Smart Phones: Positive and Negative Effects on Youth

Yvonne Rivas, Staff Writer
December 12, 2014

Do you find yourself putting off homework to be on your phone?

Most teens can say that they’ve procrastinated or postponed an assignment and, instead, spent hours of valuable time scrolling through social media or texting a friend. Some teens feel their phone is a resource that helps them get work done more efficiently. No matter what your experience or thinking regarding Smartphones is, there is no doubt that these devices distract teens, but they also provide quickly found knowledge about anything and everything at the touch of a screen.
Smartphones can be a great source of entertainment and fun. Instant-messaging allows people from around the world to communicate quickly. Endless arrays of gaming apps are available to provide countless hours of recreation without having to go anywhere. Smartphone users can download vast collections of books and magazines. Streaming provides access to an infinite number of movies, shows, and songs. Online shopping permits teens to buy without having to worry about transportation issues. Sophomore Irvin Pamah says, “I mostly use my phone to check grades and homework solutions. I also use social media a lot to keep up-to-date with current world events and topics that interest me.”

Sites like Google Chrome, Edline, Quizlet, and Dictionary.com enable students to work from anywhere and provide useful information that they can use in their studies. With this type of access, it would be easy to assume that teachers are in support of Smartphones. However, in a PEW survey, taken by Advanced Placement (AP) and National Writing Project (NWP) teachers, sixty-four percent of teachers feel that modern technology is more distracting than academically helpful. AP Government teacher Mr. Stuart Miller understands and sympathizes with these teachers. “Anything is distracting in the wrong context, especially to high school students,” says Mr. Miller, “If I give out a worksheet and reading material, they can be distracted by [an infinite number of things]. In many ways, putting the technology in front of them focuses them more on the task at hand. They can use the sources the teacher has provided, or other sources they’re familiar with to find the answers.”

AP Spanish teacher Ms. Tania Cardona says, “I think it’s more distracting, but I think I would change my opinion if I [could make better use of technology].”

Some argue that apps lead to students’ desires for a quick, one-stop answer. According to a PEW study, teachers feel that research “has shifted from a relatively slow process of intellectual curiosity and discovery to a fast-paced, short-term exercise aimed at locating just enough information to complete an assignment.” Students are no longer taking the time to explore and reflect less creativity when it comes to doing research.

A Smartphone provides instant access to just about anything. We are able to access apps from anywhere and at any time. Many apps exist today, and many more will be created. The important point is for teens to use apps in an effective way.