To Ban or Not to Ban (cell phones, tablets and iPads) in classroom , What's Your Policy?
Dear Mahmoud Omid,
If it is used for lessons, then you can use.
Regards, Shafagat
Thank you Dear Shafagat Mahmudova for quick response.
Modern technology is truly ubiquitous. However, It is essential to know how we harness the power of technology in order to benefit our children rather than to harm them.
One thing for sure, of the 7 billion plus people on our planet, 6 billion plus have access to a mobile phone whilst only 4.5 billion have access to a working lavatory. The impact of the physiological changes to the brain consequent upon over-exposure to the virtual world of the computer screen. Amongst children it may, already, be leading to a decrease in attention span, an inability to concentrate, to listen, to follow instructions and to consider others.
http://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/chris-mcgovern-ban-mobile-phones-in-the-classroom-the-chief-inspector-is-right/
I don't think it's a wise move to ban using cell phone in classroom. In the ICT era, we should really think about how to make use of these devices for better learning and information collection. It is more beneficial to incorporate ICT into classroom learning than just simply banning.
In a controlled manner, because it has been noted in young adults that the addiction to these devices can make you mad or obsessed....
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/mental-wealth/201206/computer-video-games-psychosis-cause-concern
Dear All,
I think everything is acceptable which helps the process of studying and does not bother, disturb the instructor and the other students. Of course cheating cannot be allowable.
Mobile technology has become ubiquitous part today's students life that has changed how they communicate, gather information, allocate time and attention, and potentially how they learn. Students and instructors need technical, logistical, and pedagogical support for integrating mobile devices and apps in formal and informal learning environments. Tablets and iPads if integrated with classroom curriculum may be supportive for improved student learning and engagement. Many colleges and universities are experimenting with tablets and iPads enabled teaching modules and they found it to be an improved educational experience by engaging students in active learning involving note taking, collaborative work, student organization, and information retrieval. Therefore, complete probation of these devices will not be a sensible move. However, there should be definite guidelines on how do students use mobile devices and apps in the classroom for learning purpose as unregulated use of such devices may cause unwanted distraction and hindrance for students as well as teachers during classroom learning.
I don't know about human beings but honeybees are definitely not happy about all the electromagnetic radiation that is around these days. Maybe it takes a longer time for humans to realize because of their bigger and intellectual brains....
http://www.ipublishing.co.in/jesvol1no12010/EIJES2044.pdf
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/06/30/bee.decline.mobile.phones/
http://inhabitat.com/its-official-cell-phones-are-killing-bees/
I don't have a problem with communication devices, because they can get quite helpful for the exchange of learning information in class.
Many of my students take notes and carry whole books to classes and this is precious in their learning activities and exchange of information with me. On the other hand, as I am slowly trying to introduce a system of e-learning activities as a complement to my more formal classes, we need their ability with new informatics devices.
We have a system to prevent going online in the main auditorium where we hold written exams.
So, my answer, dear Mahmoud is that we should not ban, nor resist the natural tendencies of our students. Instead, we must adapt and enhance our modern approach to education, regulating misuses, and adapting rules to the modern world.
As long as students use these devices for purpose of learning and searching for instruction-related materials, this would be fine with me.
You can not keep techno savvy students of modern generation away from mobile. Allowing teachers and banning students will not be the sure short solution.
Better teach students how to use mobile effectively for getting knowledge, keeping themselves updated, proper messaging and communication can surely help learning better, faster.
Assignments, notes, programs, solutions can be effectively circulated in no time using mobile apps. Even in remote places, we have 3g, whats app, whatsapp groups of various classes, faculty. Important information, video lectures, video demonstrations can be uploaded on utube, and can be watched by students, if link is shared through whats app. This is practically done now a days.
Off course excessive use of mobile phone creates barrier in teaching learning process
Hence some rules and regulations such as
no chatting in teaching hour,
always mobile on silent mode in campus.
But straightaway banning will not solve problem. It will create psychological problems in students
Just imagine if your son/ daughter can not be contacted for next 7 hours will feel you unsafe.
I am sure, in the time of Gutenberg people asked: is it acceptable to use books in school?
