Zane Zimbelman

Hello all of you!

How do we further engage students that are obsessed with their phones and technology but fail to check their email and educational online profiles?

When teaching, I think it is important to imbue a sense of almost obsession with the topic as an instructor. I teach literature and love books to death, but a criminal justice student might not think the same way. If I can get that student to understand in a small sense how I feel, we start to meet at a crossroads. This is how I get students motivated. They see my motivation to learn more and they follow.

Often I will have students leave the classroom with an assignment for the next class that includes a discussion topic. This allows them to return and engage other students in what they are interested in. At times, I will have them pick news topics that interest them and lead a discussion for fifteen minutes in the classroom. This allows them to have control as well as become familiar with a topic they pick.

I enjoy seeing students return with response papers after a lengthy assignment and really give feedback to what they have learned and what it means to them personally. There are many methods to allow students to share personal reactions without opening any wounds or calling them out when they are not ready to share personal information. I think response papers are key to this. They are forced to respond personally, but can discuss a sliver of their opinion without judgement.

When my classes first begin I make certain not to call out my adult students, but rather allow themselves to discuss their age and why they returned to school. I find that adult learners are often open if THEY are allowed to discuss their return to academia and will talk to everyone in class about this if the instructor simply allows them to do it in their terms.

Many students who are new to a program or school are afraid of being judged, especially by veteran students or teachers who might shoot them down. I like to welcome them in and have a first day writing assignment where we all discuss what we want out of our education. Most students, regardless of how far they are along say the same thing. This is the great equalizer.

Plagarism is a huge problem, but it can be reduced by having students write "respose" papers which are essentially their opinions on subjects. This allows the instructor to familiarize themselves with the student's language and grammar thusly making it easier to prove if they are cheating. It also faciliates class discussion as they are voicing their opinions.

I find that if I eliminate their need for electronic devices, but use my own such as my Ipod to listen to information podcasts, or the projector to show short lectures on youtube, that the students feel less inclined to reach for their computer or text under the table. The use of technology is important and it shows how versitile it can be for them in their career.