From: "Daniel Laitsch" <dlaitsch@sfu.ca>
To: "Faculty Forum Mail List" <academic-discussion@sfu.ca>
Sent: Friday, July 5, 2013 12:22:10 PM
Subject: Re: Competing with Iphones
Just for fun, to see if this is anything new I went and looked at research published before the arbitrary date of 1980 on time on task (my assumption was that distracted students are not anything new, as I can remember my own issues with time on task--doodling, day dreaming, sleeping, passing notes, etc.). The Slate article highlighted a study finding 65% time on task. That actually seemed pretty decent to me (depending on the task).
The one research article I was able to quickly access (see citation below) found a general time on task range of 67% - 75%, depending on achievement group (with low achievers on task less than high achievers). More importantly, time on task was related to context/activity--the least on task behavior was observed in whole class/teacher scenarios (I'm guessing this means lecture or Q&A, etc.) and individual activities (e.g. worksheets), with on task percentages of 62%-71%. Large group with the teacher was 79% on task, and small group with teacher was 82%. Small group without teacher was 74% on task.
There's a lot more in the study, and it was on 6th grade students, but what I get from the study is:
Time on task is related to setting, activity, and grouping
Time on task is probably no worse today than it was in the past
That there are instructional and organizational strategies we can use in class to maximize on task behavior
And that no matter how well we teach, some students will always be distracted.
It seems to me then that our goal then should be to organize our classrooms and present our lessons and materials in ways that engage our students and maximize opportunities for time-on-task learning.
Dan
Good, T. L., & Beckerman, T. M. (1978). Time on task: a naturalistic study in sixth-grade classrooms. Elementary School Journal, 78192-201. doi:10.1086/461101
On Jul 5, 2013, at 11:23 AM, Nicky Didicher <didicher@sfu.ca> wrote:
> 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
*********************************
Daniel A. Laitsch, PhD
Associate Professor - Simon Fraser University Surrey
<http://www.sfu.ca/~dlaitsch>
Co-Editor - International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership
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Educational Leadership Programs
<http://www.educ.sfu.ca/gradprogs/>
SFU Centre for the Study of Educational Leadership and Policy
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