Have you ever had your phone taken away by your teacher or get yelled at for using it during class? This can change if you use your phone for your education. Schools should have students use their phones in school because it’s part of the common core to use technology, many apps and resources, and teachers even tell us to take out our phones. There are reasons why cell phones help students academically.
Cell phones should be used in school. “According to data compiled by the research firm Nielsen, 58% of American children from thirteen to seventeen old owned a smartphone in 2012, an increase of more than 60% over the previous year." More and more schools are using devices in the classroom for learning. The internet offers so much that can help us learn. Technology has became much more advanced which can help us learn. And since more and more students are using smartphones, why not have them use the device in school? 
Using technology is part of the common core, which helps us academically. Technology helps us build our thinking skills and problem solving skills. It allows us to express our knowledge. Dedra Stafford said, “The realization is becoming clear that technology can no longer be a standalone opportunity used only in certain classrooms, but rather, it must become a blended part of all areas of thinking and learning." This is a big opportunity for us to go above and beyond by using technology. The technology helps us do things that we’ve never been able to do before that can increase learning.
Many teachers often tell us to take out our phones. They do it because they’re great for searching a word online. The phones come in handy if we forget a homework assignment. We can put in a notification telling us when the homework is due, or when we have tests and quizzes. Ken Halla is a World History teacher and AP Government teacher and he said, “Not every classroom can get a laptop everyday, so devices, even if you have to pair up, become something useful for teachers." This is how cell phones help us learn.
Technology has became so advanced over the years that there are learning apps that help us academically. We have easy access to the apps. Learning apps help us understand the topic better and also to learn better. Some people may be concerned about the price for the apps. Well, many of the learning apps are free of charge, so anyone can get them. “Any time you can connect into their (the students) world or sort of plug into what they are already interested in, it’s going to make your classroom content more believable or buy into it more”, says Emily Huff, a high school teacher that has found educational uses for the apps Trivia Crack, Snapchat, and Vine.
There are many resources online that boost student learning. There are many web databases to choose from. One kind of online learning is blended learning which has tools and resources to boost learning and they have lots of information for us. Paul Gazzolo says, “Information literacy skills are important for a student’s academic and career success." With the use of online resources, it can help us use those skills in school, but also in life. And you can use your phone for this in school and for any resource.
There is also another side to this argument. Cell phones should not be used during school. Research shows that multitasking, like texting in school and learning, makes us do worse in school. Also, we are texting more and more each day in and outside of school which can prevent us from learning. A study showed that students that were texting in class and using social media during class did worse on a quiz than those who weren't using their phone at all. It also showed that our GPA's can decrease. If we use our cell phones or devices wisely, then it won't be an issue. And if we use them improperly, there will be consequences.
Technology has became much more advanced. It has been surrounding us our whole life so why not have cell phones be used in school? There are many tools, resources, and apps that can help students in school and it can help us in life. "The realization is becoming clear that technology can no longer be a standalone opportunity used only in certain classrooms, but rather, it must become a blended part of all areas of thinking and learning." This is why cell phones can help students academically. Cell phones can be a big distraction, but if we use them right in school, it can help in the future.