The increased use of cell phones in the classroom has led to an immense decrease in academic performance among students. Education currently has been making the gradual transformation between text books and printed off assignments to more easily accessible technology assignments on things such as laptops and tablets. Students use these devices to enhance their academic performance by using them to provide visuals, answer questions and researching. Although these devices have had a mostly positive effect on the learning environment, the distraction of social media and games on a smartphone have been affecting the students in a harmful way towards the way students learn. The idea of multitasking is considered a myth. Students cannot play a game on their phone while also getting down all of the notes they need to succeed in their classes.

Texting in the classroom takes away the from the time that students could be paying attention. In a Dietz and Henrich study, it was shown that in a class of 99 college students the average amount of texts sent was 26.29 during one lecture. Their study showed that students who used their cellphones in the classroom were able to recall less and had a lower rate of student satisfaction. In a Junco study of a university, it was reported that 53% of students sent text messages during class. It has been proven that students use their phone in class because they find it more enjoyable, interesting, and stimulation than what is happening in the classroom. Studies have always shown for years that physically taking notes and doing assignments with a paper and pencil and writing it out has been the most credible way to learn as opposed to typing them out on a laptop or a computer. The students using their cell phones while their in class could also become a distraction to the teachers and other students learning.

Cell phone use in class is a common thing, it could be a good thing or bad thing. “The cell phones can be a huge distraction to students in the current world that we’re in. However, they also can be very useful. It all depends on who the person is that is using the phone” said Angi Roe, who grew up in a time period where there were no cell phones or computers in school.

One thing that a majority of students use their cell phones for is music. Music could be a distraction from learning and taking notes. On the opposite end of that view, some people work harder and work better when listening to music. “Music keeps me sane throughout the day, whenever I’m needing some time to myself I put my headphones in and block out all distractions and I do my work without anything on my mind.”, said Anthony Jones, he also uses music to get him hyped up before basketball games.

“As someone who has worked in a classroom type of setting my whole life, I have seen the constant use of cell phones become a problem in the classroom. My classroom has a strict no cell phone policy and I really believe that it has made my students more attentive and I have seen an improvement in their grades ever since I started pushing the rule on a more strict basis,” says Chris Chapple, 13 year eighth grade teacher at Hardin Middle School. A lot of things depend on the student and teacher relationship in the classroom, so if teachers are implementing their own cell phone policies the students following those limitations will have a better relationship with that teacher of that class.

Some students may be able to handle the distraction of their cell phones in class, but others it can cause a lot of problems. People never realize how distracting their cell phone can be because they are so used to always being on it or having it with them. Students would get a lot of work done a lot faster if they didn’t have there cell phone to distract them while working. They usually think that they can do a few problems or write a few sentences than take a cell phone break, but in reality it is only slowing them down from finishing their work faster.