Personal Electronics should be allowed in the classroom

Many thanks to my opponent for beginning this debate. Hopefully I am constructing this round appropriately. [ Rebuttal ]1. CHEATINGA. Teenagers use cell phones to cheat.Before there were cell phones (and even after cell phones became popular), students have found various ways to cheat including but not limited to asking their peers for information; copying off a neighbor's work; creating a cheat sheet; etc. We will never fully inhibit cheating, however it can be combatted through more attentative teachers, particularly during testing. Cell phones may also be prohibited during testing times only. Perhaps the teacher can collect them before the beginning of class and return them at the end during exam days. If you do not believe this provides enough security, keep in mind that mobile phone jammers can be utilized during testing. This device is an instrument used to prevent cell phonesfrom receiving signals. When used, the jammer effectively disables cellular phones. These devices can be used in practically any location [1].B. A lot of students admit to"seriously cheating on a written work," primarily through plagirarism from the internet.I don't see what this has to do with cell phones considering the students are referring to cheating via the internet. Presumably a student could not plagiarize blatantly in the classroom insofar as copying entire walls of text for a paper without being noticed by the teacher, especially on a cell phone. The issue of plagiarism goes beyond the classroom. You might as well say students should not be allowed to use personal electronics outside of the classroom which is absurd. Regardless, like cell phone jammers there are also programs and software that prohibit one from browsing all or particular websites [2] which can be utilized during testing. 2. DOWNGRADING EDUCATIONA. Con quotes a parent saying they don't believe in technology in the classroom.That's their personal opinion, not even an "expert" opinion. I have a different personal opinion. Big deal. B. Waldorf schools don't utilize technology, and the students are very successful.The New York Times article that Con references admits that there is no clear evidence as to whether or not students are successful specifically due to not using technology in the classroom. In fact there are a plethora of other reasons why Waldorf students are probably successful. Many Waldorf students come from families that value education highly enough to seek out a selective private school, and usually have the means to pay for it. This means they come from an environment that highly values education and thus fosters an environment that promotes education not only inside the classroom but the home. Second, Waldorf schools utilize very specific teaching methods, so there's no way to discern whether or not the students' success is because of specialized teaching or a lack of technology. Also, FYI the figures reported by Waldorf about their graduation rate and other successes comes from an "affiliated group," so that research is to be taken with a grain of salt as it would obviously be inclined to portray Waldorf in a positive light considering the affiliation. C. Even though computers were given to children in Peru, they were not particularly successful.Quite obviously kids in South America grow up in a completely different environment, and those variables will surely impact the way they perform on standardized testing (which by the way has proven to be an unreliable indicator of intelligence and even measuring acquired knowledge). Furthermore, equipping children with technology alone is not a way to assure educational success. Instead I will argue that permitting technology in the classroom coupled with effective teaching methods can certainly be beneficial. [ Arguments ]1. We live in a world of technology, and from a young age children are exposed to a lot of it and often. Computers can hold students’ attention sometimes better than interpersonal interaction. In fact, some young people who have been weaned on electronic devices can not tune in without them [3].2. When students use certain technological instruments to learn, they are more able to learn at their own pace. Some students need more time than others to grasp a particular concept. 3. Class sizes are increasing all over the country. While direct teacher-pupil interaction is important, allowing students to do educational work on technological devices while helping students individually at the same time allows more students to learn at once. Teachers may also utilize testing programs that allow them to see what areas particular students need help in. 4. Allowing students to use electronics during school can help teachers impart skills necessary to succeed in a modern economy. Face it: A lot of what we learn in school will not be utilized in our everyday lives or careers. However you'll be hard pressed to find many jobs these days that do not utilize technology. 5. Many studies have found that technology in the classroom has helped. For instance, researchers found that writing scores improved for eighth-graders in Maine after they were all issued laptops in 2002. They also found that math performance picked up among seventh and eighth-graders after teachers in the state were trained in using the laptops to teach [4]. Admittedly there are conflicting studies, but it goes both ways. Also keep in mind that standardized testing has already been criticized as a precise measurement for learning anyway, so these studies are not of utmost significance. 6. Electronics give you access to innumerable informational websites and sources. Online encyclopedias and news outlets are just a few ways kids can be exposed to a lot of useful information very fast. This can certainly be useful in the classroom for obvious reasons. 7. Many classes are offered online. If you can take a class strictly using the internet, then you should be able to take a class that incorporates it. 8. Computers make it quick and easy for students to edit their papers or other work. 9. There are computer programs and other electronic tools that make learning easy and more importantly fun (which makes schooling tolerable and in fact appreciated). Even games that seem strictly recreational can teach you a lot about logic and reasoning, geometry, physics, etc. [5]. 10. On another note, I was a freshman in high school in New York City on 9/11/01. I cannot imagine what it would have been like had cell phones been prohibited in the classroom. Parents have the right to equip their kids with cell phones in case of an emergency. Ultimately it comes down to how the electronics in the classroom are utilized, and the effectiveness of individual teachers and their teaching methods. A spokesman for Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning, a nonpartisan group that has studied this issue, says it best - "Good teachers can make good use of computers, while bad teachers won’t." This doesn't mean that electronics should not be utilized, but rather it should be ensured teachers learn to utilize them effectively and limit them when necessary. Computers are not meant to replace teachers but assist them, and teachers can have an impact on how students use them to make sure it is helpful and appropriate. Thank you. [ Sources ][1] http://en.wikipedia.org...[2] http://www.gearboxcomputers.com...[3] http://www.nytimes.com...[4] http://www.nytimes.com...[5] http://nrich.maths.org...