Our student newspaper recently ran a story about students bringing their cell phones and computers to class. Not surprisingly, all of the teachers interviewed were against the practice on the grounds that these devices distracted students from class material. Some went so far as to forbid students from using them in class, although you have to wonder if they can really enforce such a rule.
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I was interviewed in the next issue of the newspaper and I mentioned that I don’t object to computers and cell phones in class at all. In fact, I wonder if we should be encouraging students to bring them to class. For one, students will eventually be entering the working world where these devices are ubiquitous. Look at any business meeting and you will find everyone with smart phones or laptops. The restriction on their use amounts to telling students that they need to go back to using pen and paper for notetaking, like the 60’s. We are preparing students for a world that no longer exists.
But more importantly, I’m using the devices to increase student participation. This idea occurred to me when a student asked a factual question in class that I couldn’t answer off the top of my head. A few minutes later another student volunteered the answer, which she had looked up on her smart phone.
At that point I started telling students that they could bring their digital devices to class, but if they did they must be prepared to do research on the spot. For instance, I might say “Jerry, in what year did the Tuskegee Syphilis Study end?,” requiring him to research the answer for us.
This policy makes students collaborators in the learning process. It’s too easy to fall into the trap of believing that only teachers have valuable knowledge for students. While we may be the primary experts in our classroom, there is no reason why students cannot offer up information to advance the discussion.
I’m sure that the smart phones and laptops are a distraction at times, and no doubt students are checking text messages (email is passé among today’s students, in case you haven’t heard), and Facebook. But digital devices can also make them more engaged in the material, and can be of particular benefit to shy students who are afraid of saying something dumb if they speak up. This is not a concern when they are reporting someone else’s research.
So instead of fighting the digital movement, try treating it as a collaborator in the learning process and a way to get all of your students involved in class.
As always, I encourage your comments, criticisms, and cries of outrage in the comments section of the blog.
This Post Has 12 Comments
I agree with allowing computers and cell phones given the reasons cited; however, one does have to be hyper-alert lest these technological support systems and life-lines become intrusive, interruptive, and distracting; thus there is a need on the first day of class to establish solid guidelines for using cells and computers. I am more of a facilitator or a coach; students need to know how to find the information instead of knowing about the millions of bits of information that are out there floating around. In my ethics class my students use techonology. For example, I cited the Greek word "Ethos" and other Greek terms, and then asked several students to look up the meaning of the root words which they shared, while I expanded upon their meanings, relevance, and application. It is definitely more interactive, that is using technology as a complement and supplement to the ebb and flow of the class.
I agree John..not going away, ubiquitous, part of the new world order. My recommendation: It's incumbent upon us (faculty) to collaborate with other faculty and especially our students in our classes to 1) identify the assets, 2) identify the liabilities, 3) create some overt ground rules to extenuate the assets and minimize th liabilities. Make this a part of class orientation and milk these tools for all they're worth – and it can be a lot if handled thoughtfully! You can see an example of this on page 20 of our Small Group Facilitator handbook at: http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/fd/facilitatorresource… click on first link – CPC Facilitator's Handbook: OUCOM's Small Group Facilitator Guide. Regards, ssd
I also have no problem with students using their web-enabled devices in class. If a student wants to pay attention to something other than me, that’s their decision. Beginning this fall I’m going to try out backchan.nl in class. This will allow students to type their questions and comments for everyone in the class to see – and vote up or down. My classes are very interactive. When I piloted it the last day of class in the spring students thought it would have no impact on the most vocal students nor do I want it to. But I think it will provide an avenue for my quiet students, including those from cultures where interrupting the speaker is rude.
I agree. Resistance is futile! The boundaries of our existential spheres have been blurred by technology, and the information flowing and ebbing among them is constant and natural – except in the classroom which is a last hold-out for understandable reasons. Like all classroom experiences, the expectations and guidelines must be made clear. I have some rather lengthy classes this summer (one is almost 5 hours long, meeting once a week), and I give period cell phone breaks, not to mention allow students to use their web-based technology to do insta-research. It is good to hear other suggestions for purposeful incorporation into lesson plans because I am a little older and thinking about it does not always come naturally to me.
Sigh… I guess I have to give up the thought that I can hold their attention with my mere presence. I do allow those who have devices with them to look up terms and information. I have on occasion appointed one person in a small group to be the "look up person.
I think for first year college composition I am going to have to stick with leave the electronic devices in the bag unless I allow them for an activity.
I fully support the students' use of technology in the classroom, and I believe this can lead to beneficial active learning opportunities such as having students work in groups and use laptops/smartphones to research info for a "jigsaw" activity. If students are using their digital devices inappropriately in the classroom, perhaps it is because they are being forced to sit through yet another tedious lecture (aka non-pharmacological sleep aid). Our teaching practices must remain current with the changes in the world around us or we will find ourselves being left behind…
I don't think that any one of us can be against the students' us or bringing their cell phones or laptops to classroom. In fact most of our students have their technical devises in their pockets, bags, or in their shoulders. the question now is not how to prevent students from using the technology during your lesson, but its how to get the benefits from this devises to draw the student attention and participation in the class.
I think its about the time to change our thinking and to change our attitudes towards such technical devises, and to start accepting the fact that using technology in the classroom by teachers and students inevitable, and I advice no one to swim against the water flow.
Reading this post I found myself wondering what kind of participation technology encourages. Is it worth it, to ask a student to look up a detail if it means she misses 5-10 minutes of the lecture while she looks up the information? And is merely reporting what someone else has said or researched really any kind of participation worth having? Perhaps this is the bias that goes along with my field (I am a doctoral student and teach required freshmen intro to philosophy courses), but I tend to think the value of a classroom experience is discussing your *ideas* with someone. And I am not sure technology, much less these mini-research projects, encourages that.
