.

Read More: 1. Newspaper Essay in English 2. Essay on Elephant 3. APJ Abdul Kalam Essay

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Essay on Mobile Phone

Here we have shared the Essay on Mobile Phone in detail so you can use it in your exam or assignment of 150, 250, 400, 500, or 1000 words.

You can use this Essay on Mobile Phone in any assignment or project whether you are in school (class 10th or 12th), college, or preparing for answer writing in competitive exams. 

Topics covered in this article.

Essay on Mobile Phone in 150-250 words

Essay on mobile phone in 300-400 words, essay on mobile phone in 500-1000 words.

Mobile phones have become an integral part of modern life, revolutionizing the way we communicate, access information, and conduct daily activities. These portable devices have transformed from simple communication tools to powerful devices that offer a range of functions.

Mobile phones enable instant communication, allowing people to connect with others around the world through voice calls, text messages, and various messaging applications. They have also expanded the concept of social networking, providing platforms for individuals to connect, share experiences, and build communities.

Moreover, mobile phones have become multifunctional devices that offer internet access, multimedia capabilities, and a wide range of applications. They provide easy access to information, entertainment, and services such as online banking, shopping, and navigation.

However, the prevalence of mobile phones also raises concerns. Excessive use of mobile phones can lead to addiction, affecting productivity, social interactions, and overall well-being. It is crucial to strike a balance between utilizing the benefits of mobile phones and maintaining healthy boundaries.

In conclusion, mobile phones have transformed the way we communicate, access information, and engage with the world. They offer convenience, connectivity, and a range of functionalities. However, responsible use is necessary to avoid the negative impacts of excessive reliance on mobile phones.

Mobile phones have revolutionized the way we communicate and connect with others. These portable devices have evolved from simple communication tools to powerful devices offering a wide range of functionalities. This essay explores the impact of mobile phones on communication, social interaction, and daily life.

Communication and Connectivity

Mobile phones have transformed communication by providing instant and convenient access to others. Voice calls, text messaging, and various messaging applications allow individuals to connect with people around the world. The advent of smartphones has further expanded communication capabilities with features like video calls and social media platforms. Mobile phones have bridged geographical barriers and fostered global connectivity, allowing individuals to stay in touch regardless of distance.

Access to Information and Services

Mobile phones have become a gateway to a vast amount of information and services. With internet connectivity, users can access news, research, educational resources, and online platforms for entertainment and leisure. Mobile apps provide convenient access to various services such as banking, shopping, transportation, and navigation. This accessibility has transformed the way we access and interact with information, making our lives more efficient and convenient.

Social Impact

Mobile phones have had a significant impact on social interactions and relationships. They enable individuals to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues. Social media platforms have expanded our social networks, allowing us to share experiences, photos, and thoughts instantly. However, the overuse of mobile phones can also lead to reduced face-to-face interactions and dependency on virtual connections. It is crucial to strike a balance between virtual and real-life interactions to maintain healthy social relationships.

Challenges and Considerations

While mobile phones offer numerous benefits, they also present challenges. Excessive use of mobile phones can lead to addiction, affecting productivity, mental health, and personal relationships. Additionally, concerns over privacy, cybersecurity, and the potential negative impact on children’s development require attention and responsible usage.

Mobile phones have revolutionized communication and connectivity, offering convenience, information access, and social interaction. While they bring numerous benefits, responsible usage is essential to mitigate the challenges associated with excessive reliance on mobile phones. By harnessing the power of mobile technology while maintaining a healthy balance, we can fully embrace the advantages offered by these remarkable devices.

Title: Mobile Phone – The Transformation of Communication and Connectivity

Introduction:

Mobile phones have emerged as an indispensable aspect of modern life, revolutionizing the way we communicate, access information, and conduct daily activities. These portable devices have evolved from simple communication tools to powerful devices that offer a wide range of functionalities. This essay explores the profound impact of mobile phones on communication, social interaction, and daily life, highlighting their advantages and challenges.

Evolution of Mobile Phones

Mobile phones have come a long way since their inception. From the bulky, limited-functionality devices of the past, mobile phones have transformed into sleek, multifunctional smartphones. The integration of advanced technologies such as high-speed internet connectivity, touchscreens, and powerful processors has propelled the capabilities of mobile phones to new heights.

Communication Revolution

Mobile phones have revolutionized communication by enabling instant connectivity with people around the world. Voice calls and text messages were just the beginning, as smartphones now offer a plethora of communication channels, including video calls, instant messaging applications, and social media platforms. These features have eliminated the constraints of geographical distance and time zones, allowing individuals to stay connected with loved ones and conduct business remotely.

Mobile phones have become the gateway to vast amounts of information and a wide range of services. With internet connectivity at our fingertips, we can access news, research, educational resources, and entertainment platforms anytime, anywhere. Mobile applications provide convenient access to services such as online banking, shopping, transportation, and navigation. Mobile phones have transformed the way we access and interact with information, making our lives more efficient and convenient.

Mobile phones have had a profound impact on social interactions and relationships. They have expanded our social networks beyond geographical boundaries, allowing us to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds. Social media platforms have become integral to our daily lives, enabling us to share experiences, thoughts, and photos instantly. However, the rise of virtual connections has also raised concerns about the quality of real-life interactions and the potential for addiction to social media.

Productivity and Efficiency

Mobile phones have significantly enhanced productivity and efficiency in various aspects of life. They serve as personal organizers, allowing us to manage calendars, set reminders, and access productivity apps. Mobile email and document editing applications enable us to work remotely and stay connected to work-related tasks. Additionally, mobile banking and payment apps streamline financial transactions, reducing the need for physical visits to banks.

While mobile phones bring numerous benefits, they also present challenges. The overuse of mobile phones can lead to addiction, affecting productivity, mental health, and personal relationships. Excessive screen time can contribute to sedentary lifestyles and health issues such as eye strain and musculoskeletal problems. Concerns about privacy, cybersecurity, and the impact of mobile phone usage on children’s development require careful consideration and responsible usage.

Conclusion :

Mobile phones have transformed communication, connectivity, and daily life. They offer unparalleled convenience, connectivity, and a wide range of functionalities. However, responsible usage is essential to mitigate the challenges associated with excessive reliance on mobile phones. By harnessing the power of mobile technology while maintaining a healthy balance, we can fully embrace the advantages offered by these remarkable devices. As mobile phone technology continues to evolve, it is crucial to adapt our habits and practices to ensure that mobile phones enhance our lives without compromising our well-being and social connections.

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Uses of Mobile Phones Essay for Students and Children

500+ words essay on uses of mobile phones.

Mobile phones are one of the most commonly used gadgets in today’s world. Everyone from a child to an adult uses mobile phones these days. They are indeed very useful and help us in so many ways.

Mobile phones indeed make our lives easy and convenient but at what cost? They are a blessing only till we use it correctly. As when we use them for more than a fixed time, they become harmful for us.

Uses of Mobile Phone

We use mobile phones for almost everything now. Gone are the days when we used them for only calling. Now, our lives revolve around it. They come in use for communicating through voice, messages, and mails. We can also surf the internet using a phone. Most importantly, we also click photos and record videos through our mobile’s camera.

The phones of this age are known as smartphones . They are no less than a computer and sometimes even more. You can video call people using this phone, and also manage your official documents. You get the chance to use social media and play music through it.

Moreover, we see how mobile phones have replaced computers and laptops . We carry out all the tasks through mobile phones which we initially did use our computers. We can even make powerpoint presentations on our phones and use it as a calculator to ease our work.

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Disadvantages of Mobile Phones

While mobile phones are very beneficial, they also come to a lot of disadvantages. Firstly, they create a distance between people. As people spend time on their phones, they don’t talk to each other much. People will sit in the same room and be busy on their phones instead of talking to each other.

Subsequently, phones waste a lot of time. People get distracted by them easily and spend hours on their phones. They are becoming dumber while using smartphones . They do not do their work and focus on using phones.

Most importantly, mobile phones are a cause of many ailments. When we use phones for a long time, our eyesight gets weaker. They cause strain on our brains. We also suffer from headaches, watery eyes, sleeplessness and more.

Moreover, mobile phones have created a lack of privacy in people’s lives. As all your information is stored on your phone and social media , anyone can access it easily. We become vulnerable to hackers. Also, mobile phones consume a lot of money. They are anyway expensive and to top it, we buy expensive gadgets to enhance our user experience.

