Social networking through smart phones
Social networking websites distract learners in the classroom. The school's network administrators may prohibit access to popular social networking sites and instant messengers but the threat still exists with students who own smart phones.
How are you handling the use of smart phones in the classroom?
Cindy,
Make your policy about cell phones clear and then be consistent in your enforcement of your policy. Students will continue to test you throughout the course session if you do not make the policy clear and then enforce it.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I will take your advice and begin the first day of stressing no cell phones, thank you for the helpful insight
I tell students not to use their phone in the classroom. This goes for smartphones, and non-smartphones. If a students needs to use their phone for an emergency, I tell them to step out fo the classroom and do what they need to do without distracting the other students. If they use it during class, I call them out on it, and ask them to step outside. It is up to them to get the material they missed while on their phone from another student. This is to promote accountablity of the students to each other so they are not bugging each other for notes becasue they would rather be on their phone.
Lima,
Yes we would expect better behavior but I find that in many cases it is not there. The act like middle school students while expecting to be treated like adults. I tell them I will treat them like adults when they display adult behavior. I set firm clear rules for the class and when they do not follow them I am consistent in enforcing the consequences that come from misbehavior.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
Thanks for sharing. That is very interesting approach. I know it is easier to enforce policies in grade schools and high schools but when it comes to college, we would expect a better cooperation from our students to behave as adult.
Julia,
Thanks for sharing this policy with us. Cellphones are an ongoing part of class management. In spite of my "no cellphones" rule students get lax part of the way into the course so I have to make sure I am consistent in my policy and remind them of the rule and then enforce the consequences when a situation arises.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
We announce a "no cellphones" policy day one. If a student is expecting an important call, they have to step out to take it. Anyone "caught" texting during lecture loses daily points, with a notation of "cellphone in class" on their weekly grade report. It usually only takes once or twice before they get the message.
