The Advantages of Integrating SMS in School Life

By: John Mce

Students are one of the primary groups of people who send text messages, teenagers in particular have mastered the art of typing messages in abbreviated text talk very quickly, achieving an efficient, private form of communication with their peers. Additionally the number of teenagers owning mobile phones has dramatically risen in recent years; approximately 90% of students in further and higher education in the UK own a handset. The boom is due to technological advances, more affordable tariffs and more public exposure to phones. All this means text messages are the perfect platform for sending out informative messages regarding students' education, cheaply and effectively.

The benefits of incorporating SMS into school life are impressive, possible uses include class cancellation notification, private disclosure of results, announcements (e.g. school, students union, extra curriculum) as well as promotional options. Thanks to the technology behind SMS messaging, the text messages can act as a permanent record of communications between students and the school, additionally delivery reports can show exactly who received what messages and at what time.

Furthermore, schools would be able to offer extended support to students, with 2 way SMS technology, students can reply to messages sent to them, which is delivered to the schools inbox. This private and discrete form of communication could be used to crack down on problems facing students both in school, i.e. bullying, and out of school, i.e. problems at home. Making it easier for students to communicate with schools informally and anonymously could reduce cases of child abuse and violence at home.

Whilst the long term health effects of mobile phone usage are still uncertain, in particular with children, SMS is a much safer alternative for parents concerned about radiation levels emitted from phones during calls. As more students opt for phones packed with the latest technology, mobile phone crime should start to diminish due to higher security, mobile phone tracking and the networks ability to bar phones within 24 hours.

Properly managed SMS will work extremely well in schools, it would effectively make use of modern technology and take school communication into the 21st century. SMS excels in bulk, group messaging, as well as one on one contact. Students can talk privately about personal issues, in their own time, which could have previously been difficult and off putting. With the ability to track messages, schools can monitor exactly when students receive messages which doubles up as an audit system.

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