Cell phones can only be an instrument of communication in emergency if brought to class and should not be used for anything else. It should always be kept in silent mode to avoid any distraction. Smart phones have means to record the lecture and take photographs of diagrams etc. and it can be used for this purpose, only with specific permission. Most of the time it is used for reasons other than learning when carried to class. It is very difficult to judge the students intentions in using the equipment therefore it should not be allowed during a class. Anyone disobeying the orders can be warned and reprimanded if the offence is repeated.

Dear Paul,

Timely question !

If faculty find the presence of cell phones to be distracting (a good case exists for this !), recommended is making non-use a matter of policy - and including this in the syllabus, along with the reason for the policy.

With good wishes !

We have a class contract that everyone agrees with including no cellphones.

I totally agree that cell phone use is a distraction in the classroom. Obviously, students are not benefiting from what is happening in class if they are focused on their phones. However, today's typical college student, for the most part, has grown up with technology and prefers to use technology in their learning.

I read some good advice recently about this. (I can't recall the source but it was a reputable one). The writer suggested integrating cell phone use into teaching. For example, when I was asked a question by a student about something related to my lecture, rather than provide the answer, I had him 'Google' it. The end result was satisfaction on the part of the student because he - and others -are so comfortable using these methods, as well as obtaining an answer that was far more detailed than what I might have provided. It was a good learning experience for all.

Cell phones can only be an instrument of communication in emergency if brought to class and should not be used for anything else. It should always be kept in silent mode to avoid any distraction. Smart phones have means to record the lecture and take photographs of diagrams etc. and it can be used for this purpose, only with specific permission. Most of the time it is used for reasons other than learning when carried to class. It is very difficult to judge the students intentions in using the equipment therefore it should not be allowed during a class. Anyone disobeying the orders can be warned and reprimanded if the offence is repeated.

The application of cell phones in classrom is forbidden! Neither teacher, nor the students are allowed to use it.

That's a good policy, Ljubomir.  I wish my university had a policy like that.  

Some fine articles about  negative influence of cell phones in the classroom!

https://phys.org/news/2015-06-mobile-devices-classroom-impact-student.html

http://www.collegedegrees.com/blog/2011/01/28/negative-effects-of-smartphones-in-the-classroom/

https://www.techwalla.com/articles/negative-effects-of-cell-phones-on-education

I stop my students to use cell phones during class by explaining them proper utilization of time and this is nothing to be related with technology.

Everything distracts the attention of the student and his or her colleagues

Not permitted by our university laws

In general, no. But if a student has a family emergency, he should let me know in advance. I would allow him/her to use the phone (but outside the classroom).

We have a tradition that if a student ask the teacher to answer a call, the teacher let him do that but outside the classroom.

Although some students try to write messages in their cell phones without teacher permission.

Dear Paul, 

I decided to answer and to contribute, thus allowing you to reach you task to improve your views on RG.  Yours is one of the questions that allow people to say that RG is not a good viewsite, because anybody may publish useless questions. If ypu want to be known, and leave your signature on the future generations, stop asking such hopeles questions and start to produce something interesting that can be published in good Journals, not predatory, with a decent impact factor. 

no, they will lost their attention to the class. regrads

Dear Arturo,

Thanks for your input, even though you come across as upset and bitter.  Your perception is also totally wrong.  I asked this question because it has become a problem at my university.  I don't care about an RG score.  This forum has a wide array of professors from all around the world.  It's a good tool to get questions answered.  And the ansswers have helped me to understand this problem better.  

There is even some good research on this topic.  Check it out!

My advice to you is to not post anything if your only contribution is negative.  We don't need your negativety on Researchgate.  Stay positive, my friend.  

I ask students not to use their portable communication devices in class, and include this request in the syllabus. If I see a student being distracted by his device, I ask that person not to use it. Sometimes, for theatrical effect, I hold my head in both hands and say, with an anguished voice, "Oh no! He's in the clutches of the multinational corporations!". I do this jokingly, but my concern is genuine.

Here is a recent article that provides evidence of cognitive impairment caused by the mere presence of a smartphone, even when it is turned off!

Ward, Adrian; Duke, Kristen; Gneezy, Ayelet; Bos, Maarten W.

2017 “Brain drain: the mere presence of one’s own smartphone reduces available cognitive capacity,” in Journal of the Association for Consumer Research (The University of Chicago Press), vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 140-154 (http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/691462, uploaded: 3 April 2017; accessed: 9 July 2017).

Thanks David.  That is very useful.  I appreciate your input!

I would like to share a cartoon of myself, drawn by one of my students, José Dimitrio Gómez Espinosa. It expresses the discomfort some students feel when not permitted to consult their phones in class. This is a drawback to the zero-phone policy, as I don't want them to suffer, but I am convinced that the advantages outweigh the drawbacks. You may click on the image for a closer look.

You're very welcome, Paul.

That is super cool, David.  You obviously have a good relationship with your students.  You got your message across and the stuents respect you for it.

Thanks for sharing!

Its depend upon the area.

No i dont allow

Why You Should Use Cell Phones in Class

8 Activities For Putting Phones to Positive Use in the ESL Classroom

http://busyteacher.org/11168-how-to-use-cell-phones-classroom-8-esl-activities.html

http://www.debate.org/opinions/should-students-be-allowed-to-use-cell-phones-in-school

Why Use Cell Phones as Learning Tools

Cell phones are different from a computer lab filled with computers or a cart of netbooks because the cell phone is personal technology. Most students have invested a great deal of time learning about the features of the cell phone, how to navigate and the limitations of the phone. The other reason to really rethink the cell phone debate is because learning on the cell phone can extend beyond the walls of the school or the confines of a class period.