In short, we see how it is both a bane and a boon. It depends on us how we can use it to our advantage. We must limit our usage of mobile phones and not let it control us. As mobile phones are taking over our lives, we must know when to draw the line. After all, we are the owners and not the smartphone.

FAQs on Uses of Mobile Phones

Q.1 How do mobile phones help us?

A.1 Mobile phones are very advantageous. They help us in making our lives easy and convenient. They help us communicate with our loved ones and carry out our work efficiently. Furthermore, they also do the work of the computer, calculator, and cameras.

Q.2 What is the abuse of mobile phone use?

A.2 People are nowadays not using but abusing mobile phones. They are using them endlessly which is ruining their lives. They are the cause of many ailments. They distract us and keep us away from important work. Moreover, they also compromise with our privacy making us vulnerable to hackers.

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Cellphones in Schools: A Huge Nuisance and a Powerful Teaching Tool

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When Nelann Taylor lets her high school students whip out their smartphones and dive into tools like Duolingo, Quizlet, Kahoot, and Flipgrid, she knows she may be in for a classroom management headache. Some of her students “have really figured out how to self-correct and just say, ‘Well, I know that I can’t be on my own phone right now’ ” unless it is for classwork, she said. But others take advantage of the freedom to start scrolling through text messages, and Taylor has to tell them put the devices away. Cellphones are both a powerful learning tool and huge distractions for kids. Figuring out how to make the most of them is “really tricky,” said Taylor, a fan of technology in the classroom who teaches high school Spanish and web design in Louisiana’s St. John the Baptist Parish Schools. “It’s always a work in progress.” Educators like Taylor have struggled with whether to ban phones, let kids use them for classwork, or some combination of the two for more than a decade. But the need to figure out how to use cellphones for learning, rather than letting them become a distraction, has gotten more urgent since kids returned from pandemic-driven virtual learning, experts and educators say. “I think the transition from trying to learn at home using devices and having perhaps multiple devices, being distracted by them, trying to focus attention on learning, and then transition back into the classroom has been really difficult,” said Christine Elgersma, the senior editor for social media and learning resources at Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization that focuses on children, technology, and media. There are some good practices, including having a schoolwide policy on devices that’s clearly communicated to students and parents at the beginning of the school year. Being vehemently anti-cellphone may backfire, Elgersma warned. Allowing kids to use the devices for classwork is a way to acknowledge that, “these are really cool tools, and that some of what kids are doing on their phones is really impressive and creative and important to them,” she said. “We don’t want to discount how woven into the fabric of their lives these devices are.” At Kansas’ Springhill Middle School, students are expected to put their phones in their lockers as soon as school begins, and not take them out until the end of the day, unless a teacher plans to use the devices in a lesson, said Trevor Goertzen, the school’s principal. A National Association of Secondary School Principals digital principal of the year, Goertzen is a champion of tech in the classroom. But he thinks it’s too easy for kids to get distracted by entertainment or social media if they have access to their phones all day. All his students have MacBooks, he said, which can be used for just about any classroom activity requiring a device. Teachers have permission to allow cellphones occasionally for specific purposes, but “most teachers realize it’s not worth opening the door for them to use their phones.”

‘Teach kids to manage their technology’

But Stevie Frank, a 5th grade humanities teacher at Zionsville West Middle School in Whitestown, Ind., views cellphones as a great student engagement tool. Her students can keep their phones with them during class, as long as they have notifications turned off, so they’re not interrupted by a dinging noise. And she incorporates them into her class assignments. For instance, Frank sets up stations around the room where kids read passages and tackle questions on, say, an author’s purpose. To check to see if their answers are right, students use their phones to scan a QR code, and up pops a video of Frank explaining the correct answer. “It’s one of those things where I was like, ‘How can I be at 12 stations at once?’ ” Frank said. “And I’m like, ‘Wait a minute, I can!’ ” Frank’s students also use their phones to record podcasts, since they tend to have better microphones than school-issued devices do. Recently, for instance, she had groups of students choose books about different identities and then create a podcast exploring themes that the text raised. One group picked a book about a person experiencing homelessness and interviewed a staffer at a local shelter for their podcast. Naturally, there are times when students use their cellphones to go off task, Frank said. But that’s all part of the lesson. She said kids need to figure out how to voluntarily distance themselves from their devices. “You’ve got to teach the kids how to manage their technology and if we’re not going to do it in school, where’s it going to be done?” Frank said. A certified yoga teacher, she’s talked to her students about mindfulness, the importance of being present in the moment, and how technology can distract from those things. If a kid has a particularly tough time putting their phone away, or keeps getting distracted while using a school laptop, Frank will ask if they’d rather have a paper copy of the assignment, or if they’d like to put their phone on their desk. Giving students the choice to disengage from their phones helps “get their buy-in,” Frank said. “They’re like, ‘yup, I need to do that.’ ” Another advantage of using a phone for class assignments: Students are already familiar with how they operate, said Kristin Daley Conti, a science teacher at Tantasqua Regional Junior High School in central Massachusetts. Her attitude on cellphones in school is essentially, “if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” So if her students want to use their phones to, say, time how long it takes ice to melt, she’s fine with that. Many of her students also used the cameras on their phones for a project last year on ecosystems. Students chose an outdoor area near the school and took pictures of the spot once a week, then looked at how the biodiversity in its ecosystem changed over time. Students snapped photos of flowers, squirrels, plants, insects, frogs, and more and then shared them in a digital journal that was also accessible to parents. Daley Conti’s advice to teachers who are considering using cellphones in their classroom: Listen to kids’ ideas. Ask them questions like, “Do you think we’re using our phones too much?” or “Could we use our phones in class responsibly?” “If you’re thinking about incorporating cellphone use, hear from the experts,” she said.

A version of this article appeared in the March 23, 2022 edition of Education Week as Cellphones in Schools: Huge Nuisance And Powerful Teaching

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Bans may help protect classroom focus, but districts need to stay mindful of students’ sense of connection, experts say

Students around the world are being separated from their phones.

In 2020, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that 77 percent of U.S. schools had moved to prohibit cellphones for nonacademic purposes. In September 2018, French lawmakers outlawed cellphone use for schoolchildren under the age of 15. In China, phones were banned country-wide for schoolchildren last year.

Supporters of these initiatives have cited links between smartphone use and bullying and social isolation and the need to keep students focused on schoolwork.

77% Of U.S. schools moved to ban cellphones for nonacademic purposes as of 2020, according to the National Center for Education Statistics

But some Harvard experts say instructors and administrators should consider learning how to teach with tech instead of against it, in part because so many students are still coping with academic and social disruptions caused by the pandemic. At home, many young people were free to choose how and when to use their phones during learning hours. Now, they face a school environment seeking to take away their main source of connection.

“Returning back to in-person, I think it was hard to break the habit,” said Victor Pereira, a lecturer on education and co-chair of the Teaching and Teaching Leadership Program at the Graduate School of Education.

Through their students, he and others with experience both in the classroom and in clinical settings have seen interactions with technology blossom into important social connections that defy a one-size-fits-all mindset. “Schools have been coming back, trying to figure out, how do we readjust our expectations?” Pereira added.

It’s a hard question, especially in the face of research suggesting that the mere presence of a smartphone can undercut learning .

Michael Rich , an associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and an associate professor of social and behavioral sciences at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, says that phones and school don’t mix: Students can’t meaningfully absorb information while also texting, scrolling, or watching YouTube videos.

“The human brain is incapable of thinking more than one thing at a time,” he said. “And so what we think of as multitasking is actually rapid-switch-tasking. And the problem with that is that switch-tasking may cover a lot of ground in terms of different subjects, but it doesn’t go deeply into any of them.”

Pereira’s approach is to step back — and to ask whether a student who can’t resist the phone is a signal that the teacher needs to work harder on making a connection. “Two things I try to share with my new teachers are, one, why is that student on the phone? What’s triggering getting on your cell phone versus jumping into our class discussion, or whatever it may be? And then that leads to the second part, which is essentially classroom management.

“Design better learning activities, design learning activities where you consider how all of your students might want to engage and what their interests are,” he said. He added that allowing phones to be accessible can enrich lessons and provide opportunities to use technology for school-related purposes.

