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First mobile phone was invented
Motorola was the first company to produce a handheld mobile phone. On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, a Motorola researcher and executive, made the first mobile telephone call from handheld subscriber equipment, placing a call to Dr. Joel S. Engel of Bell Labs. -
The idea of Mobile phones started to spread
As years came, more and more people started to use mobile phones. By 1980, there were more than 175 million telephone subscriber lines in the U.S. So, soon mobile phones were being brought to school. -
All electronic devices were banned in school
Because of this, in the early 1990's schools banned all electronic devices, (pagers, beepers, cell phones) which tended to be associated with drug dealing or gangs -
Cell phones began to be seen more around schools
In the late 1990's, the use of cell phones became a lot more common and text messaging also became more popular, especially with teens. -
The ban of cell phones was relaxed due to safety in schools
After several shootings at schools and the acts of terrorism on the U.S, parents wanted to be able to communicate with their children at any time. Cell phones, parents argued, were necessary for safety, so the ban was relaxed in many schools. -
The use of phones was allowed but had to be off during the day
In the mid 2000's, technology advanced and the industry exploded making phones no longer a luxury item. Many school districts allowed phones, but they had to be off during the day. -
Cell phones became an important part of learning
By 2007, schools all across the country starting seeing cell phones as an important part in learning, communication, and safety. For example, in Connecticut, cell phones were seen as “serious educational tools", and the results were highly impressive in classrooms. -
Many colleges were utilizing cell phone technologies in educational practices. Individual teachers were incorporating them into their classrooms and lesson plans across the country.
By 2008, many colleges were utilizing cell phone technologies in educational practices. Individual teachers were also incorporating them into their classrooms and lesson plans across the country. -
Changes in school policy regarding cell phones began again
By 2009, changes in school policy began again. For example, “The Collier County School Board" voted to change the student code of conduct regarding cell phones and in the process, expanded the code to allow schools to petition to allow students to use their phones in the classroom—to some extent -
Schools started integrating the idea of using cell phones in classrooms ,only for learning purposes
By 2010, schools started to keep hand-held technology out of class and instead started inviting students to use their phones for learning, the real purpose cell phones should be allowed in schools -
To this day, schools have kept the no-phone policy in classrooms, but suggest students to use them for learning purposes
To this day, more than half of the world’s population now owns a cell phone and children under 12 constitute one of the fastest growing segments of mobile technology users in the U.S, so schools have kept trying to integrate the use of cell phones in classrooms , but only for educational purposes. Today, rules about no cell phones during class remains, but they are allowed in some cases.