Dear Pierlorenzo Brignoli, I feel the same. Besides what you mentioned, Cell phones have the possibility of increasing cheating among students. Report shows, the use of cell phones for cheating on tests, a new method of passing notes, and even cyber bullying have become major issues in recent days.
Today, the use is usually accepted worldwide.
Nevertheless, I think that there is the risk that a free use may easily progress into an abuse or unappropriate use.
while delivering your lecture you observe that a student is busy on cell phone what do you feel.
Undoubtedly, cell phones are useful in many ways but the young students are the victim of No-Mobile-Phobia. In this critical situation, it is high time to regulate the use of Mobile Phone in the Campus and specifically in Classrooms.
I don't allow the use cell phone in class. If you have call then students are allowed to leave the class and comeback after have call.
I also disagree with the use of mobile phones during class, lectures and seminars.
They distract the person and interfere with the whole audience.
Is it acceptable to use cell phones in classroom? To Ban or Not to Ban (cell phones, tablets and iPads) in classroom , What's Your Policy?
Depends on how they are being used & what are the outcomes of using / not using. If their disadvantages out weight the advantages, then their usage should be banned / restricted & vice-versa.
Some of the benefits of using cell phones etc include:
Some of the disadvantages of using cell phones etc. are:
Dear All,
We should distinguish private use, chatting, playing games from dealing with the teaching material or getting relevant data by mobile or computer.
I do not accept that, but student can make a call out of the classroom then can come and join the class
Students should not use it in the class room. It distracts others students' learning properly.
Besides, it may digress the teacher from the main discussion point.
Dear Andras Certainly we all understand the differences between the right and wrong use of technology. The main problem/concern is about addiction! It is not only student, others are getting addicted too.
Anyway, a new study from researchers at Baylor University has found that women college students spend an average of 10 hours a day on their cell phones, while men students spend nearly eight hours.
Some functions, such as Pinterest and Instagram, are associated significantly with cell phone addiction, the study found. But others that might seem to be addictive, such as Internet use and gaming, were not, according to the researchers.
The students reported spending the most time texting, with an average of 94.6 minutes a day. That was followed by sending emails (48.5 minutes), checking Facebook (38.6 minutes), surfing the Internet (34.4 minutes), and listening to music (26.9 minutes).
The researcher noted that cell phone use is a paradox in that it can be “both freeing and enslaving at the same time.”
My own conclusion: As the use of Cell phones in hospitals, airplane, ... are prohibited, So should be the case for classroom!
http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/08/31/new-study-finds-cell-phone-addiction-increasingly-realistic-possibility/74312.html
It should not be banned, however, its use should not be allowed when the lecture is going on except when instructor has planned it for some specific purposes.
First the issue must be raised. From my experience, everything that is not arranged by the rules of the Institution, can be agreed between instructors and students after the first undesirable event.
In a classroom, during the teaching, and not only there, the necessary prerequisite is to respect each other. Personally, the use of cell phones disturbs me inside the classroom. I could agree students to set their cell phones on silent. If the student needs to communicate he/she must leave the classroom.
Dear Professor Omid,
Take a look at the stock price of Apple this morning, and take-heart. The 8% plunge is largely due to the news that iPhone sales are 10-million units short of expectations. While there are certainly other factors at play, I see the iPhone sales decline as a hopeful harbinger that the smartphone addiction/craze may be waning. Perhaps the neomillenial generation is finally awakening to the realization that addiction to anything (even something they enjoy so much like their love-affairs with their smartphones) may be having negative impacts on their lives (perhaps that is hoping for too much ... that the new crop of neomillenial students will have rational and prudent thoughts and act in a responsible manner? So you will doubtlessly still need to enforce a classroom ban).
As my mother used to instruct me when a very small lad ... "Too much of even a good thing soon turns into a BAD thing" ... something which I did not truly understand until I was many years beyond childhood.
My best regards,
Bob
Dear Professor Bob Skiles thank you for your comments. What you said is true. Addiction and abuse are bad things. I found this quote about technology addiction: “Technology is a queer thing. It brings you gifts with one hand, and stabs you in the back with the other.” ― C.P. Snow
For certain activities teacher can permit otherwise it should ban.