Mesfin Awoke Bekalu, a research scientist in the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness at the Chan School, argues that more flexible classroom policies can create opportunities for teaching tech-literacy and self-regulation.

“There is a huge, growing body of literature showing that social media platforms are particularly helpful for people who need resources or who need support of some kind, beyond their proximate environment,” he said. A study he co-authored by Rachel McCloud and Vish Viswanath for the Lee Kum Sheung Center for Health and Happiness shows that this is especially true for marginalized groups such as students of color and LGBTQ students. But the findings do not support a free-rein policy, Bekalu stressed.

In the end, Rich, who noted the particular challenges faced by his patients with attention-deficit disorders and other neurological conditions, favors a classroom-by-classroom strategy. “It can be managed in a very local way,” he said, adding: “It’s important for parents, teachers, and the kids to remember what they are doing at any point in time and focus on that. It’s really only in mono-tasking that we do very well at things.”

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We looked at all the recent evidence on mobile phone bans in schools – this is what we found

Professor, School of Early Childhood & Inclusive Education, Queensland University of Technology

Associate Professor in Education, The University of Queensland

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The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

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Mobile phones are currently banned in all Australian state schools and many Catholic and independent schools around the country. This is part of a global trend over more than a decade to restrict phone use in schools.

Australian governments say banning mobile phones will reduce distractions in class , allow students to focus on learning , improve student wellbeing and reduce cyberbullying .

But previous research has shown there is little evidence on whether the bans actually achieve these aims.

Many places that restricted phones in schools before Australia did have now reversed their decisions. For example, several school districts in Canada implemented outright bans then revoked them as they were too hard to maintain. They now allow teachers to make decisions that suit their own classrooms.

A ban was similarly revoked in New York City , partly because bans made it harder for parents to stay in contact with their children.

What does recent research say about phone bans in schools?

We conducted a “scoping review” of all published and unpublished global evidence for and against banning mobile phones in schools.

Our review, which is pending publication, aims to shed light on whether mobile phones in schools impact academic achievement (including paying attention and distraction), students’ mental health and wellbeing, and the incidence of cyberbullying.

A scoping review is done when researchers know there aren’t many studies on a particular topic. This means researchers cast a very inclusive net, to gather as much evidence as possible.

Read more: Why a ban on cellphones in schools might be more of a distraction than the problem it’s trying to fix

Our team screened 1,317 articles and reports as well as dissertations from masters and PhD students. We identified 22 studies that examined schools before and after phone bans. There was a mix of study types. Some looked at multiple schools and jurisdictions, some looked at a small number of schools, some collected quantitative data, others sought qualitative views.

In a sign of just how little research there is on this topic, 12 of the studies we identified were done by masters and doctoral students. This means they are not peer-reviewed but done by research students under supervision by an academic in the field.

But in a sign of how fresh this evidence is, almost half the studies we identified were published or completed since 2020.

The studies looked at schools in Bermuda, China, the Czech Republic, Ghana, Malawi, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. None of them looked at schools in Australia.

Academic achievement

Our research found four studies that identified a slight improvement in academic achievement when phones were banned in schools. However, two of these studies found this improvement only applied to disadvantaged or low-achieving students.

Some studies compared schools where there were partial bans against schools with complete bans. This is a problem because it confuses the issue.

But three studies found no differences in academic achievement, whether there were mobile phone bans or not. Two of these studies used very large samples. This masters thesis looked at 30% of all schools in Norway. Another study used a nationwide cohort in Sweden . This means we can be reasonably confident in these results.

Mental health and wellbeing

Two studies in our review, including this doctoral thesis , reported mobile phone bans had positive effects on students’ mental health. However, both studies used teachers’ and parents’ perceptions of students’ wellbeing (the students were not asked themselves).

Two other studies showed no differences in psychological wellbeing following mobile phone bans. However, three studies reported more harm to students’ mental health and wellbeing when they were subjected to phone bans.

The students reported they felt more anxious without being able to use their phone. This was especially evident in one doctoral thesis carried out when students were returning to school after the pandemic, having been very reliant on their devices during lockdown.

So the evidence for banning mobile phones for the mental health and wellbeing of student is inconclusive and based only on anecdotes or perceptions, rather than the recorded incidence of mental illness.

Bullying and cyberbullying

Four studies reported a small reduction in bullying in schools following phone bans, especially among older students. However, the studies did not specify whether or not they were talking about cyberbullying.

Teachers in two other studies, including this doctoral thesis , reported they believed having mobile phones in schools increased cyberbullying.

But two other studies showed the number of incidents of online victimisation and harassment was greater in schools with mobile phone bans compared with those without bans. The study didn’t collect data on whether the online harassment was happening inside or outside school hours.

The authors suggested this might be because students saw the phone bans as punitive, which made the school climate less egalitarian and less positive. Other research has linked a positive school climate with fewer incidents of bullying.

There is no research evidence that students do or don’t use other devices to bully each other if there are phone bans. But it is of course possible for students to use laptops, tablets, smartwatches or library computers to conduct cyberbullying.

Even if phone bans were effective, they would not address the bulk of school bullying. A 2019 Australian study found 99% of students who were cyberbullied were also bullied face-to-face.

Read more: Banning mobile phones in schools: beneficial or risky? Here's what the evidence says

What does this tell us?

Overall, our study suggests the evidence for banning mobile phones in schools is weak and inconclusive.

As Australian education academic Neil Selwyn argued in 2021 , the impetus for mobile phone bans says more about MPs responding to community concerns rather than research evidence.

Politicians should leave this decision to individual schools, which have direct experience of the pros or cons of a ban in their particular community. For example, a community in remote Queensland could have different needs and priorities from a school in central Brisbane.

Mobile phones are an integral part of our lives. We need to be teaching children about appropriate use of phones, rather than simply banning them. This will help students learn how to use their phones safely and responsibly at school, at home and beyond.

Read more: School phone bans seem obvious but could make it harder for kids to use tech in healthy ways

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• Mobile Phone Essay in English for Students

Essay on Mobile Phone for Students

What is an essay? An essay is a write-up from one’s perspective or jotting down one’s thoughts in one place regarding any topic. Writing an essay helps one to develop their writing skills and inculcate creativity in their writing. Likewise, all the parents should teach their kids how to write an essay. 

For your convenience, we have provided a sample essay on ‘Mobile Phone’ in the following. Take a glance through the article so that it becomes easy for you to teach how to write an essay effortlessly.

Mobile Phone

In the era of technical advancement, mobile phones play a very significant role. Technology has made our life quite easier. Life without a mobile phone seems to be quite impossible these days. Precisely, we become handicapped without a phone in hand.

Speaking of mobile phones, it is also referred to as ‘cellular phone’ or ‘smartphone’. Martin Cooper of Motorola produced the first handheld mobile phone call on a prototype DynaTAC model on 3 April 1973. 

Earlier it was only used for calling. But these days, everything is possible through a mobile phone. From sending a message to video calling, internet browsing, photography to video games, emailing and a lot more services can be availed through this handheld phone. 

Advantages of Using Mobile Phones

There are several advantages to using a mobile phone. Here are some provided in the following. 

Helps to Communicate:

Life is easier with mobiles. It helps you to communicate with your near and dear ones through calls, video chats, text messages, emails. Apart from that, it helps you to book a cab, show the map direction, order groceries and many more things. The main advantage of having a mobile is it helps to keep you connected with the entire world irrespective of your location.

A Medium of Entertainment:

With the advent of mobile, now you will be able to get entertained wherever you are. Now the world of entertainment is available just a click away, such as you can watch movies, listen to music, or watch your favorite sports or browse on social media networks etc. 

Mobile Banking:

Can you imagine doing all of your banking transactions and other relevant work through your cell phone? Yes, now everything is possible with the advancement of technology. Be it making a quick payment or transferring money to your family or checking the transaction history or accessing the bank accounts, everything is possible with just a tap of your button. So, it is quite efficient and saves a lot of your precious time.

Office Work Through Mobile:

These days mobiles are used for different types of official work such as scheduling meetings, giving presentations, sending and receiving important documents, applying for jobs, etc. Mobiles have become an essential device in every working person’s life.

