The Mobile Phone " Monster " !

In any Australian city street scene the absence of a mobile phone would be unusual.  They are everywhere !   People are either talking on them, listening or viewing the information or entertainment on the small screen.   Just having one in your hand has become one of life's normal accessories.

Legislation is about to apply additional demerit point losses for using a mobile phone while driving and their use has become so compulsive that this is unlikely to achieve much of a reduction in this law breach.   The most likely outcome will be an increase in those driving with cancelled licenses.

We are about to enter the age of the 5G network and this will push the mobile phone boundaries ever outward. The mobile phone is fast replacing a wallet or purse to pay for shopping and now it is being accused of being responsible for the problems in our education system.  It is claimed that mobile phone use is disrupting the attention needed to progress in class and we are falling behind in comparison with world standards.

It stands to reason that if use of mobile phones while driving is dangerous because full attention is needed for safe driving, then using a mobile phone during class will certainly divert attention from what is being taught.  That delvers a compelling argument for banning mobile phones while pupils are at school.

This is getting a mixed reception from teachers.  Some see the mobile phone as an essential aid for pupils from homes that lack a computer and in schools in which computer use is limited.  A ban would certainly result in an angry backlash from the kids and many of their parents.  Many see those phones as a safety measure.  They are in contact with their children at all times of the day and night.

Supporters of this ban in schools claim it will reduce the bullying problems, but this is enhanced on the Internet and is most prevalent out of school hours.  The main objection is the distraction of phone use taking attention away from what is being taught and that can only be achieved if the phone is turned off - or has been handed in before the start of class.

The sheer logistics of that is daunting.  The task of receiving and specifically identifying each phone, storing and returning them to the correct owner would be labour intensive.  Mobile phones are now a fact of life and we need to integrate them into the school process to gain the advantages they deliver. They are an advanced scientific instrument with the ability to search and retrieve knowledge that was formerly the prerogative of the school library.

The more they are integrated into the learning process, the ability to disrupt is reduced.  It seems to be a case of adapting teaching methods to gain the benefits when the advance of technology creates new frontiers.