Dear Napoleon, Thank you for your answer. With all these added facilities inside cell phone (you listed), student performance and grades are deteriorating! i wondered why? Students are so comfortable with texting these days, but are not able to do at face-to-face conversations as in the good old days.
Not at all. It has been found that especially Gen-Y has a deep desire to look into the cell phone every 8 minute. Since it has become a disease it needs to be regulated. Since the students are normally at the peak of their youth, they also get love messages, which is bound to distract their attention. They must be trained to regulate their propensity to do so. I would therefore say that cell phone can not be allowed in class room.
I think ,the use of cell phones will create a lot of disturbance in the classroom.Hence,it should not be allowed at all.It is in the interest of students not to use cell phones in the classroom.
Cell Phone should not be allowed in classes, not only disturb the student having the phone but also the teacher and other students. The students should turn off their cell phones.
A research carried out at Birmingham, London, Leicester and Manchester schools before and after bans were introduced. It factored in characteristics such as gender, eligibility for free school meals, special educational needs status and prior educational attainment. “Technological advancements are commonly viewed as increasing productivity,” the economists write. “Modern technology is used in the classroom to engage students and improve performance. There are, however, potential drawbacks as well, as they could lead to distractions.”
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/may/16/schools-mobile-phones-academic-results
In a recent study [1] “Ill Communication: The Impact of Mobile Phones on Student Performance” authors found that after schools banned mobile phones, the test scores of students aged 16 improved by 6.4%.
[1] Louis-Philippe Beland and Richard Murphy (2015) Ill Communication: Technology, Distraction & Student Performance (Paper is attached)
Keep out cell phones frome the classroom, keep out wi-fi from seminar rooms, it is unbearable that people are not able to keep their attention fixed on a lesson for more than five minutes. If this is the case our entire civilization will come to an end and an entire population will be formed by automata only answering to yes/no stimuli (please look at the movie Idiocracy to see what is the risk).
I think is an unescpable duty of all of us, as human beings, to fight against this menace.
Not to ban but:
The instructor should decide about cell phone usage in the classroom. If the instructor gives permission to use of cell phone in the classroom.. She/he should manage cell phone usage of students in terms of avoiding misusages.........
Teaching and learning methodologies are gradually changing across the world. Schools are integrating tablets into their classrooms teaching. and opting for tablets and iPads instead of laptops or desktops for being inexpensive and ease of carrying. It is fairly Ok to allow these portable, powerful, and interactive devices to the extent they used to maintain sustained contact between teachers and students as well as for efficient teaching and active learning.
Dear YOGESH, Thank you for your comments. However, I must say studies indicate that using mobile devices for other reasons (that do not align with course content) may have a negative impact on student learning and ultimately may hurt students’ grades.
https://www.natcom.org/CommCurrentsArticle.aspx?id=6258
Yes Dear Mahmoud Omid, I agree with you, use of mobile devices for other reasons (that do not align with course content) may have a negative impact on student learning. I have also mentioned this in my comments.
It should not be acceptable and it should not be accepted. I think they also disturb the normal minority in offices (especially open offices).
It should not be acceptable and it should not be accepted. I think they also disturb the normal minority in offices (especially open offices).
Pros of cell phones in classroom
Students bringing a phone to school has both positive and negative consequences. There are positive outcomes that can emerge from permitting students to bring their cell phones into the classroom. Consider the following advantages when forming your opinion regarding whether cell phones should be allowed in school.
1. Instant Communication
2. Learning Aid
3. Memory Aids
4. Calendar
5. Voice Notes
6. GPS Tracking
7. Store Emergency Contact Information
For full explanation please see the original discussion in the following website:
http://cellphones.lovetoknow.com/Pros_of_Cell_Phones_in_School
Cons of cell phones in classroom
There are many arguments against allowing cell phones in the classroom. Six of the most frequently cited arguments against mobile phones in school are:
1. Distractions
2. Cheating
3. Theft
4. Illicit Pictures
5. Socioeconomic Diversity
6. Target for Predators
For full explanation please see the original discussion in the following website:
http://cellphones.lovetoknow.com/Cons_of_Cell_Phones_in_School
Most participants and I already in this thread gave pros and cons in using mobile phones in the classroom. I think there is no ambiguity in the question after 60 answers already. I was asking for your "personal" policy on this issue " To ban or not to ban cell phones in classroom?". The main concern is about distraction caused by such devices during lectures and exams. I think students (at any age) should pay full attention during lectures and regard the learning at school or university as holy, important and serious task as they go to mosque or churches. A clean and good atmosphere can positively enhances the learning process of students.
