Some of the Policies That Elementary and Middle Schools have for Children with Cell Phones

• Nielsen, Lisa, and Willyn H. Webb.Teaching Generation Text: Using Cell Phones to Enhance Learning. San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass, 2011. Print.

The book’s main focus is upon the positive uses of the cell phones in teaching. The book offers information that forms the basis of argument whereby cell phones are considered a bad idea for children under the age of fourteen but above ten years. According to the author, cell phones are an effective and efficient tool for communication through the texting feature(Chapter One). The author argues that it is self-control that should be taught to the children and not denying them a form of communication. From that point of view, some schools especially middle level schools and elementary schools are advocating for the ownership of cell phones by their students. In general, the author’s goal is to change the way people view the devices as only causes of harm and ignoring the good that might actually come out if used correctly.

• Seiter, Ellen. The Internet Playground: Children’s Access, Entertainment, and Mis-Education. New York: Peter Lang, 2007. Print.

The book is majorly focused on the children and how they use the internet. The author highlights the misuse of the internet by children. She argues that teaching computer is not as easy as it seems and the lack of proper education leads to the powerful use of knowledge gained in half. This knowledge gained in half refers to the little that the children know that enables them to access game sites, online fan communities, chat and send instant messages. The author dictates that teaching the children proved difficult due to various factors but most importantly, lack of resources. There are the challenges that came along the way while she was a teacher but she endeavored to make sure that they learnt as much as they could. In the back cover, it states, “While children love to play online games, join fan communities and use online chat and instant messaging, the internet is also an appallingly aggressive marketer to children, and as this book passionately argues, an educational boondoggle.” It is clear from that statement that children use the internet not basically for education but for other less irrelevant and insignificant purposes.

• Deerwester, Karen. The Entitlement-Free Child: Raising Confident and Responsible Kids in a “me, Mine, Now!” Culture. Naperville, Ill: Sourcebooks, 2009. Internet resource.

Negative Effects of the Internet on Cell Phones

• Livingstone, Sonia M. Children and the Internet. Cambridge: Polity, 2009. Print.Narayan, O P. Harnessing Child Development. Delhi: Isha Books, 2005. Print.

The book is broad with lengthy explanations and real life examples which give it the reason to be used as a source in this research. The lengthy descriptions of the author allow the book to be well understood by the readers, even from middle level school children. The book focuses on the way children get access to the internet, how they use the internet and the dangers that might arise from their exposure to the internet.

The author highlights the early times just when the internet was getting popular. The times when the services provided were quite expensive and only people of a certain social class were able to afford it. This by fate, created a divide between children from different social and financial backgrounds. The author states, “Some children are, however, enjoying new forms of creative engagement and other opportunities online, and though these are often unevenly taken up at present, due to familiar socio-demographic inequalities, these activities may nonetheless point the way ahead for children’s internet use” (Livingstone 2-youthful experts). The author there tries to explain that there was unequal access to the internet due to the familiar socio-demographic inequalities. The book offers a descriptive analysis of the effects of the internet to children.

• Harris, Kamala D, and Joan O. C. Hamilton.Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor’s Plan to Make Us Safer. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 2009. Print.

This source focuses on cell phones as a cause of crime in regard to the research areas of investigation. It is a dependable source of information because of the author’s highlight on crime using cell phones, especially children. In page 90 of her book, she quotes what her friend had to say about children having cell phones. The friend, Jim Steyer who runs Common Sense Media, said, “Do not put television or computers in a child’s bedroom then let them close the door. Establish rules and keep track of what is going on.” The book offers ways in which parents can help control indecency on the cell phones of their kids and it also sheds light on the crime associated with teenagers having cell phones; sexting. In further analysis of the book, the author is diversified giving the most probable crimes and dangers that arise as a result of cell phone ownership by under-aged children.

How Parents can solve the Problems arising from Cell Phone Ownership by their Children and protect them

• Nelson, Margaret K. Parenting Out of Control: Anxious Parents in Uncertain Times. New York: New York University Press, 2010. Internet resource. Saunders, Kevin W. Saving Our Children from the First Amendment. New York: New York University Press, 2003. Print.

The source maintains that children should not be denied access to the internet. This book once again provides a counter argument upon which the idea of children between the age 10 to 14 having cell phones is ruled as bad or not. In as much as the author advocates for the children’s access to the internet, he is aware of the dangers of such an undertaking. In his book, he mentions that in an effort to allow children access to the internet but at the same time protect them, screening mechanisms were put in place to help block sexual content in the sites that the children access (Saunders 165). The book also mentions how adult access to these sites can be allowed but at the same time protecting the children. In addition, the author’s main focus, the First Amendment, is discussed at length and he lists the inefficiencies that are come as a result. It is, however, clear that the author is protecting the children from unfair laws that deny them access to information with the claims of protecting them.

• Katz, James E. Mobile Communication: Dimensions of Social Policy. New Brunswick [N.J.: Transaction Publishers, 2011. Print.

Yet again, the topic itself at first gives the impression of what kind of information is to be found in the contents of the book. This book is, however, unique because it is a compliment of articles and works of various authors and researchers, which cover information, got from all the five continents of the world. In the book there is certainty that information about all aspects of social life has been touched by mobile technology. In addition the editors’ book contains a lead that guides thinkers into the field of analysis of the social policy dimension of mobile communication revolution. The editor’s edition gives implications of mobiles in formulating and increasing problems such as social isolation and family dispersion. It is also imperative to note that the book mentions Canada’s social policy in chapter 9 which is associated with the health effects of the EMF (133). The book also mentions health effects of this technology, but the information is irrelevant to the research as per the requirements.

• Nevid, Jeffrey S, Spencer A. Rathus, and Spencer A. Rathus.Psychology and the Challenges of Life: Adjustment and Growth. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2010. Print.
• Bettivia, Rhiannon. The Middle Schoolers’Debatabase: 75 Current Controversies for Debaters. New York: International Debate Education Association, 2011. Print.

Though this book does not entirely and directly reflect upon the topic of the research, part of it gives very credible information towards the research. From an argumentative perspective, the book lists some of the major issues that are debated in many forums. Bettivia’s aim in the book targets middle school students, and it purposes to introduce them to the domestic and international issues that may be unfamiliar to them. Cell phones are among the gadgets that have video games and according to Bettivia’s pros, the video games are beneficial to the children because they get children home faster and makes them avoid getting involved with street gangs and groups (Bettivia 263). In the part of the book that is relevant to this research, much information about children’s use of the cell phone is got.