Disadvantages of Using Mobile Phones

Creating distance:

While mobile phones claim to connect people and help to communicate with each other, the irony here is that it is creating more distance between people. Nowadays people are more hooked on their phones. So, they mostly spend their time browsing social media or texting each other rather than meeting and talking face to face. 

No Privacy:

These days one of the major concerns is losing one’s privacy through mobile usage. Now anyone could easily access all the important information related to you with just one tap. Not only your information, information about your family, friends, personal life, career, everything is pretty easily accessible. 

Waste of a Lot of Time and Money:

Time and money both are precious in everyone’s life. As the utilization of mobile phones is increasing day by day, the waste of time and money is also increasing gradually. People are becoming addicted to their phones, be it surfing the internet or playing games or checking social media. Besides, the smarter a phone becomes, the more money people spend to buy that phone instead of spending the money on something useful.

FAQs on Mobile Phone Essay in English for Students

1. What is essay writing?

An essay is a piece of writing that expresses the author's point of view; yet, the definition is ambiguous, merging with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short fiction. Formal and casual essays have typically been divided into two categories. The formal essay has a serious objective, dignity, logical organization, and length, whereas the informal essay has a personal element, humor, graceful language, rambling structure, unconventionality or freshness of theme," and so on.

Literary critique, political manifestos, academic arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author are all popular uses for essays. Although almost all modern essays are written in prose, compositions in verse have often been labeled as essays. While an essay is typically defined by its brevity, works such as John Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding and Thomas Malthus's An Essay on the Principle of Population are exceptions. To garner more information, click here.

2. Give a brief overview of mobile phones and their history.

Mobile phones are quite important in this age of technological growth. Our lives have been made much easier by technological advancements. These days, life appears to be impossible without a cell phone. Without a phone in our hands, we become disabled.

When it comes to mobile phones, they're also known as 'cellular phones' or smartphones.' On April 3, 1973, Motorola's Martin Cooper made the first handheld mobile phone call on a prototype DynaTAC device.

It was formerly only used for calling. However, nowadays, everything is possible via a mobile phone. This handheld phone can do anything from sending a message to video calling, internet browsing, photography, video games, and emailing, among other things.

3. What are some advantages of using mobile phones?

Using a mobile phone has several benefits. The following are a few suggestions.

Aids in Communication:

Mobile phones make life easier. It allows you to contact your loved ones via phone conversations, video chats, text messages, and emails. Apart from that, it assists you in booking a cab, displaying map directions, ordering groceries, and a variety of other tasks. The biggest benefit of owning a mobile phone is that it allows you to stay connected to the rest of the world regardless of where you are.

An Entertainment Medium:

With the introduction of mobile phones, you may now be amused wherever you are. The world of entertainment is now just a click away, with options such as watching movies, listening to music, watching your favorite sports or browsing social media networks.

4. State some of the drawbacks of using mobile phones.

Some of the drawbacks of using mobile phones are:

Creating a buffer:

While mobile phones claim to connect people and make it easier for them to interact, the irony is that they create more distance between them. People nowadays are more reliant on their phones. As a result, they choose to spend their time on social media or texting instead of meeting and talking face to face.

There is no privacy:

One of the major issues these days is losing one's privacy due to cell phone usage. With just one swipe, anyone may now readily access all of your vital information. Not only is your information easily accessible, but so is information about your family, friends, personal life, and work.

A waste of time and money:

In everyone's life, time and money are both quite valuable. As the number of people using mobile phones grows, so does the amount of time and money spent on them.

5. How is an essay writing useful to students?

Writing essays help students develop important abilities and functions in their education, making them more useful. One, writing essays allows students to practice and improve abilities that they can apply throughout their academic careers and into their careers. For example, one can improve their reading and writing skills, as well as their capacity to think, organize thoughts, and communicate effectively.

Two, it enables pupils to develop a formal and orderly writing style that reliably conveys information. Three, it aids in the organization of your thoughts on what you are learning, the development of vocabulary, and the development of a distinct writing style. Get free study materials through the Vedantu app and website.

Home — Essay Samples — Information Science and Technology — Cell Phones — Why Cell Phones Should Be Allowed in School

Why Cell Phones Should Be Allowed in School

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Words: 1039 |

Published: Sep 7, 2023

Words: 1039 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Table of contents

Educational benefits: a powerful learning tool, safety and security: a lifeline in critical situations, communication and parental involvement: a partnership for success, addressing concerns: responsible use and effective policies.

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Argumentative Essay on the Use of Mobile Phones in Schools

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Global Foundation for Nursing Profession & Social Services

GFNPSS International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research

Now a day’s mobile phone usability increased in students and society. There are many benefits of using mobile phone along with excessive use of mobile phone become stress in our life. Currently use of mobile phone more concern in students and society. Various efforts have been made through research to identify increased use of mobile phone. At present, mobile phones are being used everywhere. The mobile radiations may give harmful effects, will give major problems also in males’ infertility, Ear problems, Immunity system, Eye vision problems, high blood pressure, tiredness, stress, sleep distribution, impaired concentration, memory and finally gets DNA problems.1 Key words: Impact, mobile phone, student and society.

Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences

IOSR Journals

In 21 st century the revolution of using mobile phone is the most significant issue in the information technology of the modern world. Bangladesh is not beyond the atmospheric. Most of the people either poor or rich use this device widely. Specially the teenagers who are the learners of secondary level are addicted to this technological device. For this reason, they are becoming lag behind from academic study/performance. The research work aims at finding out the above problems and its solutions with keen observations. It also expects to make the learners of secondary level involve in classroom study. The Research work has been done according to the quantitative or some somehow mixed method. To make this research authentic, all the information has been collected from various primary and secondary sources, such as research works, journal articles, newspaper articles etc. Questionnaire with survey method has directly been followed among the learners, teachers, guardians and concerned elites. Here in the manuscript the author has desired to make a result that learners, teachers, guardians, concerned elites, the authority of educational institutions and even the government will realize the harmful effect of excessive use of mobile phone among the learners of secondary level and try to solve this problem collectively. Finally, this study established that excessive use of mobile phone among the learners of secondary level made the quality of education very less than before in Bangladesh especially in Sirajganj district of Bangladesh.

International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET)

Mohammad Salehi

Mobile phones are widely used by university students and there is a controversial topic whether students should be able to use them freely during lectures. A survey was distributed seeking student opinions on using mobile phones in classroom. We used two-phase sampling method to reduce the nonresponse bias. There were 392 valid responses. To test the effect of different factors on students’ opinions a number of statistical techniques were utilized. The results showed Qatar University students marginally favored using mobile in classroom but using mobile phone distracted some students who are less in favor of using phone during lectures. The proportion of students who believe that student should decide to use or not use mobile in the classes is 0.635. Apparently, students expected implementation of a policy that controls the use of mobile phones in class. Recommendations include a blanket policy for the University on the use of mobile phones during class, mobile phone breaks given by...

Carmen Cano

Pakistan Journal of Social Research

Dr.Azmat Ali Shah

The study investigated the uses of a cell phone in educational activities of students at a higher level. The recommendation of National Professional Standards on the use of ICT in education provides a strong theoretical background for the study. The objectives of the study focused on the investigation of the perception of teachers and students regarding the uses of the cell phone in educational activities and effective communication between students and teachers for educational progress. Adopting a descriptive research design, a survey was carried out to investigate one hundred respondents by using a self-developed questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed through percentage and findings were tabulated consequently which show that majority of respondent uses a cell phone for instructive activities and having positive effects on students’ educational performances. Furthermore, the uses of a cell phone in educational activities facilitate teachers and students at the same level i...

David Korede

Asian Journal of Empirical Research

This study is an effort to investigate the “Impacts of Cell Phone Using Habits on the Studies of Students of University of Sargodha and Punjab University Lahore. The study used the survey method for data collection. A sample of 100 respondents consisting of 50 Teachers and 50 Parents was selected by using purposive and convenience sampling technique. The findings show that respondents frequently use cell phone and overwhelming majority spent lots of money in their daily lives. Respondents frequently use cell phone to contact with parents followed by friends, close friends whereas somewhat with classmates and rarely with teachers. But according to teachers and parents students mostly use cell phone to contact with parents; classmates, friends, and close friends with little difference. Students frequently use cell phone in class room not for lecture recording but for the purpose of SMS texting etc. It is also observed that students mostly use cell phone for un-educational activities and according to teachers and parents due the use of cell phone respondents are losing focus on their studies and parents are decreasing their parental control on their children due to the use of cell phone.

