Dear Madam, anything which can be a distraction to the classroom atmosphere and the students and the process called teaching is a disruption and and there is no exemption for smartphones as I believe it is not a necessary tool since teaching lived through without it before and can be very successful with out it now. Thanks

If smartphones are used as part of the educational applications in the classroom context, then it is encouraged. I prefer the use of smartphones for augmented reality, getting students' quick responses, or task performance via mobile-learning activities.

I agree with Diem if used within the lecture context they can be a supportive tool to improve learning and engage a bigger audience to the topic being learned. 

I suspect that smart phones - or the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) approach - might be able to make some changes to the teaching and learning setting, but that it is hardly likely to be disruptive. Does it change the value network or the way education is organised? That might be the operative question for classifying something as disruptive. I suppose it could, but schooling (and classrooms) are quite tightly regulated social spaces, so I think it is more likely to allow a certain permeability between pupils' lives outside of the classroom and inside. If BYOD is integrated fully into the learning setting it is likely to be an enrichment, which makes new forms of interaction with knowledge possible, but unlikely to end with the classroom disappearing. You might find research related to BYOD useful, e.g. http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ers1301/ers1301.pdf

If the smartphone is used as part of the lesson then it is fine.  One thing we must be mindful of is to ensure that the technology used   is not a barrier for the realization of the learning outcomes.  

hello everybody.. i think smartphones find an important place in everybody's life. But use of smartphones in classroom is a an ethical issue... it is more important to inculcate values among the students, So that they can make proper use of smartphones for education. As an issue of discipline, smartphones must not be only allowed in classrooms....rest is upto the Mission, Vision and aims and objectives of institution with cultural differences....  

Education institute right from primary level to respectable as temple as this is organisation where students in every part of the word receive an opportunity to understand & appreciate the discipline ,behavior moral codes & ethics for making them for the career development & the most important part is to make them as a responsible citizen .

Modern scientific & technological development have become the world small place to live & to get an opportunity to come in contact with the various social & cultural of the feelings .

Our present computer age & the subsequent invasion of mobiles,I pad ,tablets,& smart phone have established the family ,social groups so much closer that the personal unity of mind & heart have come to the line in diminishing stage .

It is in this line that students should not be permitted to bring such electronic devices in the education institute as students are coming for learning ,& to get the knowledge for the development of the mind for the further progress.With this it is the responsibility of the parents & teachers that at least in the primary stage of their learning children are not permitted to bring & also to use mobile & such devices .

To add to this our TV ,program,Media ,Advt ,for the children instead of shining as a blessing ,instead of curse as their development & growth in accepting their mental observation & also viewing have reply whatever the development they have to create have lost the basic meaning.

This is my personal opinion 

Vimala we need to explore this in the Caribbean. In my class (University level) students are allowed to use their smart phones for learning. students take pics, record lectures, look up stuff online etc.

I view the smartphone as the 21st century pencil. I am sure that when students first started bringing their own pencils to class the teacher was absolutely incensed. "Archimedes, put that pencil away. You are distracting everyone from their studies." The smartphone is simply a tool. If is the work of teaching to supply the meaning and structure to the use of this tool. I have 4 year olds who use them to document their learning and develop independent learning strategies.

Cell phones are a relatively new technological device that has become an indispensable part of our life. It is used by all generations today, so to see a kid of the kindergarten age with this device is not a surprise already. Modern phones are used not only to connect people but also provide a variety of other opportunities that are so appreciated by school children. These young people can’t imagine their existence without phones and as a result, many contradictive studies have appeared.

Apart from the main function of the phone nowadays it can be used for various purposes. It is considered to be the second most important symbol of status among teenagers (the first one is clothing), so its main purpose today is to maintain a social status of the school child. The other facts connected with phones prove that they are used by children both from the positive and negative side for education. And even schools where they are officially forbidden confirm that students still carry them taking them in parts. 

The main advantages of using smartphones in the classroom are: students are taught responsibility, avoidance of double standards, emergency cases, education purposes, memory assistance, GPS tracking.

Undoubtedly, cell phones have both pros and cons, but it does not make them desired assistants at school. Schools are not those places that require such costly devices to be brought to. Moreover, even for the sake of studying they can be used at home too, it is much more difficult to control the use of cell phones in the classroom. Scientists confirm the fact that mobile phones are to be banned at schools but for this ban to work properly parents should also contribute to this fact and monitor their kids. As a result, educational process will be more productive and easy to control.

Find out the disadvantages and also read the full article here: http://blog.noplag.com/cell-phones-at-school-should-they-be-allowed-in-the-classroom/