popular-culture, cell-phones, education, students
“We inculcate in our children the sensibilities of raccoons, a fascination with shiny objects and an appetite for garbage, and then carp about 'the texting generation' as if thirteen- and fourteen-year-olds who couldn't boil an egg are capable of creating a culture. They grow on what we feed them. It has never been otherwise. The only thing that changes is the food.” ― Garret Keizer, Getting Schooled: The Reeducation of an American Teacher
21st-century, --> celluloid
“I guess if there’s one thing I can say about the 21st century, it’s that the 21st century is all flash and no substance… everything is digital, nothing but files of invisible electronic data on computers and mindless zombies on their cellular phones… it’s sad how because of the digital age, society is ultimately doomed. Nothing in the digital age is real anymore, and you know, they say celluloid film and ray tube televisions and maybe even paper might become obsolete in this century? …What’s most annoying is that nobody cares, they’ve just learned to accept the digital age and get addicted to it… none of them are ever going to step up and say to the world, “you’re all a bunch of sheep!” and even if they did say anything, I doubt anyone would listen… they’re all too obsessed and attached to their cellular phones and overly big televisions and whatever other moronic things they’ve got these days… it almost makes me want an apocalypse to happen, to erase digital technology and force the world to start over again.” ― Rebecca McNutt,
I utterly disagree with use of cell phone in class. In my opinion, it can be disturb either the students and the the professor. Therefore, it should not be allowable and acceptable in the class.
Regards,
Mehdi
I do not agree with using cellphones in classroom, except that all the people are waiting for the only call.
Regards,
Bill
Do not allow the use of cell phones. The use by students will only disturb the class.
Dear Colleagues,
Good Day,
It is the most vexing issue of the digital age for teachers and administrators: What to do about students’ cellphones? Some maintain that smartphones and other devices in schools are crucial to being competitive in a global market, while others insist that phones and tablets distract students, compromising their learning and focus.
In my case, it is an incredible distraction, and makes it much more difficult to teach.
Using cell phones by the students in the classroom distracts their attention and prevents them from concentrating on the lesson.
Nobody has the power to ban nor is totally against possessing and having mobile phones or any other new technology by students. All we are worried is about the improper and misusing of them by students. All we try to say is this "bringing and using mobile phones in the classroom for reasons that do not align with course content have a negative impact on student learning and lowers their grades." These findings are backed by results of studies, too.
If the students are listening to a lecture they do not need cell phones, they only need to stay there with eyes and minds open, thus having with them cell phones is useless.
If they want to carry with them cell phones is for distraction, but if they want to be distracted it is useless they go to the lecture, thus in any case cell phones are or useless or noxious.
Thus the MUST BE BANNED FOR THE REAL GOOD OF THE STUDENTS I am a father of two girls 23 and 19 years old and I can ssure you that the REAL GOOD of the young persons IS NOT EVERYTIME DOING WHAT THEY LIKE..in this case the battle is avoid they are no more able to concentrate on a single task for more than five minutes...
The same statements hold for grown ups too, If you go to a congress why you do not listen to the lecturer and you nedd to compulsively look at your laptop ? You can look compulsively at your laptop in any other occasion...
Addicted to Distraction
Several things can be done by students using a cell phone such as texting, playing games in class, social media, cheating during exams, sharing answers with each other and several others. The classroom is definitely not the right place for engaging in such activities.
Dear Professor Mahmoud Omid,
As I have noticed, most of the students tend to use their cell phones when the lecture becomes boring or when they do not feel like listening. As aforementioned, they use their mobile phones for texting, chatting, playing games, social media, internet browsing etc. This will bring their attention away from the lecture and hence the effort taken by the lecturer will go in vain. Hence, it is suitable to make the use of mobile phones prohibited during the lecture.
Regards,
Thushari Sewwandi.