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Essay on Mobile Phone

In this short essay on mobile phone, kids can understand the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones. Mobile phones have become a vital tool in our day-to-day lives. If we can teach kids to be more mindful about how and when they use their phones, it will help them in their academic and personal lives and make them better citizens of society. A mobile phone is a personal communication device used to make and receive calls, send and receive messages, access the internet and perform other tasks via a wireless connection. Mobile phones have become an integral part of our lives. They have created a world where everything is possible, and also enhanced the communication speed drastically. In the future, mobile phones will continue to evolve and change the way people interact in society.

Advantages of Mobile Phones

Mobile phones have become much more than just a communication device. We can now use them to make payments, take pictures, and even order food. In this essay on mobile phone, kids will understand its merits and demerits.

A mobile phone makes our lives easier. It can be used for work/business purposes, attending online classes, entertainment, or just talking with friends and family members. Modern smartphones have many useful features. They also have a high-speed internet connection that helps us get what we need quickly and easily.

Mobile phones can be used as an alternative to laptops and desktops because they are much more compact and lightweight than their counterparts and are portable.

Mobile phones have made communication more accessible than ever before. Mobile phones have encouraged a whole new way of doing things, including taking photos, videos, attending online classes, etc. The latest news and all kinds of information that help in knowledge building are available at students’ fingertips. Mobile phones these days have the capability to do nearly everything computers can do. Students use mobile phones to write assignments and create presentations. Most mobile phones have advanced video and picture editing capabilities that allow children to showcase their creative talents.

Disadvantages of Mobile Phones

Every electronic device we use has its pros and cons. Similarly, mobile phones too are dangerous for kids when used excessively. Here are some reasons that help you understand the disadvantages of mobile phones:

Mobile phone addiction is becoming a massive issue as people spend too much time scrolling through screens rather than interacting with the people around them. Additionally, mobile phones are a big distraction for students, and their addiction can affect their ability to concentrate on their studies.

It is not so healthy to be constantly connected to social media on your phone. It can cause you to miss the necessary routine of your life and lead you to follow an unhealthy lifestyle. Mobile phone usage and addiction have increased mental health diseases, like anxiety, depression and other mental disorders.

It is very easy for children to give out personal information or view inappropriate content on the phone. Hence, it is suggested that parents should be mindful and attentive when kids use mobile phones.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the advantages of using mobile phones.

The advantages of using mobile phones are that they make our lives easier. Modern smartphones have many useful features. It can be used for work, attending online classes, entertainment, or just talking with friends and family. They also have a high-speed internet connection that helps us get what we need quickly and easily.

What are the disadvantages of using mobile phones?

One of the disadvantages of using mobile phones is that addiction is becoming a massive issue as people spend too much time scrolling through screens rather than interacting with the people around them. Additionally, mobile phones are a big distraction for students, and their addiction can affect their ability to concentrate on their studies.

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August 25, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

reputable news agency

Schools are competing with cell phones. Here's how they think they could win

by Carolyn Thompson

Isabella Pires first noticed what she calls the "gradual apathy pandemic" in eighth grade. Only a handful of classmates registered for service projects she helped organize at her Massachusetts school. Even fewer actually showed up.

When she got to high school last fall, Isabella found the problem was even worse: a lackluster Spirit Week and classes where students seldom spoke.

In some ways, it's as if students "just care less and less about what people think, but also somehow care more," said Isabella, 14. Some teens, she said, no longer care about appearing disengaged, while others are so afraid of ridicule they keep to themselves. She blames social media and the lingering isolation of the post-COVID era.

Educators say their tried and true lesson plans are no longer enough to keep students engaged at a time of struggling mental health, shortened attention spans, reduced attendance and worsening academic performance. At the crux of these challenges? Addiction to cell phones. Now, adults are trying new strategies to reverse the malaise.

Cell phone bans are gaining traction, but many say they're not enough. They argue for alternative stimulation: steering students outdoors or toward extracurriculars to fill time they might otherwise spend alone online. And students need outlets, they say, to speak about taboo topics without fear of being " canceled " on social media.

"To get students engaged now, you have to be very, very creative," said Wilbur Higgins, lead English teacher at Dartmouth High School, where Isabella will be a sophomore this fall.

Lock them up

Cell phone pouches, lockers and bins have grown in popularity to help enforce device bans.

John Nguyen, a chemistry teacher in California, invented a pouch system because he was so distressed by bullying and fights on phones during class, often without adults interfering. Many teachers are afraid to confront students using phones during lessons, Nguyen said, and others have given up trying to stop it.

At Nguyen's school, students lock their phones in neoprene pouches during classes or even all day. A teacher or principal's magnetic key unlocks the pouches.

It doesn't matter how dynamic the lesson, said Nguyen, who teaches at Marina Valley High School and now markets the pouches to other schools. "There's nothing that can compete with the cell phone."

Do something (else)

Some schools are locking up smartwatches and wireless headphones, too. But the pouches don't work once the final bell rings.

So in Spokane, Washington, schools are ramping up extracurriculars to compete with phones after hours.

An initiative launching this month, " Engage IRL "—in real life—aims to give every student something to look forward to after the school-day grind, whether it's a sport, performing arts or a club.

"Isolating in your home every day after school for hours on end on a personal device has become normalized," Superintendent Adam Swinyard said.

Students can create clubs around interests like board games and knitting or partake in neighborhood basketball leagues. Teachers will help students make a plan to get involved during back-to-school conferences, the district says.

"From 3 to 5:30 you are in a club, you're in a sport, you're at an activity," instead of on a phone, Swinyard said. (The district has a new ban on phones during class, but will allow them after school.)

At a time of high absenteeism , he also hopes the activities will be the extra push some students need to attend school. In a Gallup poll conducted last November, only 48% of middle or high school students said they felt motivated to go to school, and only 52% felt they did something interesting every day. The poll was funded by the Walton Family Foundation, which also supports environmental journalism at AP.

Vivian Mead, a rising senior in Spokane, said having more after-school activities helps but won't work for everyone. "There's definitely still some people who just want to be alone, listen to their music, do their own thing, or, like, be on their phone," said Vivian, 17.

Her 15-year-old sister, Alexandra, said morning advisory sessions have improved participation in the drama club that keeps the sisters busy. "It forces everyone, even if they don't want to get involved, to have to try something, and maybe that clicks," she said.

Get outside

Thirteen middle schools in Maine adopted a similar approach, bringing students outdoors for 35,000 total hours during a chosen week in May.

It's empowering for students to connect with each other in nature, away from screens, said Tim Pearson, a physical education and health teacher. His students at Dedham School participated in the statewide "Life Happens Outside" challenge.

Teachers adapted their lessons to be taught outdoors, and students bonded in the open air during lunch and recess. At night, about half of Dedham's students camped, incentivized by a pizza party. Several students told Pearson they camped out again after the challenge.

"Whether they had phones with them or not, they're building fires, they're putting up their tents," Pearson said. "They're doing things outside that obviously are not on social media or texting."

Plea to parents

Parents must also make changes to their family's cell phone culture, some teachers say. At home, Ohio teacher Aaron Taylor bars cellular devices when his own children have friends over.

And when kids are at school, parents shouldn't distract them with check-in texts throughout the day, he said.

"Students are so tied to their families," said Taylor, who teaches at Westerville North High School, near Columbus. "There's this anxiety of not being able to contact them, rather than appreciating the freedom of being alone for eight hours or with your friends."

Fight fears of being 'canceled'

Some say other forces behind teen disengagement are only amplified by the cell phone . The divisive political climate often makes students unwilling to participate in class, when anything they say can rocket around the school in a messaging app.

Taylor's high school English students tell him they don't talk in class because they don't want to be " canceled "—a term applied to public figures who are silenced or boycotted after offensive opinions or speech.

"I'm like, 'Well, who's canceling you? And why would you be canceled? We're talking about 'The Great Gatsby,'" not some controversial political topic, he said.

Students "get very, very quiet" when topics such as sexuality, gender or politics come up in novels, said Higgins, the Massachusetts English teacher. "Eight years ago, you had hands shooting up all over the place. Nobody wants to be labeled a certain way anymore or to be ridiculed or to be called out for politics."