 Some people may want to ban cell phones from classrooms, but I disagree. We didn’t ban pens in our schools because students can pass notes during class. The pencils have also survived even though you could poke someone in the eye. And the amount of paper that is generated in most schools is almost criminal. This is a new time in education and with dwindling budgets , so we need to rethink possibilities, stretching every dollar. These mini computers are walking through the doors each day, let’s put them to work.

Before you consider trying any of these ideas, make sure you understand the policies that are in place and your have checked with your administrator.

Sometimes, yes

I allow. It is useful at times. But calls should be taken only in emergency. Otherwise it will disturb classes.

Dear Dr. David Charles Wright-Carr

The cartoon is so nice. 

But what about the laptop? Is it yours ? Or belong to one of your students ?

No I didn't allow 

I do teaching for newly recruited trainee officers in my office.

It is allowed....They can carry mobile  with them...

But it becomes my responsibility to see that they wont use it during class.

Even a small beep will divert attention of whole class. No one should be allowed to use it class.

If they need to call or answer they can go out and do that.

keeping in a silent mode is must....

Even vibration mode makes the disturbance.

Students should behave responsibly...and we there to teach them that before anything else.

 Certainly not during exams! They can find the answers there!

Dear Paul

When used in the right way, classroom mobiles have the power to greatly enhance students' motivation and learning level. In addition, they have the great advantage of being great tools to support the teacher. Through them, it is possible to increase classes and offer more interactive contents and that arouse the genuine interest of the student in participating in the process

Dear Michael, 

Thanks for your input.

I actually caught three students using a cell phone during an Exam in the past year.  One student said she was simply looking up a definition.  Needless to say, this is cheating.  All three students got a Zero on the exam and were reported for cheating. 

The default answer is NO but in many urgent cases the situation will completely differ! due to the recent events all over the world.

Emad

Dear Paul Stock,

I think you posted a very interesting question. Nowadays university teachers are concerned with the use of cell phones in the classroom.

In our higher education system cell phones are not allowed to be used in classrooms, nonetheless some teachers like me, turn them into teaching aids. I tell learners that their cell phones would be used during the lessons only to consult the dictionary or the translator if they have a doubt in English, only in that way they are able to use their phones.

However, learners cannot use their cell phones when they are doing a test. It is considered school fraud.

Best regards,

Litart

Dear Mohannad:

In answer to your question, the notebook in the cartoon represents the one I use, together with a digital projector and a large screen, to show PowerPoint presentations with images for my art history classes. When I show these images, the idea is for the entire group to focus their attention on one large screen. In this context, cell phone use would be an unwanted distraction. Students also work on individual projects and are encouraged to use the Internet, but most of this work takes place outside the classroom.

Warm regards,

David

Most students spend several hours a day interacting through digital devices. In my art history and aesthetic theory classes, I ask them to construct aesthetically pleasing notebooks and to fill them with hand-written verbal notes and hand-drawn visual notes. There is something about the direct, physical interaction of a human body with a paper surface that cannot be replicated with digital media. I am betting that this will have positive consequences on their cognitive development. There are no tests in my classes, in the traditional sense of the word. Students are graded on their notebooks (the paper variety, not compact computers) and on the final presentations of their individual research projects (digitally-generated research reports and oral presentations illustrated with digital images). I think I am getting good results with this strategy. In spite of the pain of network withdrawal that some phone addicts experience, student ratings have been generally positive, sometimes even enthusiastic. (I see phone addiction like tobacco addiction; if they can't control it in their lives, at least they can have a break from it for an hour or two while in the classroom.)

Actually it's a bad habit. keeping the cell phone closed during the lecture is a kind of respect for the teacher, the student and the topic. Also it's a benefit for the students themselves because this will avoid distraction. I think students tend to use their cell phones in the class because they used to keep their cellphones in their hands also because they feel boring. you can motivate them to be more focused by making a quiz at the beginning of the lecture and start discussions by choosing them randomly to keep them alert. Another thing which is very important is try to make the lecture fun by making some jokes, keep smiling telling a short story. i think this will help. 

These are my practices, and my experience in all subjects I teach at all levels. At the first lecture,students are told to feel at home. If any one of them needs to leave the class for any reason he can do so quietly, phones must be put on silent mode, however if a student has to answer an urgent call he can leave the class without asking permission and answer the call. For the last 8 years, all documents, computers, phones including the use of internet are allowed during exams. This requires multiform exames. Same questions with different numbers, signes or order. The exames do not depend on the students memory at all. Just work as if you were working in real life. If you need information look for them and present your data processed using your intelligence, abilities and skills. A very successful approach.

Normally no, but its depend on the conditioning teaching work.

I Think that the halls of teaching every were is very blessed places in the scientific field like the Church and the mosque and any Temples, so calls from any sources must be controlled and not to be permitted, and students must respects the privacy of this place, just look at this video in this link below and see how the coach of Chelsea FC apologize to the reporters cos of getting a call from his wife while he was in a life press conference :

https://youtu.be/HmJaCb51rgg

https://youtu.be/HmJaCb51rgg?t=10

so if it is leads to embarrassing some one in an activity like football then what about the scientific lectures which carries the fate of humanities and human being.