As for the claim that technology is ubiquitous, it most definitely is – but again, I don't know that that means it has to be all-present. In my experience, most of my students are already experts at multitasking and using technology. It is what I call single-tasking — prolonged thought and work with a single task or topic — that they need to acquire an ability for, and in my experience technology works against that.
Marta, students, if asked to research a word, concept, or definition takes more like 30 seconds and not 5 to 10 minutes; second we can take the either/or approach or the both/and to education by including the use of technology which means it is not necessarily a win/lose, but a win/learn opportunity. In my 4 hour class I use the 12 by 12 methodology = 12 – 20 to 30 minute learning opportunities of which lecture is but one of the 12 methodologies; conceivably one of the 20 to 30 minute learning opportunities could be the use of technology to research various terms, thus there are 11 remaining 20-30 minute learning plans which do not have to include any form of technology related to cells or computers. roger
John,
As a sophomore in college, I would have to strongly disagree in the statement that technology within a classroom is useful. Granted, I don’t have my PhD or extensive research within the field, yet I do have classroom experience that illustrates the uselessness of technology in a classroom, both at the community college and university levels. As a matter of fact, I would agree with instructors forbidding the use of any electronics in the class room as it adversely affects the learning environment not for one student; rather it affects the entire populous.
I’m assuming since you began at Madison University in 1987 you were born in the early 70’s, so I can’t understand why, beyond the fact you are an advocate for distance education and technology integration in education, that you would portray “using pen and paper for notetaking” as archaic as it prepares students for “a world that no longer exists.” I question then, what is a world when your basic skills, such as writing notes with pen and paper, become extinct? I acknowledge the usefulness of technology as it assists in streamlining processes such as email, social networking, and writing articles such as yours, however there is a time and place to complete such tasks; in my opinion, it is not in the classroom.
In your article you pointed out an advantage of using electronics is to research inquiries that the instructor does not have at hand, and continued to give an example of a situation where you believe it would help if the student is “prepared to do research.” Honestly speaking, everyone who is computer savvy is prepared to do research as web browsers these days have a tab option which takes seconds to open and begin your search via Google or other search engines without having to close their shenanigans. In addition, if the computer is being used to create collaboration within the classroom, why not create an education plan for the students to follow while allowing them to collaborate to complete it, and cut out teachers all together? As we all know, you can learn on your own; if questions arise they will be able to collaborate with each other correct? You even stated, “It’s too easy to fall into the trap of believing that only teachers have valuable knowledge for student.” In theory, we don’t need teachers if we are allowed to use ‘smart’ electronics.
For example, in my observations of students at the University of California, Irvine, out of a class of 100 students approximately 85 of the students are using some form of electronic device (cell phone, laptop, or tablet) during class. Sadly, 70 of the remaining 85 students were visiting non-education related websites, such as eBay or Facebook, while the instructor was lecturing. Call me wrong if you will, I believe the visitation of these websites is hindering to the learning environment. In a perfect world the student would pay attention to the instructor, take notes, and be dedicated to the subject, but why is a computer and internet access required? If anyone within a classroom should have a laptop, it should be the instructor as they are the “primary experts in [the] classroom.”
Similarly, allowing students to have access to these instant resources inhibits their ability to retain information. Let’s be honest, if you could find out anything you ever wanted to know with a breeze of your fingers why would you have to? A could be bright future is becoming the ‘lazy’ generation with the push of electronic devices.
Perhaps because I am not within the typical 18-22 age bracket of college students I have an opposing opinion, or it could be I hold higher standards for education. Being 25 and having, what I feel is, a well versed life thus far – I see the pros and cons of electronics; uses in the classroom are unnecessary.
Respectfully,
Naughta Sheeple
References: https://sites.google.com/site/johnorlandoconsulti… http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-orlando/0/614/92…
As an adult student and an instructor, I see both sides of this equation. I need to keep checking on emails when I'm taking time off work to attend classes to make sure things aren't getting out of hand, and during my classes, others are checking their phones for various reasons too.
Realistically, if a student wants a distraction, they will find one. You cannot force them to follow your every word all of the time. I remember doodling as a young kid in school, or staring out the window. Detentions and straps were the answer for that – but I know they never kept me from drifting away or not paying attention when I was bored.
Sometimes the discussions in a class get monotonous. You have quick learners who grasp the concepts and are ready to move on, and the progress gets stalled as the teacher answers the questions of the ones slower to catch on. So, instead of being bored to tears, a quick learner checks their email, updates their Facebook status to wonder why "people just don't get trigonometry when it's so easy!!" and keeps an ear out for when the lesson starts going again. Instead of being disruptive by having conversations with their neighbors, they are keeping themselves busy quietly and allowing the class to proceed.
How many of us multi-task daily? Who hasn't sat in front of the tv or had the stereo or radio on as they were doing homework or lesson plans? Who hasn't talked to people while driving and listening to their favorite cds? Some people actually do better work and can concentrate better with distractions!
For adult learners, anyway, I really believe that since they are paying for the course they should be the ones who decide how much attention they need to devote to the speaker. As a student, I find if the class is well paced and very interesting, I forget to check my messages and emails more frequently. As an instructor, I find the more engaging my lesson is, the fewer cellphones I see out.
Perhaps this says something about us as instructors/teachers. Maybe we have to learn to put our passion into our lessons so that our students won't want distractions at all. Perhaps this can become part of our self-evaluations – "I must have engaged my students well today, I only saw two cellphones all class."
the use of electronics is irritating. If you bring that irritation to the class — the feeling of irritation — not rules and regulations — the feeling will grip the students and they will have to work it out between themselves and the instructor.