So Higgins uses websites such as Parlay that allow students to have online discussions anonymously. The services are expensive, but Higgins believes the class engagement is worth it.

"I can see who they are when they're responding to questions and things, but other students can't see," Higgins said. "That can be very, very powerful."

Alarmed at her peers' disengagement, Isabella, Higgins' student, wrote an opinion piece in her school's newspaper.

"Preventing future generations from joining this same downward cycle is up to us," she wrote.

A comment on the post highlighted the challenge, and what's at stake.

"All in all," the commenter wrote, "why should we care?"

© 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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We’ve done enormous damage to kids with smartphones — we must ban them in schools.

America’s children are hurting. Behind in school after pandemic closures, many children are now struggling with another major barrier to learning — smartphone addiction. Two-thirds of Americans students say they are distracted by their digital devices during class.

There’s also a second-hand smoke effect: More than half of students are distracted by the devices of other students, according to a 2022 Program for International Student Assessment study . It’s a complex problem. But one solution is embarrassingly simple — ban phones in America’s classrooms. 

As a society, we don’t allow alcohol or drugs in schools. Why should we allow highly-addictive phones to be used in the same setting?

Today’s phones are designed to grab the attention of users — and never let go. The average teenager receives 273 cell phone notifications per day, according to a 2023 Common Sense Media report .

Limitless apps entice children with the promise of the next dopamine surge, a predatory business model. While numerous studies have shown the negative psychological impact of these devices on developing brains, they can also take a physical toll on the body.

The constant checking, scrolling, and swiping that children succumb to increases cortisol “stress hormone” levels, increases blood pressure, and worsens sleep quality.

While phones are not the sole driver of today’s child mental health epidemic, they are playing a major role. Forty-four percent of teenagers say that their cell phones make them anxious, according to a Pew Research study . That’s probably because apps can make children feel ugly, left out, and lonely. Addictions isolate people, and phone addiction is no exception.

Teenagers use their phones in lieu of face-to-face interaction with peers. But school is exactly where children should be developing those social muscles. In fact, they need human connections for their learning and to be a part of a community. The lack of human connections may explain why suicide and depression rates are surging, up 167% and 145% respectively for girls over the last decade, according to the CDC. 

Thankfully, some leaders are taking action.

Last month, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order to create phone-free education in the state’s public schools K-12. Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York has introduced a similar ban and South Carolina, Florida, and Louisiana currently have some types of restrictions on devices in schools.

These governors are attempting to correct years of unchecked technology stealing the attention of students when they are supposed to be learning. If elected officials are serious about protecting children, they should follow their lead fast.

The matter could not be more urgent. Forty percent of children will have a mental health condition by the time they are 18. And a whopping 57% of U.S. girls today feel sad or hopeless, according to a CDC report , a doubling since 2011. The data show that students are crying out for help with their phone addiction. Let’s not abandon them. 

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New York University psychologist Dr. Jonathan Haidt, who has studied the issue extensively, has pointed out that “Heavy phone or social-media use may also have a cumulative, enduring, and deleterious effect on adolescents’ abilities to focus and apply themselves,” writing on his Substack column , After Babel .

Teachers are also sounding the alarm. Seven in ten teachers say that cell phone distraction is a major problem in the classroom, according to a study by the Pew Research Center. The problem is also worsening the teacher shortage crisis in public schools because of the new cell phone culture of schools. Teachers that leave the profession have cite d issues with social media in the classroom as a major factor to their departures.

Banning cell phones in school is entirely feasible. At St. Anthony Middle School in Minnesota, students are now required to put their cell phones in their lockers between 8:00 am and 2:45 pm.

Principal Amy Kujawski enacted the ban in part to deal with online misbehavior. “Smartphones were a giant distraction to learning and they were also interrupting our chances to build strong relationships with our students,” she told Minnesota Public Radio . As a result of her policy, the school experienced a near elimination of phone-related behavioral issues.

Doing nothing is not an option. Do we really trust Silicon valley companies, who profit from this addiction, to meaningfully help the current mental health crisis of children? I don’t.

States are looking for practical solutions to address teacher retention, student performance and mental health.

A phone ban in the classroom can help with all three. 

Marty Makary is a Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor, an advisor to Governor Glenn Youngkin, and author of the forthcoming book “ Blind Spots: When medicine gets it wrong and what it means for our health . “

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Schools are competing with cell phones. Here’s how they think they could win

An AP analysis of data from 40 states and DC shows school absenteeism got worse in each one except Arkansas from 2018-2022.

This photo provided by Spokane Public Schools shows Adams Elementary fifth graders pausing to pose for a photo while painting a mural at Spokane Community College, May 2024, in Spokane, Wash. (Spokane Public Schools via AP)

This photo provided by Spokane Public Schools shows John R. Rogers High School football players lifting a Longfellow Elementary student to the hoop during a visit to the school, Nov. 2022. Longfellow kindergarteners inspired the field trip when they wrote a collaborative letter to the older kids, saying how proud they were of the neighborhood team for earning their first win in three years, in Spokane, Wash. (Spokane Public Schools via AP)

Student Isabella Pires stands for a photograph, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, at Dartmouth High School, in Dartmouth, Mass. Pires wrote an opinion piece in her school’s newspaper about malaise she sees in school, hoping to start a discussion and maybe get students and adults alike to think about reversing the disengagement that she sees as worsening. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Lackawanna Police Officer Abdul Albaneh, who works with schools, demonstrates how to unlock a cellphone pouch that will prevent students from using their cellphones during the school day to improve student engagement, in Lackawanna, N.Y., Aug. 19, 2024, for when school resumes in September. (AP Photo/Carolyn Thompson)

Parents and students in the Lackawanna City School District watch a video demonstrating a new policy that will require the students to lock their cellphones in pouches during the school day, Aug. 19, 2024, in Lackawanna, N.Y. (AP Photo/Carolyn Thompson)

• Copy Link copied

Isabella Pires first noticed what she calls the “gradual apathy pandemic” in eighth grade. Only a handful of classmates registered for service projects she helped organize at her Massachusetts school. Even fewer actually showed up.

When she got to high school last fall, Isabella found the problem was even worse: a lackluster Spirit Week and classes where students seldom spoke.

In some ways, it’s as if students “just care less and less about what people think, but also somehow care more ,” said Isabella, 14. Some teens, she said, no longer care about appearing disengaged, while others are so afraid of ridicule they keep to themselves. She blames social media and the lingering isolation of the post-COVID era.

Educators say their tried and true lesson plans are no longer enough to keep students engaged at a time of struggling mental health , shortened attention spans, reduced attendance and worsening academic performance . At the crux of these challenges? Addiction to cell phones. Now, adults are trying new strategies to reverse the malaise.

Student Isabella Pires stands for a photograph, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, at Dartmouth High School, in Dartmouth, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Cell phone bans are gaining traction, but many say they’re not enough. They argue for alternative stimulation: steering students outdoors or toward extracurriculars to fill time they might otherwise spend alone online. And students need outlets, they say, to speak about taboo topics without fear of being “ canceled ” on social media.

“To get students engaged now, you have to be very, very creative,” said Wilbur Higgins, lead English teacher at Dartmouth High School, where Isabella will be a sophomore this fall.

Lock them up

Cell phone pouches, lockers and bins have grown in popularity to help enforce device bans .

John Nguyen, a chemistry teacher in California, invented a pouch system because he was so distressed by bullying and fights on phones during class, often without adults interfering. Many teachers are afraid to confront students using phones during lessons, Nguyen said, and others have given up trying to stop it.

At Nguyen’s school, students lock their phones in neoprene pouches during classes or even all day. A teacher or principal’s magnetic key unlocks the pouches.

It doesn’t matter how dynamic the lesson, said Nguyen, who teaches at Marina Valley High School and now markets the pouches to other schools. “There’s nothing that can compete with the cell phone.”

Do something (else)

Some schools are locking up smartwatches and wireless headphones, too. But the pouches don’t work once the final bell rings.

So in Spokane, Washington, schools are ramping up extracurriculars to compete with phones after hours.

An initiative launching this month, “ Engage IRL ” — in real life — aims to give every student something to look forward to after the school-day grind, whether it’s a sport, performing arts or a club.

