An overview on Mobile phone usage among students

1. Mobile Phone Usage among
Students: Its Pros and Cons

2. Evolution of mobile phone technology
from 1G to 5G:
Technological advancement is directly proportional to
the increased cell phone usage since it has made it possible
to increase the functions of mobile phones and their users as
well. Turning these devices into compact mobile computers. The
first generation (1G) is only allowed to make voice calls with the
mobile. With the arrival of 2G in the nineties,
SMS (text messages) to communicate began.
In the early years of this century, broadband arrived through the
GSM (3G) network, which allowed the internet on our mobile
phones and functions such as GPS tracking or videoconferencing.
The fourth-generation (4G) allowed high-speed browsing, with
greater security like encrypted password protection and quality of
service. With this technology, it is possible to enjoy streaming
multimedia content comfortably. The latest generation (5G) will
multiply the internet connection speed by 10, making it possible
to download a full movie in a matter of seconds.

3. The Changing Student Experience: Pros
of Student’s Phone Usage
• The Advantages of Mobile Technology in Education Can’t be a
Miss
• Students as Digital Creatives
• The Role of Mobile Phones for Learning
• Instant Access
Coin’s other side: Cons of Student’s
Phone Usage
• Impact on Mental health
• Impact on physical health
• Impact on Academics
• Cyberbullying
• Peer Pressure
• Source of Distraction
• Phone Addiction

4. The Advantages of Mobile Technology
in Education Can’t be a Miss
Instead of having a negative opinion from the start, a discussion
requires exploring both sides of the coin to make more information
led decisions. We have to get the positive side out of
everything, including social networks. Since people feel so
addicted to using their mobile phones, it is the core of our
discussion.
The advantages and disadvantages of using mobile
phones can’t be under discussion without considering that these
mobile phones offer many applications that may also be good or bad
for students. The advantages of the smartphone as an
educational tool are apparent.
For example, teachers can devise study plans that enable their
students to create groups on social networks to share information
or multimedia content of mutual interest, all under the teacher’s
supervision and rules.
It can be the perfect example of an advantage of mobile technology
in education. Still, it is necessary to develop dynamics where
students are motivated to use it for their learning and not for
fun. It is not only that the teacher will be in charge of

5. Students as Digital Creatives
There is a growing development of educational applications for
mobile phone usage. A teacher can include these learning apps in
their educational model to eliminate cell phone usage problems in
the classroom. Teachers can also encourage students to be the
authors of their mobile applications to serve
their collective learning.
Teachers can inspire students to work as a team for the common
good, and it could even be something informative in the style of a
digital newspaper. The idea is that teachers motivate their
students to integrate and make good use of the technology already
available to them as advantages of using smartphones.
21st-century education typically suggests a more horizontal model,
where a teacher shares ideas with their students, exchanges
knowledge, motivates a healthy debate but does not have the duty
to know everything. Its authority is from the ability to awaken
the student’s interest in researching new topics, to be self-
critical and, at the same time, to criticize constructively in
this learning process, from childhood to university.

6. The Role of Mobile Phones for
Learning
The mobile phone as an instrument for learning facilitates the
collective creation of knowledge in the classroom. This touch
screen device that threatens to be a distraction during the
lessons has the ability for students and their teachers to
question, innovate and propose solutions to the problems in their
immediate environment.
Suppose the barrier of mere entertainment and the banality of only
criticizing through social networks is out of the picture. We
cannot limit the technology to sending and receiving messages,
snooping in the neighbourhood on Facebook or focusing on
entertainment. Today’s education has the challenge of motivating
us to go beyond these primary uses even from an early age.
The challenge is achieved through efficient teacher training on
the subject and joint creativity between students and teachers to
make the cell phone a classroom learning tool. It is not about
creating manuals or long strenuous sessions to turn the teacher
into a technology guru; the teacher is a facilitator of the
digital experience, fostering challenges and discussions based on

7. Instant Access
As we discuss the pros and cons of using mobile phones, we can’t
leave out the student’s ability to instantly access
everything online. It is a big world in the digital realm. We can
access the good, the bad and the ugly with a simple
click. Students, in this sense, must be given ample awareness
that the device in their hands can be the most helpful tool for
their education for life.
Especially if we keep in mind that almost seventy percent of
students in the world got affected during the COVID-19. Online
education delivery systems became the only solution in several
developed and developing countries, and cell phone usage for
education without leaving the safety of their
homes is known globally.
The students themselves can regulate students’ advantages and
disadvantages of using mobile phones. If they choose to access
information and tools that will assist them in their
education, they can achieve wonders. The negative side will not be
pretty for anyone. These are clear pros of mobile phones that
students can virtually know about their national history, the
global history and the latest trends of modern technology in the

8. Impact on Mental health
Extensive mobile phone usage causes great stress to our brains and
eyes. It can directly affect our thinking patterns, especially if
we consistently view harmful content in different forms. We have
ample evidence that teenagers who use mobile phones and social
media platforms are more prone to feel jealousy and low self-
esteem and have a higher chance of committing suicide if left
without intervention. In this sense, it may be a clear
disadvantage of smartphones for students and their wellbeing.
Impact on Academics
With so many mobile phones available today that incorporate
cameras into them, a student can take pictures inside the
classroom for many reasons. For example, a devious student could
photograph an exam or quiz and send that photo to his friends who
has that same class at the end of the day. It would
allow their friend ample time to research the questions and cheat
on the upcoming quiz.
Or, a student may secretly take photos of other students or the
teacher and post them online as a means of humiliation.
Certain mobile phones – like the Apple iPhone – can have movies
downloaded to them. Even if the teacher is a fan of the film in

9. Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is a problem that has developed with the invention
of the internet and mobile phones. Allowing students to carry cell
phones with them to class can only increase this problem. During
class time, a student can use their cell phone to send threatening
text messages to another student – who may or may not be in the
classroom – and send threatening messages to the student’s
Facebook page if their phone has Internet access.
Students may also use their mobile phones right before class
begins to call a bomb threat or other threats to disrupt the
school day.
Peer Pressure
Mobile phone usage keeps the students updated about their peers in
real-time. It can be damaging for their self-esteem as they will
be witnessing good and bad happenings in the lives of their
friends. For example, a friend getting the latest iPhone from
their parents might pressure another child to demand the same from
their parents.
It can cause similar situations where children will
be influenced by peer pressure as they commit something wrong or

10. Source of Distraction
The main disadvantage of cell phones used in classrooms is the
distraction they can cause. While teachers can incorporate cell
phones into lesson plans, that does not mean that
students will stop using them once the lesson plan is over.
A teacher should tell if a student uses their cell phone to make a
call, but texting is harder to detect. However, students who sit
around texting will see the illuminated screen and hear the keys
tapping.
Phone Addiction
Mobile users all around the world are addicted to their mobile
devices. They spend hours on their devices daily, and that
too pretty regularly. In this sense, there are clear dangers to
their health and wellbeing.
The best approach to counter this addiction is to opt for
activities that do not involve cell phone usage or use parental
control apps for the safety of students. Students who may be
already facing a habit to use their devices may choose to leave
their mobile phones at home while they go to their schools or
college.

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