Dear Mahmoud,
It is quiet difficult to monitor what students do on their cell phones, most often than not it would not be related to the lecture. An outright ban may not also be practical, it's a Catch 22 situation. Cell phones and other media devices should only be used if required for the lecture. I suggest not to ban but rather encourage controlled use.
It could be acceptable in exceptional cases such as a disability to hear the lesson. At one time during my lesson; one girl requested to use her cell phone to record the lesson, and I accepted that. After the lesson, I questioned her about her request, she told me about her disability in hearing fine. Maybe there are more cases if they haven't received any response .
The cell phones should be prevented to use within the classrooms. But it must ban in order that the student have the ability to concentrate and focus his thoughts on the explained lesson
Based on most comments on this thread, It seems a good policy can be implemented: Sanctions applied for misuse of mobile phones in classroom*
*Except for those courses such as ICT and alike which may depend/require heavily on Internet activity during the lecture.
Dear Mahmoud Omid,
Nowadays, some of the classrooms have the facility of computer screens, projectors and some video conferencing classes to understand the concepts better and explain it to the students. The students could use the phones or tabs in their home. The class is the place where the students can learn much better than any other place i hope. If they use cell phones their mind will be distracted and everyone will do their own work. They should sit together and observe what the teacher says. If they use cell phones how will they observe the classroom teaching. So in my opinion the students should not use mobiles in the class.
Research Reveals: Distractions is caused by mobile phones while studying
Welcome to the 21st century. A world filled with distractions every where you turn. How is it even possible to get homework done at all, let alone focus on doing homework without being distracted by a wide variety of electronic gadgets. Back in the not so distant past, you might have heard a kid saying "It doesn't matter if I have the TV on while I do my homework. It's not like I'm studying for a test." Today, it's a bit more complicated as students and their smart phones are inseparable. What might at first glance seem harmelss, doing homework or studying while watching TV, texting or checking social media can actually impair learning the material as well as lower test scores. Research has shown [Plz see attached link] that it's one of the worst study habits a student can develop.
http://www.beyondbooksmart.com/executive-functioning-strategies-blog/distracted-by-technology-focusing-attention-on-homework
Only if the teacher allows.
I pads only if used for educative purposes not for chatting/attending calls inside the class.
Sometimes extra material sent on mail can be referred instead of use of paper - basically to restrict use of paper.
Why would anyone use mobile phones in class, whether it be a lecturer or students! I think any tool with multiple purposes, such as a mobile phone should be avoided during lectures!
Dear Ronald
Use of phones as phones - to make calls - is a 'BIG NO'. I am strongly opposed to it be it the lecturer or the student. I am opposed to it during the lecture.
I have a windows phone and have a number of PDFs in my phone - syllabus, Teaching material, university regulations, published papers ..... referring to this kind of material I feel is OK.
Sometimes date sheet, question papers, maybe referred to. Yes only use of technology to enhance the learning experience.
Regards
Vibha
Based on previous answers a fair conclusion would be: cell phones are disruptive, problematic and have more negative effects on students attention than positive. They interrupt class, cause distractions, and compromising students learning and focus. Other students cannot focus on what they are doing. So during lecture hours, they should be turned off in order to prevent future distractions.
Cell phones compromise student learning and we have a responsibility to make sure students understand what they’re doing.
Also from link below:
Does the use of the devices make it harder for other students to focus on learning tasks? More than 60% of a diversified student cohort said it does, according to a recent survey.
Does the use of devices disrupt the teacher? It can. We also care that students aren’t engaging with the material when they’re on their phones, and we have leadership responsibility for the classroom environment.
http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/how-concerned-should-we-be-about-cell-phones-in-class/
Is it safe to use cell phones when driving? Even if it is a hand-free device? No, it isn't! Attention should be undivided to the teacher and to the answers of their colleagues. Information from the teacher is the main focus, but they have also to pay attention to what is going on regarding their colleagues input to the information. So attention is not just one direction focused. Hence my example with using phones when driving!
It can be allowed as a medium of instruction when it is really needed where complexity can not be conversed well :)
Active education helps student and teacher both. In the digital era, the younger generation is becoming more and more tech-savvy. For their betterment, there is need to fuse learning with technology. It will not only help the students but will be beneficial for teachers as Teachers also needs to realize that the technology actually does empower them.
