Smartphones have created a new world of imagination and have been beneficial  to students. Many educational apps have been developed to help students study, understand certain concepts, communicate with the rest of their peers and teachers, and much more. They teach students how to be tech savvy, which is important for the future. At the same time, smartphones have taken a  toll on students.

In the United States, more than seventy percent of students own or have access to a smartphone. This distraction has become worrisome. The more phones are being used, the lower the grades are getting. Smartphones are causing students to use social media instead of focusing on school work. Even though students think they can multitask, studies have shown that this distraction is taking away students’ attention from their academics.

A college professor did an experiment where he had his students take notes on a video. While they were watching the video, he allowed a group of students to use the phones for whatever they want, another to only use it if it is related to the class, and another was not allowed to use the phones at all.  According to Science News for Students, He then gave them a “test on the material. The students who were not allowed the use of cell phones did seventy percent better than the rest.” 

Teachers have been suffering with this problem for several years now. The students increase in the use of smartphones has not only caused students to be distracted, lose interaction with classmates, and have lower  grades, but have made it easier for students to cheat. Having access to anything and everything online and other people, students are tempted to look for or ask others for answers to homework and tests.

At Yorba Linda High School, many teachers thought of this good idea to collect students’ smart using a “smartphone jail.” At the beginning of class, every student has to put their cell phone in their assigned pocket, points will be taken off. If teachers don’t have the cell phone jail, most take phones away and/ or give further consequences as soon as they see students using them. Many of the students at Yorba Linda High School hate this idea. Caleb Gonzalez (12) doesn’t feel like taking students phones is right and that “smartphones really help [him] in class.” They are so attached to the phone that it bothers them to have it taken away. At the same time, some students are glad because this way, students are forced to pay attention. Erica Castillas (12) felt that although she didn’t like her teachers taking her phone away, she was “much less distracted and [her] grades started improving.”  Clearly, the prevention of smartphone use is better.