Distraction
I think embracing technolgy and introducing new technology to students is the only way to combat the potential negative factor of distraction. Personal devices with access to entertainment, news, social networks etc. will always pose a threat to a classroom setting if the information being presented in class is not presented in an equally captivating method.
I think letting them use the iphones is okay in class as long as limits are set from the beginning to not be communicating with friends etc.
Faculty members must pay more attention to what is going on in their class room, so on both sides of the desk it the increase of an expectation of accountability.
selinza,
this is a great point! Too often we complain about the students but don't do due diligence to keep them focused & on track.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
It is very hard to keep cell phones out of the classroom. Our school does not allow the use of cell phones during class or lab due to safety. We are constantly working around machines/vehicles and the student must stay very focused.The instructor has a responsibility to help keep his students safe. Our students are graded in three areas being class, lab and professionalism. The student can be docked points in professionalism if they are caught using their phone in class or lab. The students are so attached to their phones and they get very upset when they are down graded and tend to ignore these rules even though it is a safety precaution to help protect them from harm.
I find this interesting because we also do not allow cell phones in the classroom because they are a distraction and often the student is checking their social networks instead of listening and then does poorly on an exam. I'd like to incorporate them into the classroom, but feel a lot of time would be spent on following up on the rules for their usage, and discipline and distracting from the class itself. I always feel that they get a break every 50 minutes, can't their people wait? For use in a group assignment is different.
I see this outside of the classroom regularly. It is a daily distraction while in a meeting, casual conversation, while checking out at the grocery store. Not just in the classroom.
I use it to my advantage,rather than spend class time asking the student to put the cell phone away,I embrace it and have them use them for class.
Indeed, it's my opinion that teachers should take command of their classroom, set classroom guidelines to mitigate possible distractions, stick to those guidelines, and re-inforce to their students that it's a privilege to learn.
Stephen,
this is a great point. I realize that many are addicted to their devices, but if many are distracted in our classes, I think we have to ask ourselves what we are doing to contribute to this problem?
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I tend to agree with you Kathy. I would love to have students use their cell phones for different educational purposes, but then you open the door to them texting and going on Facebook. I also find that if you use it for educational purposes once, students view it as acceptable to text and facebook in future classes. Its difficult to close the flood gates once you have opened them.
Alicia,
this is a very valid point & one that must be carefully considered & weighed. If you allow the phones once, expect to see them out more & not at appropriate times.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
It would be so refreshing to have the use of cell phones for projects in the classroom.I feel there would be a better effort put forth but unfortunatly once again it would be nearly impossible to have them be responsible enough to not to abuse it.
Glenn,
this is sadly the case, although there may be ways to use the phones & still guard against abuse in a limited capacity.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree, technology should be effectively used in the classroom otherwise distraction will set in. I allow technology in the classroom, however, I am tedious when it comes to using cellphones in the classroom. I find that students who try and use cellphones in the classroom struggle much more than students who do pay attentio.
I agree with Kathy as well. I have found that even when the rules are laid down in the beginning of a course, some students have a tendency to "push the envelope" For example, I made an exception and allowed a student to utilize their smart phone to take intra-oral pictures in clinic one day. Two days later that same student had her cell phone out on the counter while she was working on her patient despite the known rule that phones are not to be out in clinic. I would love to allow their use when applicable, but how do you monitor that the students are indeed using them for educational purposes at all times?
I agree this is a distraction. This is the same scenario that I have to deal with in my institution.
Even tho my students are told not to use cell phones for personal business during class, I find them still using them at times. I have given them lee way for their patients to contact them when necessary. Usually they will tell me when they need to communicate on their cell phone but it is a bit of an distraction. It will also take away their attention from the lecture.
for the next term, I may require cell phones in their backpacks silenced, due to current cell phone distractions. Messages can be retreived during classroom breaks.
Bonita,
if you find this to be a significant problem, I would ask them to always step out of the room & then tell them that they will have to get with another student to get the notes/material that they missed while they were out.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
