-May 17, 2012-
by: B.P. Familara
Cellular phone is one of the most rapidly
growing and developing technologies in the world (Rebello, 2010). Developers and
Manufacturers are in deep focus on how to keep their devices up to date that
would soothe the needs of the people.
Young
generations adapt easily on the new trend of those kinds of devices. A study in Norway, for example, reported that
almost 100% of 16 year-olds owned a cell phone in 2001 while less than 20% of
16 years olds owned them in 1997 (Ling, 2001). In Manila, 87% of the population
who own cell phone are at the age of 20 and below (J. Toral, 2003)
In
recent years, usage of cell phones became popular especially in students in
high school here in the Philippines. Schools both in private and public
institutions set some guidelines and limitations in bringing and usage of it inside
the school premises.
Series
of press release form DepEd and NGO’s concerning the effect of cell phone use
have been done.
In
2009, DepEd
Assistant Secretary Teresita Inciong quoted DepEd Order Numbers 83, series of
2003; 26 series of 2000 and 70 series of 1999, which state that DepEd strictly
imposes a ban on the use of cell phones by students during class hours. The
officials pinpointed that cell phones can be a helpful in study but it must not
be done throughout class. The prohibition applies to elementary and secondary
schools nationwide (DepEd Press Release 2009).
Jejemon
is a pop culture phenomenon in the Philippines. It is a person "who has managed to subvert
the English language to the point of incomprehensibility (Nacino, 2010)."
The Philippine Daily Inquirer
describes Jejemons as a "new breed of hipster who have developed not only
their own language and written text but also their own subculture and fashion
(Marcoleta, 2010)."
The origin of short-handed typing was through
the short messaging service, in which each text message sent by a cell phone is
limited to 160 characters. As a result, an "SMS language" developed
in which words were shortened in order to fit the 160-character limit. On the
other hand, some jejemons are not really "conserving" characters;
instead, they are lengthening their message (Lim, 2010).
Department of Education (DepEd) strongly
discourages students from using Jejemon spelling and grammar, especially in text
messaging. Communicating with others using Jejemon "language" is said
to cause deterioration of young Filipino students’ language skills (GMANews.tv,
2010). In some other cases, students, with the influence of Jejemonism,
often commit blunders in writing formal essays for example.
Critics say that drawbacks to student cell
phones outweigh the benefits. The primary concern is that cell phones distract
students. Even though most schools require that phones be turned off during
school hours, such a rule is difficult to enforce. Cell phones are now so small
that students can use them sneakily in class as well, particularly text
messaging and video games. Should a phone ring in class, the entire classroom
is disrupted--and teachers report that many students will answer the call.
Cheating and inappropriate photos are also concerns associated with cell
phones. As cell phones become more sophisticated and powerful, opportunities
for cheating increase. Teachers have caught high school students taking pictures
of tests to pass along to students in later classes, for instance, or accessing
photos of textbook pages or notes during tests. Inappropriate photos taken in
locker rooms and restrooms have also become a problem in some schools, which
carries the potential for lawsuits; many school systems have banned camera
phones while still allowing traditional cell phones (Shaw, 2005)
Mental illness related to cell phones use has
been known for the past years. Not only in the Philippines, but worldwide. Consequences
of high quantitative bill patrick familara mobile phone exposure included mental overload, disturbed
sleep, the feeling of never being free, role conflicts, and feelings of guilt
due to inability to return all calls and messages especially during class hours.
Furthermore, addiction or dependency was an area of concern, as was worry about
possible hazards associated with exposure to electromagnetic fields (Thomee, 2010). This might be the reasons why
students often leave the class for a toilet break could use the phone while out
of the room and sneak in the use of it during class.
As
a Teaching-Learning Aid
Teaching
equipment and materials have change over the years, not only to facilitate
teaching and learning situations but also to address the instructional needs of
individuals or groups (Ema & Ajayi, 2004). maintained that teaching aids are integral
components of teaching-learning situations and not just a supplement but a
complement to the teaching-learning process. Thus, if there must be an
effective teaching-learning activity, the utilization of instructional
materials will be necessary (Bolick, 2003). Instructional
Materials (I.M.) can be in form of audio, virtual text, printed and video. Social
interactions can also be used as a form of I.M.. As the development of cellular
phone becomes complex and sophisticated nowadays, usage of it is now not
limited in texting and calling. The teacher can integrate cell phone as an I.M.
on their lessons or activities. Many teachers also point out that cell phones have justifiable academic
uses. Students can conduct phone interviews during class time with teacher
supervision, for example. Also, many cell phones now have Internet capability,
built-in calculators, and memories able to hold entire books. For schools with
limited technologies available to students, cell phones can be use as
alternative replacement for the computers that the classroom may lack.
New
breeds of cell phones or the “Smart Phones” is now equipped an online and
offline e-book reader like what is on iPhones of Apple and other Smart phones
like with Android OS which can be used as a new reference materials in the
absence of actual books.
Usage
of E-books is now being popular is some universities in the Philippines. De La
Salle University Manila, for example, is has its own they so-called Ebrary an
internet based server wherein students can access electronic books and journals
online. 1
Apple
Inc., one of the leading cell phone manufacturers in the world, lunched an
application called iBooks in the mid quarter of 2010 as part of an update to
the operating system of iTouch and iPhone devices. .It is a mobile
e-book reader developed by Apple Inc.
Google
lunched an e-book program last December 6, 2010 called Google Books for the customers in the United States (Moren, 2010).
It offers universal access and non-restrictive copying for the customers
outside United States (Auletta, 2010).
Cellular
phones have positive and negative effects to the students. It can help in
learning process and it can deteriorate it in many ways. There are no specific
universal guidelines about the use of cell phones during class hours. Many
studies have been done about that issue, but there are few publications can be
read about this issue. Cellular phone use during class hours is not absolutely
wrong, or bad, in some other cases, cell phones can be use as an instructional
material. In advancement of technology, cell phones evolved from just a
wireless telephone into a computer like telephones. But bear in mind that all
things that are good can harm when it is too much. Like medicine, you can over
dosage when intake is too much. School Administrators should review their disciplinary data to determine
the extent to which this problem detracts from instructional time. Then, if the case can be made that these
devices truly create a significant academic or behavioural distraction, share
it with the local Board and request that they revisit their current policy to
determine if it can be strengthened in order to establish and create specific
policies that address the more abused features of the cell phones, such as the camera,
etc (Akers, 2008).
Reference:
Rebello, J. (2010).
Global wireless subscriptions reach 5
billion. Retrieved from
Toral, J. (2003). Mobile at Heart –
Opportunities and Threats for the Youth Market. Retrieved
from
http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/ni/futuremobile/presentations/toral-presentation.pdf
Ema, E. & Ajayi, D.T (2004). Educational Technology Methods, materials,
machines. Jos: University Press Ltd.
Bolick, C; Berson M; Coutts, C & Heinecke
W. (2003). Technology applications in
social studies
teacher education: A survey of social studies method contemporary issues
in technology
and teacher education; 3 (3).
Thomee S, Dellve L, Harenstam A, Hagberg M.
Perceived connections between information and
communication
technology use and mental symptoms among young adults - a qualitative
study. BMC Public Health. 2010;10(1):66. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-66.
Retrieved from
Akers, J. (2008). Student Cell Phones Should Be Prohibited in
K-12 Schools. Kentucky Center for
School Safety Retrieved from http://www.kysafeschools.org/pdfs- docs/hotpdfs/Cell%20phones.pdf
