Mobile Phones at School?
It’s never too early to learn about mobile phonesPupils are now completing Cost/Benefit sheets for a mobile phone as part of their studies at school. Pupils are encouraged to examine the pros and cons of mobile phone ownership by filling in a sheet which helps focus pupils’ attention on mobile phone usage, both for themselves and for society. It is also a general tool to help them weigh up advantages and disadvantages and come to a conclusion.
This activity is quite brief, as it is likely that pupils will come down firmly in favour of the mobile phone. They may not have considered all the issues involved however, and they may have some creative ideas about how they and society can make the best use of mobile phones.
The categories are as follows :
- Benefits
These would include easier communication with friends, safety, fun, etc.
- Costs
Work these out per month and per year. If they own a phone, they should write how they get this money, what proportion of their pocket money it represents, and whether they’ve had to make any sacrifices to own the phone. Do they have to sacrifice time they would otherwise use for study to earn money to own and maintain their phone? Do their parents pay?
- Risks
Are there any health risks? What about the risk of being mugged?
- Benefits to society
How does society as a whole benefit? Are people able to keep in touch with each other more, or to do things more quickly? Examples of benefits might include the fact that it’s easier to help people who are in danger, lost or stranded.
- Costs to society
These could include risks from transmission masts, feelings of envy and exclusion from those who can’t afford phones, toxic batteries and lack of knowledge of the long-term health risks. Do mobile phones cause an increase in crime? Statistics show that street robbery offences doubled in 2001. 28% of these crimes involved mobile phones.
Pupils then write a paragraph about whether it is worth it. They might want to qualify their comments, suggesting guidelines for sensible use (e.g. phones should not be used whilst driving; text messages can be sent instead of calls to keep the cost down; calls could be made mainly in emergencies; children below a certain age shouldn’t have mobile phones; mobiles should not be taken to school, etc).
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