Personal electronic devices in the classroom should be allowed

Resolved: Personal Electronic Devices in the classroom should be allowed. WLPPF Def: •Personal electronics refers to any instrument that uses electricity, for ex: tablets, cell phones, and computers that is owned by the student for at least a one-year term. Standard: The standard, or weighing mechanism, for this debate should be the quality of education. Since this debate is about personal electronics in the classroom, it will impact education the most. The team that can best prove that their side of the resolution betters the quality of education should win today's debate. WTS, WH3A Contention 1: Ebooks Ebooks, or books read on screens, are the new revolutionary way of reading. Educause.edu asserts that ebooks improve learning because they: •have built-in dictionaries, pronunciation guides, and highlighting, motivating students to check the meaning of each word and pronounce it correctly •can also integrate video, audio, animation, and interactive simulation •Access to newspapers for free In addition, there is cost benefits, according to about.com: •Average of $5.50 savings per nonfiction book and textbooks •Average of $2 savings per fiction book So judge, clearly ebooks have more capabilities that regular books. These capabilities have been shown to enhance learning, and provide costs at a lower price. This argument ties into the standard because, obviously, if you have something at a lower cost, you would most likely buy it. Therefore, students will have more educational materials with them, and the savings can also translate into increased funding for other classes that can further enhance student learning. Contention 2: Enhances learning According to Report to the President on the Use of Technology to strengthen K-12 Education in the United States, co-authored by Charles Vest, the former president of MIT, electronics have been very promising to improve America's education by giving us: •valuable skills in logic •Access to educational websites •More extracurricular and interactive learning These skills have been shown to yield the following results: •Carrollton City School District (Georgia): Computer technology has reduced the dropout rate from 19 percent to 5 percent (74% decrease), and the failure rate in ninth grade algebra from 38 percent to 3 percent (92% decrease). •Clearview Elementary School (California): the use of technology resulted in an increase in standardized test scores from the bottom 10 percent to the highest 20 percent in the state. Maine.gov also states that student assigned laptops have improved the student's education: •Writing scores improved by 33% •2 times more students met the state standards vs. students who weren't assigned a laptop in class. •Professors from UC Berkeley found students who use laptops excessively did 11% better than the other students in her class. •National center for education statistics says that 76% of grades have improved with technology in class and will improve with electronics they can take home. As you can see, judge, personal electronic devices have already prevailed in classrooms that have already allowed them. They are shown to enhance learning and improve the quality of education, tying into our standard. Contention 3: Group learning and file sharing According to thirteen.org, group learning encourages: •diversity •more interaction in student learning •Peer feedback According to "Pros and Cons of File Sharing", file sharing, or exchanging files on a computer network, encourages: •Flow of ideas from everyone •Efficient working: each student can revise on different computers at the same time. •Therefore, file sharing can involve more students compiling up their ideas into one report, thus improving the learning experience for children. Since dictionary.com defines file sharing as exchanging files on a computer network, it can only be done electronically. In addition, email and other network servers promote group learning, and all of its benefits. If personal electronic devices were allowed in the classroom, the quality of education for students could improve a lot by promoting both group learning and file sharing.