Cell phones are not allowed to be used in classrooms. This is a mistake because they give us the opportunity to access an entire world of knowledge from our classrooms at all times, “Smartphones make possible everywhere learning, all-the-time learning”(Soloway). Another important reason we should be able to use smartphones in class is that when we have jobs in the future, such as a lawyer, doctor, teacher, or businessman we will have access to all the technology we will need in order to fulfill our jobs to the fullest. In classrooms we do not have this opportunity, because we do not have access to our phones. Although using smartphones at anytime in class can distract the group, it will greatly benefit the individual which is much more important.  Smartphones are the key to our success in the classroom.

Without using phones we are putting ourselves at a disadvantage in schools. If we can look at our phones during school, any questions or issues that interest us we can just look them up. All the information we would ever need would be at our fingertips on our smartphones, “Portability provides learning in context-while doing an experiment, [a student] can write it up; while on a field trip, [a student] can capture ideas” (Soloway). This captures the idea that with access to our phones we can learn at anytime and anywhere.  Almost all people have smartphones so why would we not use them to make finding and analyzing information much easier, “Smartphones are the one technology that can eliminate the digital divide-given the cost of the device, it is very conceivable that every child, rich or poor, can have one 24/7” (Soloway). If almost all people can have smartphones, and they make learning much easier there is no reason we should not use them in our classrooms.

When high school students in today's world reach the real world and gain their first jobs they will not have the vital skill, of searching and applying the information they have found. In all schools around the country teachers should grade us on our ability to find and analyze information not on our ability to simply memorize information. This will prepare us much more for jobs we will get in the future. If we have full access to our phones in school this will make it extremely easy to find and examine information, “I really don't like the notion of anywhere, anytime learning. This is to limited. Cathy and I favor the terms “everywhere learning, all-the-time learning.” Adults do those two things; That's just what a 21st-century knowledge worker does. So, that's what we need to prepare the mobile generation-the children, the youth, of today-for”(Soloway). This is emphasizing the fact that workers now can use their smartphones at all times to get any information they need. If 21st century workers are using their smartphones to give them the tools they need to be successful, then we need to do the same in the classroom.

In Anthem by Ayn Rand everyone besides the world council has an extremely limited access to knowledge. They are not allowed to think for themselves. In their society there will be no creativity or new inventions because no one can think for themselves. In Nyack schools we can think for ourselves, and have a much greater access to knowledge than the majority of people in Anthem. To a lesser extent the students at Nyack high school are like the people in Anthem, because we are not allowed to use our smartphones we do not have access to an incredible amount of knowledge; that is the internet, “How dared you think that your mind held greater wisdom than the minds of your brothers?” (Rand 71) Equality is being shamed by the world council for thinking for himself and creating a light bulb. Only the world council and the people they give the job to create inventions are allowed to do such a thing in their society. All the others are not allowed to have access to information. Students at Nyack should be allowed to use their smartphone so they can find all the information they need to help create new things and eventually benefit the entire world. 

People believe that if students have full access to their phones in classrooms it will be a distraction to the class and yourself. There are apps like snapchat and instagram on your phones, which can be very distracting, “Cellphones may be conduits for information, but they‘re also tools of mass distraction. Texting, tweeting, surfing and updating your online profile have nothing to do with learning and no place in the classroom” (Smartphones Do Not Benefit Classroom Learning). Smartphones can be big distractions because students will not always use them in the right way.  This may happen, but taking two minutes out of a class period to check social media will not greatly impact students education. Using smartphones can be a distraction to the group, but it will benefit the individual so greatly that it really does not matter. People can find information on anything they are interested in if they have access to their smartphones.

Smartphones are extremely important towards the prosperity of future students. They offer a world of infinite knowledge and information. Workers in today's world use their smartphones to the fullest. If we can use our smartphones it will change the way schools work for the better. They may be distracting but the pros of using our Smartphones in class clearly outweighs the distraction issue. Smartphones are essential to students accomplishments in school.