“Isolating in your home every day after school for hours on end on a personal device has become normalized,” Superintendent Adam Swinyard said.

Students can create clubs around interests like board games and knitting or partake in neighborhood basketball leagues. Teachers will help students make a plan to get involved during back-to-school conferences, the district says.

This photo provided by Spokane Public Schools shows John R. Rogers High School football players lifting a Longfellow Elementary student to the hoop during a visit to the school, Nov. 2022. (Spokane Public Schools via AP)

“From 3 to 5:30 you are in a club, you’re in a sport, you’re at an activity,” instead of on a phone, Swinyard said. (The district has a new ban on phones during class, but will allow them after school.)

At a time of high absenteeism , he also hopes the activities will be the extra push some students need to attend school. In a Gallup poll conducted last November, only 48% of middle or high school students said they felt motivated to go to school, and only 52% felt they did something interesting every day. The poll was funded by the Walton Family Foundation, which also supports environmental journalism at AP.

Vivian Mead, a rising senior in Spokane, said having more after-school activities helps but won’t work for everyone. “There’s definitely still some people who just want to be alone, listen to their music, do their own thing, or, like, be on their phone,” said Vivian, 17.

Her 15-year-old sister, Alexandra, said morning advisory sessions have improved participation in the drama club that keeps the sisters busy. “It forces everyone, even if they don’t want to get involved, to have to try something, and maybe that clicks,” she said.

Get outside

Thirteen middle schools in Maine adopted a similar approach, bringing students outdoors for 35,000 total hours during a chosen week in May.

It’s empowering for students to connect with each other in nature, away from screens, said Tim Pearson, a physical education and health teacher. His students at Dedham School participated in the statewide “Life Happens Outside” challenge.

Teachers adapted their lessons to be taught outdoors, and students bonded in the open air during lunch and recess. At night, about half of Dedham’s students camped, incentivized by a pizza party. Several students told Pearson they camped out again after the challenge.

“Whether they had phones with them or not, they’re building fires, they’re putting up their tents,” Pearson said. “They’re doing things outside that obviously are not on social media or texting.”

Plea to parents

Parents must also make changes to their family’s cell phone culture, some teachers say. At home, Ohio teacher Aaron Taylor bars cellular devices when his own children have friends over.

And when kids are at school, parents shouldn’t distract them with check-in texts throughout the day, he said.

“Students are so tied to their families,” said Taylor, who teaches at Westerville North High School, near Columbus. “There’s this anxiety of not being able to contact them, rather than appreciating the freedom of being alone for eight hours or with your friends.”

Fight fears of being ‘canceled’

Some say other forces behind teen disengagement are only amplified by the cell phone. The divisive political climate often makes students unwilling to participate in class, when anything they say can rocket around the school in a messaging app.

Taylor’s high school English students tell him they don’t talk in class because they don’t want to be “ canceled ” — a term applied to public figures who are silenced or boycotted after offensive opinions or speech.

“I’m like, ‘Well, who’s canceling you? And why would you be canceled? We’re talking about `The Great Gatsby,’” not some controversial political topic, he said.

Students “get very, very quiet” when topics such as sexuality, gender or politics come up in novels, said Higgins, the Massachusetts English teacher. “Eight years ago, you had hands shooting up all over the place. Nobody wants to be labeled a certain way anymore or to be ridiculed or to be called out for politics.”

So Higgins uses websites such as Parlay that allow students to have online discussions anonymously. The services are expensive, but Higgins believes the class engagement is worth it.

“I can see who they are when they’re responding to questions and things, but other students can’t see,” Higgins said. “That can be very, very powerful.”

Alarmed at her peers’ disengagement, Isabella, Higgins’ student, wrote an opinion piece in her school’s newspaper.

“Preventing future generations from joining this same downward cycle is up to us,” she wrote.

A comment on the post highlighted the challenge, and what’s at stake.

“All in all,” the commenter wrote, “why should we care?”

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Essay on Mobile Phone Boon or Bane

Students are often asked to write an essay on Mobile Phone Boon or Bane in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Mobile Phone Boon or Bane

Introduction.

Mobile phones, once a luxury, have now become a necessity. They are seen as a boon or bane, depending on their usage.

Boon Aspects

Mobile phones are a boon as they enable quick communication. They are useful for education, providing access to vast resources online.

Bane Aspects

However, they can be a bane when they become addictive. Excessive use can lead to health issues and hinder social interactions.

In conclusion, whether mobile phones are a boon or bane depends on how we use them. Responsible use ensures they remain a boon.

250 Words Essay on Mobile Phone Boon or Bane

The ubiquity of mobile phones, mobile phones: a boon.

Mobile phones have made communication seamless and instantaneous. They provide us with access to vast amounts of information and services at our fingertips. From booking tickets to monitoring health, mobile phones have transformed every aspect of our lives. They are also instrumental in bridging the digital divide, empowering individuals in remote areas with access to the internet and digital services.

Mobile Phones: A Bane

On the flip side, the disadvantages of mobile phones cannot be overlooked. They have led to an increase in screen time, adversely affecting our physical and mental health. The constant need to stay connected has resulted in a lack of real-world social interactions, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Furthermore, the misuse of mobile phones for cybercrime, online bullying, and invasion of privacy is a growing concern.

Striking a Balance

In conclusion, it is clear that mobile phones have both positive and negative impacts. The key lies in using this powerful tool judiciously. As responsible users, we need to strike a balance between leveraging the benefits of mobile phones and mitigating their potential harms. This will ensure that we harness the potential of this technology while minimizing its adverse effects.

500 Words Essay on Mobile Phone Boon or Bane

Mobile phones, since their inception, have dramatically transformed the way we live, work, and communicate. The question of whether they are a boon or a bane is complex, with both perspectives having compelling arguments.

Mobile phones have undeniably brought numerous advantages. They have revolutionized communication, making it instantaneous and borderless. Today, we can connect with anyone, anywhere, at any time. This has not only made our personal lives more convenient but also has had profound implications for business, healthcare, and education.

Moreover, mobile phones have become essential tools in the business world. They allow for remote working, instant communication with colleagues and clients, and quick access to necessary information. In the healthcare sector, mobile phones enable telemedicine, allowing patients to consult with doctors without having to travel.

However, the ubiquity of mobile phones also has its downsides. The most prominent concern is the impact on mental and physical health. Excessive screen time can lead to a sedentary lifestyle, resulting in obesity and associated health issues. Additionally, the constant connectivity can lead to stress and anxiety, with studies showing a correlation between high mobile phone use and poor mental health.

Another significant concern is the impact on privacy. With the rise of smartphones, personal data is increasingly being collected and used, often without the user’s explicit consent. This has serious implications for individual privacy and security.

Furthermore, the omnipresence of mobile phones has led to concerns about reduced face-to-face interaction and its impact on social skills. The irony of the ‘connected’ world is that while we may be more connected virtually, we may also be becoming more disconnected in reality.

In conclusion, mobile phones are both a boon and a bane. They have undeniably brought significant benefits, revolutionizing communication, and providing unprecedented access to information. However, they also come with significant drawbacks, including potential health issues, privacy concerns, and impacts on social interaction.

The key lies in mindful usage. By being aware of the potential pitfalls and making conscious choices to mitigate them, we can harness the benefits of mobile phones while minimizing the drawbacks. As the technology continues to evolve, so too must our understanding and approach to using it in a way that enhances, rather than detracts from, our quality of life.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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Schools are competing with cell phones. Here's how they think they could win

Students are struggling to stay engaged in class at a time of poor mental health, shortened attention spans, reduced attendance and worsening grades

Isabella Pires first noticed what she calls the “gradual apathy pandemic” in eighth grade. Only a handful of classmates registered for service projects she helped organize at her Massachusetts school. Even fewer actually showed up.

When she got to high school last fall, Isabella found the problem was even worse: a lackluster Spirit Week and classes where students seldom spoke.

In some ways, it’s as if students “just care less and less about what people think, but also somehow care more ,” said Isabella, 14. Some teens, she said, no longer care about appearing disengaged, while others are so afraid of ridicule they keep to themselves. She blames social media and the lingering isolation of the post-COVID era.

Educators say their tried and true lesson plans are no longer enough to keep students engaged at a time of struggling mental health , shortened attention spans, reduced attendance and worsening academic performance . At the crux of these challenges? Addiction to cell phones. Now, adults are trying new strategies to reverse the malaise.

