Surreptitious use of texting/cellphone use in the classroom
During a discussion with a friend who is a professor at a medical college in Wisconsin, I mentioned the fact that it is accepted behavior amoung the students to use their electronic devices during my lectures, and asked for his opinion on the subject. He stated that the problem has become quite epidemic to the point that his college has gone to the extreme by using paint on the walls of the lecture hall which is RF proof, that is, no signals in or out. I find it quite unnerving that even though I stipulate on the first day of class that the use of cellular devices is strictly forbidden during my lectures,and that if a cellular device is viewed during an exam, an automatic zero on that exam has been achieved, students find it necessary to blatently disobey the mandate. It has become a Pavlovian reflex to bring a phone out at any given time! I have heard excuses, which border on the absurd such as "I am unable to read an analog clock, and was merely checking the time". Has anyone, aside from RF "proofing" the room had any luck in stopping this behavior? Thanks in advance for your responses.
Rick,
I make my "No Cell Phones" policy clear from the first class meeting. I do allow for family situations should they need to receive a call during class. I am strict and when I see a cell phone I stop and tell the student to put the phone away. I know this is middle school discipline but when my adults act like middle schoolers I will react as a middle school teacher. A couple of times of this and the phones disappear. A few weeks into the course they start to reappear just to test to see if I am serious and will enforce my policy. When I do problem solved once again. I also give professional points for attendance, being on time and no cell phone use. These points can make a difference of a grade when earned or lost. I have fun with this policy at the beginning of the course when I start the class and call them together to get started. Then I stop and tell them that I need to make a call to a sandwich for my dinner. I then make a fake call and chat a bit while they sit there trying to figure out what is going on. Then I put my phone away and tell them how I am going to enforce my no cell phone rule. They get a laugh out of it but the point is well made.
This phase we also stopped students from using their laptops or IPads in class due to school wide abuses that were occurring. This is a college wide policy. Though the students whined about it they accepted it very well and we able to more direct discussions and interaction since it just people in the room and not a lot of electronic devices.
This is an ongoing problem/situation that seems to be evolving all the time in terms of what is an appropriate course of action to take that will enable the students to benefit from the electronics but not abuse them in a learning situation.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
As a father of five children with cell phones, I knew all the body and head motions indicating texting!! Cell phones are banned from the classroom. Students hands must always be visible during class. The presence of cell phones results in dismissal from the class; if it's during an exam they receive an F.
David,
Way to go. Cell phones are a constant battle for most instructors and what ever policy that is used make sure it is enforced consistently.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
I usually tell all my students to turn off all handheld devices before my class starts. It's a one hour class and it would not hurt them. There is no way a student will be able to focus on the class when they are constantly checking their handheld devices to update their Facebook status. Frankly speaking, would it be unlawful to seize a students' handheld device who fails to turn off their handheld device?
Godwin,
I have the same policy about hand held devices. I set a strict standard at the beginning of the course and generally the students abide by it throughout the course. Sometimes they slip and I remind them. As for seizing a hand held device that could be asking for a confrontation that you might not want to get into. When faced with something like this I ask the student to leave the class and he or she can return only when they will abide by the rules. So far this has worked well. I only have to ask one to leave about every other year.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
