Re: Competing with Iphones

[Nicky Didicher <didicher@sfu.ca>]

Good article, David: I think I'll post it for my classes in September.

Last year I sat in on the lecture of a colleague who was using iclickers, which you'd think might have a chance of keeping students focused on task. Of the three students closest to my view, one was actually taking notes related to the class in a document and answering with the clicker, one had a social media site on the laptop screen but did seem to be half paying attention, and the third had a non-class site on her laptop, her phone beside it on which she was texting, and the clicker in her lap. This last student did use the clicker when other students did, but it seemed to me she just lifted the tool and clicked something randomly, because she neither looked at the clicker nor at the choices offered on the screen at the front of the hall.

A few years ago I tried something with my big 1st-yr lecture class, which was telling them they weren't to use electronic devices for anything not related to class materials. If three people got caught doing so, then nobody could use any electronic devices for any reason (unless registered with the CSD). Eleven people got caught the first day--I had the TAs scattered around the hall observing. I gave them a second chance, and nine people were caught the second day. After that anyone caught with an electronic device on in class had to stand up and say "my name is X and I'm addicted to technology." I told them if they could go two weeks with nobody getting caught then everyone could have their devices back, whichy didn't happen till the second-last week of term. The class was very angry with me and wrote nasty things on Ratemyprof and their evaluations, but I hope they learned more and better than they would have otherwise.

This Fall I'm doing another big 1st-yr lecture (255 students), and I'm thinking of trying something another colleague has done: designate the back sections of seats for those who want to multitask electronically, so they'll only be distracting themselves and each other, not students trying to focus. But again I'll have to have the TAs policing the students in the rest of the room, identifying people on Facebook or texting. Maybe sharing this article with them will be of some small help.

Nicky Didicher 
English 


----- Original Message -----
From: "David Andolfatto" <dandolfa@sfu.ca>
To: "Faculty Forum Mail List" <academic-discussion@sfu.ca>
Sent: Friday, 5 July, 2013 09:55:03
Subject: Competing with Iphones


Any thoughts?  



http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/05/multitasking_while_studying_divided_attention_and_technological_gadgets.html 


Regards, 
David