Xinyuan He
658603124
ESL112 C
Jill Tschopp Huang
Spring 2016
Mobile Devices Should Be Allowed in Schools In classrooms, teachers always repeat that: “Please put your phones in your backpacks.” It is a well known truth that many schools prohibit the use of mobile devices like smart phones and iPads in class. Some experts and teachers believe that mobile devices can be very distractive and affect learning in a negative way. However, others argue that there are still some advantages of adoption of mobile devices in class that overweigh its disadvantages. Compare the argument from both sides, it is reasonable to adopt mobile devices like smart phones and iPads in class since mobile devices can help boost students’ learning, make study more funny and attractive and are as useful as personal computers in classrooms, but much cheaper, more achievable and convenient than them, and it is not that distractive as some people think.
One reason to allow mobile devices usage in classroom is that they do help boost study. According to an online article 5 Free iPad Apps Students Can Use for Taking Notes, there are some useful applications that students can adopt in class to help them take notes more quickly and efficiently. One of them is inClass, which is an application that can help clarify notes for different courses and can store 4 kinds of notes: “typed notes, audio notes, video notes and pictures”. Compare to students who only take notes by hands, more study information can be recorded in a more efficient way by using the application like inClass that allowed audio, video and pictures recorded. ①
Another reason to allow mobile devices usage in classroom is that, using mobile devices in classrooms can enrich learning methods so that to make students more focused. In the article 7 Fun Ways to Use Technology in the Classroom to Enrich Learning, Ashley Wainwright points out that using iPads or tablets in classrooms will help attract students to play educational games that contain certain knowledge like knowledge about geology and mathematics so that by playing the games, they can gain a deeper understanding and memorize the information without hard work. ②
Last but not the least, mobile devices have the same function in classrooms as personal computers while helping students’ learning, but is cheaper, more achievable and convenient than personal computers. In the article Schools Seeks Balance for Cellphones in Class, the writer pointed out that according to a Pew Research Center study released in April, 88 percent of the American teenagers can use a mobile devices and most of them have their own smart phones. These statistics mean that many students have access to mobile devices and this situation provide the possibility for students to do the work that was done by computers which are heavier and more difficult to get by using mobile devices like tablets which are lighter and more achievable. For example, in the CS lectures, students can use their own tablets instead of the laptops to follow the professor’s instructions to do the programming to understand the instruction better. ③
There also exist some opposite arguments. Some critics point out that students can not focus when having a smart phone available to them. According to Linda Matchan (2015), a survey finds that students who do not have access to smart phone achieved a higher score than the students who have access to smart phones, so they drew a conclusion that smart phones have negative influence on students’ study. However, the survey also shows that compare to the low-score students, high-score students are less likely to be influenced to a larger extend. So it is obvious that the reason why some of the students can not get a high score is not because smarts phones are available, but is because they just tend to be distracted, whether by smart phones or something else. ④
To summarize, mobile devices should be allowed to be used in the classrooms, since it enable students to study in a more efficient and attractive way and will not distract students’ attention largely. Mobile devices will play a more and more important role in the future as its functions expended.

Reference List
①5 Free iPad Apps Students Can Use for Taking Notes, Retrieved from http://ipadapps4school.com/2013/08/23/5-free-ipad-apps-students-can-use-for-taking-notes/
②Ashley Wainwright (2015), 7 Fun Ways to Use Technology in the Classroom to Enrich Learning. Retrieved from http://www.securedgenetworks.com/blog/7-Fun-Ways-to-Use-Technology-in-the-classroom-to-enrich-learning
③，④ Linda Matchan (2015), Schools Seek Balance for Cellphones in Classes. The Boston Globe (www.bostonglobe.com)

Draft 1 Completion | Points Possible | Points Earned | Comments | Completed draft 1 for peer perception on Feb. 15 | 10 | 10 | | Introduction | Points Possible | Points Earned | Comments | 1. Grabs readers’ attention and then funnels effectively to main topic and thesis | 5 | 5 | | 2. Establishes the importance of the topic and states there is a difference of opinion about the topic | 5 | 5 | | 3. Has a debatable, specific, and focused thesis statement | 10 | 10 | | Body | 1. Arguments (points): Strong and clear topic sentences encompasses the main idea of each body paragraph and supports the thesis (at least 3) | 10 | 10 | | 2. Opposing arguments are clearly stated along with reason(s) without confusing the audience (without weakening their positions) | 5 | 5 | | 3. Refutation: Effective counterarguments against the anticipated opposing arguments are clearly presented with contrasting transition word (E.g. However) and reason(s) | 5 | 5 | | 4. Illustration: Provides sufficient, representative, relevant, and convincing evidence and examples from credible sources (minimum 2 outside sources) | 10 | 8 | In body paragraph 3, the point about “cheaper” is never illustrated | 5. Explanation: Each Point and Illustration is followed by a thorough Explanation, making clear to the reader how the Illustration proves the Point. | 5 | 5 | | 6. Coherence: All the sentences are logically connected and well sequenced; ideas are well organized and logically connected (between paragraphs) | 5 | 5 | | Conclusion | 1. Restates the thesis statement without simply repeating and summarizes main supporting arguments (which support the thesis) effectively without simply repeating | 10 | 4 | Unfortunately, begins “in summary” which I said not to do at this level of writing; also, it either paraphrases the thesis or summarizes, but is not doing BOTH | 2. Expands Topic in some way: * Provides a general warning of not following the argument (and/or) * Provides a general statement of who people will benefit from following the argument (and/ or) * Makes a specific recommendation based on the arguments (a call to action) | 10 | 10 | | General Concerns | 1. Audience & Purpose Awareness: Essay adequately responds to the question provided by the Diagnostic Exam and presents focused and persuasive arguments for intended audience. | 3 | 3 | | 2. Vocabulary & grammar: Clear and concise words are used. Has few grammatical errors that slow down understanding of the message | 2 | 2 | | 3. Citation: Acknowledges the sources used in APA style in-text citation and references . | 5 | 0 | I’m not sure what the numbers in-text are about as that is definitely not APA style;Additionally, the reference page is not in APA style | Subtotal | | Penalties: | Late submission | -2 per day late | 0 | | File incorrectly named | -1 | 0 | | Incorrect formatting | -1 | 0 | | Plagiarism detected – intentional plagiarism (deliberate copying) will result in an automatic 0 for this assignment; unintentional plagiarism (poor paraphrasing, missing quotation marks, incomplete citations, etc.) will result in a significant reduction in the final grade. | Potentially – 100 points | 0 | | Total | 87/100 |