As technology gets more advanced, more and more applications are seen in the school setting. The newest of these inventions is smart watches and wireless earbuds. One major controversy surrounding this new technology is whether schools should allow students to wear these in class.

Smart watches allow students to receive notifications without taking their phone out of their pocket or backpack. It also increases the chance of students having the temptation to cheat on schoolwork. With the integration of chromebooks in school districts it’s all too easy to have the temptation to take an easier way out of work. Chromebooks can be used to cheat just by opening a different tab, but apple watches will notify your wrist whenever you get a notification. Teachers are worried that students will share answers and access the notification via their apple watch during quizzes and tests.

According to collegeboard.org technology such as smart watches, Airpods, and Apple watches are prohibited during ACT and SAT testing. If the guidelines are broken the test will be considered void and will result in removal from the testing room. Universities such as Monash University and La Trobe University have started banning the equipment in classrooms. Precautions are being taken for regular watches too, which must be set facing the instructor. According to smh.com many colleges will soon follow suit and declare the Apple Watches and other technology prohibited in the classroom setting.

At West Virginia University, a student took the apple watch off of the band, held it in their palm and took a picture. The student sent this picture to another student who had already taken the exam, and sent answers back. Teachers and staff solution to the cheating is to move to computerized testing. One option for a more moral testing environment would be to ban Airpods and Apple watches in testing environments. Some classrooms have already integrated a smaller version of this by having students leave their backpacks away from their desks while testing. This results in a more honest testing environment.

Cheating by using Airpods and Apple watches is something the administration has not given much attention to. Students who use technology unpermitted aren’t allowing for an equal classroom. If we implement more regulations to prevent this such as setting backpacks aside while testing and prohibiting Airpods and apple watches in testing rooms are both possible for a more equal testing experience.