Summary of the arguments

I think this has been an excellent debate so far, with good points made on both sides.

Below I've summarised the arguments that have been made for and against mobiles in college, so as to make it easier for Board members to decide where they stand when we vote on the question at the end of the week. I've included points made in comments as well as in posts.

I hope members feel my summary is fair to both sides, but please do comment if you think I've omitted anything important.

Best, Willi

Arguments for..

Arguments against ..

Mobile devices are the future - students and parents already have them and expect to use them for learning. This technology can enrich students’ learning thru conversation, collaboration and more creative teaching and learning. Mobiles for learning will help prepare young people for the fast-moving technology-driven world they'll live in. Mobiles for learning will facilitate communication between the students, the college and the wider community. The scheme is strongly supported by the LEA, which will help with central resources and with finding a commercial sponsor and partner institutions. Students will be able to do their homework or coursework anytime, anywhere - giving them more time for study and more ownership of their learning. Mobiles can help young people feel connected, especially if they have sensory impairments Mobiles are an effective and exciting new way to gather data for research

Encouraging students to use txt speak and cut-&-paste could damage their formal literacy skills Mobiles could harm students’ confidence and therefore learning if introduced with insufficient technical support Lack of standardisation across devices could mean inequality of access; while lack of standardisation across operating systems, video formats, network protocols etc could lead to technical problems. Who will pay? Phones can be expensive, and parents will feel under pressure to upgrade even if they can’t afford it. There may be technical infrastructure costs for the college too.. Using mobiles for schoolwork may make students feel under too much pressure, upsetting the study/leisure balance Mobiles are just the latest fad which will never be used. Just because students like to use mobiles doesnt mean they’ll like using them for learning Mobiles may be inaccessible to some students with sensory or manual dexterity impairments Mobile technologies may be disruptive of the school community, eg encouraging the posting of inappropriate comments about students or staff