Rethink allowing devices in the classroom
I REFER to recent reports on the use of mobile communication devices in school. Approving the use of such devices as a learning tool may seem like a natural thing to do in this digital era. But then again, it involves children who are not mature enough to use them wisely.
Adults often have to be told to stay away from social media or surfing the Internet for non-workrelated matters during office hours. Some companies, especially in the sales line, request that the employee’s phone is put away during work hours and picked up only when they leave work.
Similarly, school children would be tempted to use these devices for non-academic matters.
From young, they’ve been using these devices for entertainment rather than as a learning tool. It is impossible to ensure they don’t go about recording videos or taking photographs of everything and everyone at school and sharing them unnecessarily. Worse, mischief would be on the rise with children taking photos of a friend who napped during class or caught in an embarrassing situation, and threatening to spread these around.
This is a serious discipline problem waiting to happen.
Teachers have their hands full looking into the wellbeing of children during school hours. Getting students to pay attention in class is a difficult enough task. With a device in hand, children might not pay any attention.
Security would be another major issue. Not all children are chauffeur-driven to school. Carrying devices worth thousands of ringgit while walking or taking public transport to school early in the morning or returning late in the evening would expose children to the danger of snatch theft or, worse, kidnapping.
We cannot wait for a child to be a victim of snatch theft that could lead to loss of life before calling for a ban on bringing these devices to school.
There is also the possibility that theft in school would occur more frequently.
Besides, children move around while they are in school. They go to the canteen for recess or the field for physical education, for example. Where would they leave their expensive laptops and tablets? Or who would look after them?
Incidence of truancy might also go up. Instead of going to school, some children might take their device to places that offer free Internet access.
Compared to a textbook with content that’s appropriate for their age, there is no way children will not be distracted by pop-ups or incoming messages.
Furthermore, reading from a textbook does not require any direct source of electricity. There is no rush to plug chargers into limited sockets, thus eliminating unnecessary worries and fights for power points. Even power banks might run out and need to be charged. Children can’t leave them charging nor can they just stand there waiting, can they?
Schools these days are the only place where children are not allowed to take their mobile devices. This frees them to mix with their school mates to make meaningful friendships and to learn to respect others. Given the chance, they would probably be engrossed in their devices from morning to night and, who knows, even late into the night. What sort of adult will they grow up into?
And what is the use of advising people to look away from their devices every so often when children are allowed to use theirs all the time? This also contradicts the studies advising children to have no more than two hours of screen time a day.
I urge the Government to reconsider the decision as we are about to let the children enjoy a 24/7 access to these devices that requires a high level of maturity to enable self-control. Remember, television and cinemas have hands that exercise censorship for public viewing of all ages.
Devices with Internet connection don’t. It is akin to shutting the doors of our homes and locking them but leaving the windows wide open for intruders to come in and cause irreversible damage.
It is wiser to just leave the devices out of school and let teachers concentrate on educating them the way only teachers know best.
SHAM SH Subang Jaya