Cell phone bans are gaining traction, but many say they’re not enough. They argue for alternative stimulation: steering students outdoors or toward extracurriculars to fill time they might otherwise spend alone online. And students need outlets, they say, to speak about taboo topics without fear of being “ canceled ” on social media.

“To get students engaged now, you have to be very, very creative,” said Wilbur Higgins, lead English teacher at Dartmouth High School, where Isabella will be a sophomore this fall.

Cell phone pouches, lockers and bins have grown in popularity to help enforce device bans .

John Nguyen, a chemistry teacher in California, invented a pouch system because he was so distressed by bullying and fights on phones during class, often without adults interfering. Many teachers are afraid to confront students using phones during lessons, Nguyen said, and others have given up trying to stop it.

At Nguyen’s school, students lock their phones in neoprene pouches during classes or even all day. A teacher or principal’s magnetic key unlocks the pouches.

It doesn’t matter how dynamic the lesson, said Nguyen, who teaches at Marina Valley High School and now markets the pouches to other schools. “There’s nothing that can compete with the cell phone.”

Some schools are locking up smartwatches and wireless headphones, too. But the pouches don’t work once the final bell rings.

So in Spokane, Washington, schools are ramping up extracurriculars to compete with phones after hours.

An initiative launching this month, “ Engage IRL ” — in real life — aims to give every student something to look forward to after the school-day grind, whether it’s a sport, performing arts or a club.

“Isolating in your home every day after school for hours on end on a personal device has become normalized,” Superintendent Adam Swinyard said.

Students can create clubs around interests like board games and knitting or partake in neighborhood basketball leagues. Teachers will help students make a plan to get involved during back-to-school conferences, the district says.

“From 3 to 5:30 you are in a club, you’re in a sport, you’re at an activity,” instead of on a phone, Swinyard said. (The district has a new ban on phones during class, but will allow them after school.)

At a time of high absenteeism , he also hopes the activities will be the extra push some students need to attend school. In a Gallup poll conducted last November, only 48% of middle or high school students said they felt motivated to go to school, and only 52% felt they did something interesting every day. The poll was funded by the Walton Family Foundation, which also supports environmental journalism at AP.

Vivian Mead, a rising senior in Spokane, said having more after-school activities helps but won’t work for everyone. “There’s definitely still some people who just want to be alone, listen to their music, do their own thing, or, like, be on their phone,” said Vivian, 17.

Her 15-year-old sister, Alexandra, said morning advisory sessions have improved participation in the drama club that keeps the sisters busy. “It forces everyone, even if they don’t want to get involved, to have to try something, and maybe that clicks,” she said.

Thirteen middle schools in Maine adopted a similar approach, bringing students outdoors for 35,000 total hours during a chosen week in May.

It’s empowering for students to connect with each other in nature, away from screens, said Tim Pearson, a physical education and health teacher. His students at Dedham School participated in the statewide “Life Happens Outside” challenge.

Teachers adapted their lessons to be taught outdoors, and students bonded in the open air during lunch and recess. At night, about half of Dedham’s students camped, incentivized by a pizza party. Several students told Pearson they camped out again after the challenge.

“Whether they had phones with them or not, they’re building fires, they’re putting up their tents,” Pearson said. “They’re doing things outside that obviously are not on social media or texting.”

Parents must also make changes to their family’s cell phone culture, some teachers say. At home, Ohio teacher Aaron Taylor bars cellular devices when his own children have friends over.

And when kids are at school, parents shouldn’t distract them with check-in texts throughout the day, he said.

“Students are so tied to their families,” said Taylor, who teaches at Westerville North High School, near Columbus. “There’s this anxiety of not being able to contact them, rather than appreciating the freedom of being alone for eight hours or with your friends.”

Some say other forces behind teen disengagement are only amplified by the cell phone. The divisive political climate often makes students unwilling to participate in class, when anything they say can rocket around the school in a messaging app.

Taylor’s high school English students tell him they don’t talk in class because they don’t want to be “ canceled ” — a term applied to public figures who are silenced or boycotted after offensive opinions or speech.

“I’m like, ‘Well, who’s canceling you? And why would you be canceled? We’re talking about `The Great Gatsby,’” not some controversial political topic, he said.

Students “get very, very quiet” when topics such as sexuality, gender or politics come up in novels, said Higgins, the Massachusetts English teacher. “Eight years ago, you had hands shooting up all over the place. Nobody wants to be labeled a certain way anymore or to be ridiculed or to be called out for politics.”

So Higgins uses websites such as Parlay that allow students to have online discussions anonymously. The services are expensive, but Higgins believes the class engagement is worth it.

“I can see who they are when they’re responding to questions and things, but other students can’t see,” Higgins said. “That can be very, very powerful.”

Alarmed at her peers' disengagement, Isabella, Higgins’ student, wrote an opinion piece in her school’s newspaper.

“Preventing future generations from joining this same downward cycle is up to us,” she wrote.

A comment on the post highlighted the challenge, and what’s at stake.

“All in all,” the commenter wrote, “why should we care?”

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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Smartphones don't belong in the classroom. Dumb phones are the best choice for students

We have to let our children navigate this world and trust the people we’ve placed in their lives..

When I first learned of the parent-led movement to ban smartphones and smart watches from Jefferson County Public Schools, I balked. But that emotional reaction was about me. My fear. I've now changed my mind. Kids don't need smartphones in school.

Ten years ago a student was shot at Fern Creek High School. My daughter was a freshman at the time. It happened between classes. She was close enough to hear the gunshots and to be trampled by students running and screaming. Once she was locked down in a classroom, she texted me.

This scene is what comes to mind when I think of a smartphone ban — an emergency situation when all I want is to hear from my child. In reality, I got a text from the school not long after I heard from my daughter. Did it replace the opportunity to comfort my kid, squelch my fears and tell her I love her? Of course not.

Later that same year she missed her bus stop coming home from school. She took a TARC bus home, and she got off at Fourth Street downtown about three miles from home. In my day, I would have had to find a pay phone to call my dad at work so he could pick me up. But my daughter texted me, found a restaurant to wait in and I was on my way. 

Technology has evolved, and society has evolved with it. Is it convenient? Yes. Is it always what’s best for our children? Not necessarily. 

Smartphones can hurt our children

Smartphones are loaded with addictive apps that have only one purpose — to make money by capturing and keeping your child’s attention. Our children are sucked into using them for all sorts of reasons during the school day. Whether that’s chatting with a friend when they should be learning, texting a parent because they forgot something, bullying a fellow student via social media, taking videos that are violations of privacy or using platforms like Snapchat to coordinate fights in the bathroom and to share drugs.

Telling children to leave them in their locker or keep them turned off in their backpacks is not enough. Power struggles over phone use in the classroom are constant, and smartphones are all too addictive.

I quit teaching because of phones: Smartphones in school prevents students from learning.

Cell phones don’t belong in the classroom, but some students also need them for valid reasons before and after school. Where is the middle ground?

Buy your child a dumb phone. 

A simple phone with two functions: Talk and text. Leave the games and social media for your home-based devices. A smartphone is a handheld device with 1,400 different ways to distract you from living the life right in front of you — whether that's school, work or family dinner. It is not good for anyone, much less the learning environment. Put the smartphones down.

JCPS to review student cell phone policy

JCPS will reconsider its cell phone policy next year when the student handbook is reviewed. If the school district continues to permit smartphones and smart watches then it must also include an enforceable policy saying smartphones can be confiscated if used during the school day.

If the district bans smartphones, then dumb phones should be permitted with the same caveat — they will be confiscated if used during the school day.

We have to let our children navigate this world and trust the people we’ve placed in their lives. When that shooting happened at Fern Creek High School , my daughter was safe in a classroom with her teacher. Was it scary? Yes. But in the end that text communication was about me. It comforted me.

I have a son in third grade who does not have a smartphone or any phone for that matter. I trust Hawthorne Elementary with his care every day. I don’t see any reason that should change as he navigates the school system in middle and high school. When it comes time for him to need a phone, he’ll likely get a dumb phone. 

Bonnie Jean Feldkamp is the community engagement and opinion editor for The Louisville Courier Journal. She can be reached via email at [email protected].

Agree or disagree? Submit your letter to the editor here.