Working in a K-4 school, I haven't had to worry too much about cell phones in my classes. Most of my students don't realize the difference between the old cell phones they can use to play games on WiFi and actual working phones for texting, constant internet access and, possibly, calling and speaking to another human being.
Lately there has been a lot of discussion around high school students and appropriate versus inappropriate use of cell phones in schools. You know the stories - high school students deliberately baiting and antagonizing a teacher only to film that teacher's subsequent blowup and instantly post it on the internet. It is all well and fine for 'outsiders' to say a teacher is a professional and should be able to handle that situation, but having only dealt with a few teenagers at a time myself, I cannot imagine staying calm for too long in a situation like that.
I digress - I really wanted to talk about cell phones in college lecture halls. A great video created by students at SFU touches on aspects of the issue such as distractions and the fact that students are in charge of their own learning, the caveat being if they choose to waste their tuition dollars (or their parents!) by not paying attention and taking part in the learning experience it is their prerogative.
Lately there has been a lot of discussion around high school students and appropriate versus inappropriate use of cell phones in schools. You know the stories - high school students deliberately baiting and antagonizing a teacher only to film that teacher's subsequent blowup and instantly post it on the internet. It is all well and fine for 'outsiders' to say a teacher is a professional and should be able to handle that situation, but having only dealt with a few teenagers at a time myself, I cannot imagine staying calm for too long in a situation like that.
I digress - I really wanted to talk about cell phones in college lecture halls. A great video created by students at SFU touches on aspects of the issue such as distractions and the fact that students are in charge of their own learning, the caveat being if they choose to waste their tuition dollars (or their parents!) by not paying attention and taking part in the learning experience it is their prerogative.
But an article by Clay Shirky, a teacher, author, speaker and commentator about social and economic internet issues, discusses the effects of cell phone use on not only the students, but their classmates. Why Clay Shirky Banned Laptops, Tablets and Phones from his Classroom relates findings which liken the distraction of peripheral cell phone users to second-hand smoke. He also discusses the factors influencing how much control young adults have over their actions regarding technology and its constant draw. He uses Jonathan Haidt's Elephant and Rider metaphor to describe how a student/rider may not be able to overcome the powerful elephant itching to check that cell phone screen.
It's certainly peanuts, I mean food for thought.
It's certainly peanuts, I mean food for thought.