Cell phones are powerful communication devices. They have the ability to not only enable voice-to-voice conversations, but they allow us to communicate via text messaging, email, and on many phones via the world wide web. To completely ban cell phones from classrooms is to cut students off from the very world we are preparing them for. However, for the very same reasons cell phones can be considered a classroom distraction. Therefore the following guidelines have been created to support educators that chose to empower students to use their phones for instructional purposes:

• Have an instructional objective. Using technology in the classroom is typically very engaging for students. However, technology should be more than just engaging, it should empower you and your students to meet objectives they can not otherwise meet.
• Communicate with parents. Most cell phones that students carry are paid for and belong to their parents. Please make sure that prior to having students use their cell phones you have sent home communication. You may want to consider using a letter such as the sample one listed to the right.
• Create rules around the use of cell phones to ensure they are being used for instructional purposes. Phones that are being used in any other way are in violation of the District Policy regarding the use electonic devices (pdf).  Suggested rules are:
  • Cell phones need to be on vibrate
  • Cell phones need to be in pockets or backpacks until it is time to use them
  • Cell phones can only be used in class for academic/learning purposes
  • Any activity conducted on cell phones in class cannot be published without permission of teacher and/or students who are involved in the text/image/video/audio file (e.g. no publishing a photo of a class project on MySpace page without permissions).
  • Students will use appropriate cell phone etiquette by respecting the privacy of other's phone numbers and using appropriate language with their mobile communication.

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