I am opposed to it during the lecture but technology wise enhance the leaning of students.
Multi-tasking is cognitively exhausting and it is bad for the quality of cognitive work
The Elephant And The Rider: Jonathan Haidt’s metaphor of the elephant and the rider is useful here. In Haidt’s telling, the mind is like an elephant (the emotions) with a rider (the intellect) on top. The rider can see and plan ahead, but the elephant is far more powerful. Sometimes the rider and the elephant work together (the ideal in classroom settings), but if they conflict, the elephant usually wins.
After reading Haidt, I’ve stopped thinking of students as people who simply make choices about whether to pay attention, and started thinking of them as people trying to pay attention but having to compete with various influences, the largest of which is their own propensity towards involuntary and emotional reaction. (This is even harder for young people, the elephant so strong, the rider still a novice.)
Regarding teaching as a shared struggle changes the nature of the classroom. It’s not me demanding that they focus — it’s me and them working together to help defend their precious focus against outside distractions. I have a classroom full of riders and elephants, but I’m trying to teach the riders.
And while I do, who is whispering to the elephants? Facebook, Wechat, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo, Snapchat, Tumblr, Pinterest, the list goes on, abetted by the designers of the Mac, iOS, Windows and Android. In the classroom, it’s me against a brilliant and well-funded army (including, sharper than a serpent’s tooth, many of my former students). These designers and engineers have every incentive to capture as much of my students’ attention as they possibly can, without regard for any commitment those students may have made to me or to themselves about keeping on task.
Excerpt by Clay Shirky from:
http://mediashift.org/2014/09/why-clay-shirky-banned-laptops-tablets-and-phones-from-his-classroom/
Dear Professor Mahmoud Omid,
As I feel, this depends on the situation. When it comes to a small classroom, the use of cell phones need not to be banned instead must be allowed for limited purposes within the classroom. For instance, if a student asks for permission to record the lecture, he/she can be allowed to do so. But, when the crowd is high and if it is difficult for the lecturer to control the students and grab the attention, some restrictions can be imposed. Or rather can make the use of cellphones prohibited.
On the other hand, this, to some extent, this depends on the lecturer as well. Some lecturers don’t like to be bothered whereas some don’t care about it.
Hope this may add some point.
Regards,
Aruna Abeywickrama.
A new study (please refer to attached link) has found that more than 90 percent of students admit to using their devices for non-class activities during class times. Less than 8 percent said that they never do so.
The study is based on a survey of 777 students at six colleges and universities. Barney McCoy, associate professor of broadcasting at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, conducted the study and The Journal of Media Education has just published the results. Most of the students were undergraduates, and graduate students were less likely to use their devices for non-class purposes. Undergraduates reporting using their devices for non-class purposes 11 times a day, on average, compared to 4 times a day for graduate students.
Here is the study's breakdown on the proportion of students admitting to different levels of in-class device use:
Frequency of Student Device Use in Class for Non-Class Purposes, Per Day
Never 8%
1-3 times 35%
4-10 times 27%
11-30 times 16%
More than 30 times 15%
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/10/21/study-documents-how-much-students-text-during-class
Dear Mamhoud, I did not know about Haidt's metaphor, but I did it know it from Plato (it is the so called chariot's allegory):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariot_Allegory
.. your quote is incredibly important in this context. It seems to me that all the society (and electronic devices are on the first line on this war) are pushing us to dismiss intellect, thougth, in general reason for embracing passions, very transient but intense passions. This is why we now talk by means of hashtags (emotional slogans asking you to say yes/no enemy/friend without going in depth and trying to articulate a dialogue), this is why none goes thru the material and methods section of an article to understand the logic and the reliability of the findings and stop to the highlights (gain hashtags), this is why, with the excuse of data deluge, we are pushed toward completely acritical thhinking limiting ourselves to the correlations extracted by a computer, see attached file). This way of thinking is disrupting our civilization starting from the volatility of intepersonal relations (married couples look for 'immediate emotions' discarding the long range investment on their relations and they divorce after few years..) and invading all the other areas.
We have a big responsibility as teachers in contrasting these menaces..a responsibility that goes much beyoond our academic matters...
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