[Niall]

I think taking a draconian stance on it like my school does (when you're in years 7-11) doesn't work. They suspend people for having mobile phones or iPods on their person - even if they're switched off - and laptops/tablets are banned in lessons. People ignore those rules anyway. Everyone texts in class (I used to do it all the time in lower school) and have their phones with them so it's not the powerful deterrent the school think it to be.

But now that I'm in Sixth Form, their far more lax with the restrictions on technology. We're allowed our phones with us all the time, even in lessons (albeit only if we're using them for something productive/relevant to the lesson). I also take my laptop in to take notes and do work because I type so much faster than I can write. It's so helpful for psychology and history where pages of note taking per lesson is the norm. Loads of people take in tablets to do the same thing too.

I just think if they were perhaps a bit more lenient and involving of the technology used by students then maybe the benefits would outweigh the problems. Banning it altogether will never work..