I caught student doing the same, now i dont allow cel phone in the class room.
They seem be overly dependent upon technology creating an environment of memorization as opposed to developing a process of critical thinking.
Brant,
yes, if we can help them develop good skills in analyzing the information that is available to them so quickly they will be better off.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
As an extension of themselves. It is part of the fabric of their daily existence and they can not imagine a different way to live or exist.
Gen Y students are used to having information at their fingertips throgh the use of technology; smartphones, tablets, etc. and finding ways to incorporate these types of technology into the classroom can increase engagement.
It is critical that first we understand the effective use of these tools and that we reinforce professionalism in the classroom as well, so that they do not become more of a distraction than a support for learning.
As digital natives, Gen Y students view technology as a natural way of life. Without technology, many of them would be lost. often ask my students to imagine living in a country that did not have Internet access. They simply cannot relate to the idea. So technology for them is a need not a want.
Ronald,
This is the reason I do not allow cell phones in the classroom. I put a statement in my syllabus concerning cell phone use in the classroom. It is simply not allowed. However, being a technology teacher, there are teachable moments when I have allowed students to take out their cell phones and share information about interesting apps that may be useful to others.
Ruth,
I like your flexibility; you have a clear policy, but allow for exceptions. On a somewhat related note, I just read an interesting article the other day in which a higher ed instructor describes why he does not allow laptops in the classroom. Very interesting.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I do not allow cellphones to be used during my lecture classes. Students have texts and supporting written material to use, hands-on models at times, plus power point presentations and a whiteboard where I draw relevant pictures or write info. When we take a short break they can use their phones. A few students struggle to go two hours "offline", but if I'm teaching, I expect them to be listening.
J.,
and this can be good prep for the work place as well as many employers don't allow them to be using their phone while working.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Cell phones in my class can be used to look up information on different topics, but are sit out in front of the student and off during test
I find technology has its place in the classroom. In our training, students must complete prerequisite web base courses before I can lecture on the subject matter.
Mark,
Bravo for your "old school" communication class... I love it! I had the good fortune to serve as an Army leadership facilitator via two-week small-group seminars.... face-to-face communication was the name-of-the-game.... invaluable learning for all involved!
Randy,
yes & really the face to face communication is desired by most individuals. While today's students are used to technology, they really do still crave the personal connection.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
James,
this is a good example of finding that balance & even using technology to free up some class time for other material.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
Gen Y students view technology as a natural part of their lives, so why not use it in the classroom? It can be a great help for finding answers to questions, to comment with others about content, and to create content. I've heard it said that we now live in a "comment culture". Gen Y students like to share their views. As an educator, I allow the use of on-line technology in class but under fairly strict guidelines. I am most strict about forbidding the use of devices during exams.
To me our Gen Y students depend too much on technology. In the past, if we wanted a phone number, we had to look it up in the phone book or store it in our long-term memory. If we wanted to learn about the African Safari, we'd have to look it up AT THE LIBRARY in a BOOK. I find that most of my Gen Y online students depend on technology to the point that when it's not working, neither are they. They are intimidated by any solution outside of getting their connectivity to their network restored. While technology has opened up a world of convenience, I feel it has also crippled them a little.
One thing we learned in this course is that Gen Y students are multi-taskers, so they should be able to learn by listening and participating in class discussions while texting or surfing the Internet and "staying connected to family and friends" (if not to their fellow students), no? I can't imagine any teacher believes that. I've any number of studies that have documented that multi-tasking is not successful, that the end product is always weak.
The other issue is that technology evolves so rapidly nowadays that what was appropriate one semester may not be so the next. One example in my experience is the Internet itself and Design web sites. Most of the students coming into my capstone Theory course had never heard of some of the most important deign web site, and yet they are constantly wired, even in my class.
I have found that my students actually respond better to technology than to me asking a question. I have recently started using a program called nearpod. It allows me to literally drag and drop my current PP into the program, then I can add slides for questions. I can do multiple choice poll questions, short answer, drawings, and the pay version has additional options. There is also an option to add a quiz at the end of each PP. My most recent cohort is VERY quiet. I could ask questions about any topic, and they stare at me with a blank look. I began using nearpod and inserting my questions for the class to respond to. Now I know that I am getting 100% participation. I can display interesting answers to the class without giving the students name. Love this program and what it has done for my Shy-Learners!!
I have had these same type of problems , I think that if being connected has become that important to gen y folks we might have created a monster.
