During a test I noticed a student texting. I tend not to assume my students are cheating, and simply told her that there is no texting during the test. Not only did she apologize and put her phone away, several other students put their phones away. They did not seem to be actively testing (I do watch my students take exams) but obviously they were anticipating the possibility of a text message; doesn't everyone recognize that communicating (whatever the medium) during a test is verboten? The real issue is that 15 minutes later I had to tell the first student a SECOND time to stop texting.
M: You understand why it is not ok to text during the test right?
C: But I wasn't texting about the test.
M: That's even worse. If you were cheating at least I'd know you cared about the test!
The second incident involved a student who came to me outside the classroom just before a test. She explained to me that she wasn't going to be able to stay the whole time because she had a doctor's appointment scheduled opposite class and she wanted to know if she could take the test another time. I was about to tell her that she should've told me sometime sooner because she COULD have taken then test early, and that test or no it is a bad idea to schedule a doctor's visit during class. I was about to tell her that, but I didn't get the chance because as soon as I started answering her she whipped out her phone and began responding to a text message she had gotten. I stopped mid-sentence and went on in to class.
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| Students texting on a break from class |
Just read this with great interest. At our school in England mobile phones, etc. are banned in class. If they are seen during a lesson the items are confiscated! ... and they are always handed in to teachers before an exam.
ReplyDeleteTry as I might I can never quite get a handle on the UK school system. A-levels? Something. I don't know.
DeleteBut, I think most high schools (14-18 year olds) here also ban cell phones. Sensible when dealing with children. But by college I should be dealing with young adults, and I want them to develop a personal sense of responsibility, ethics, or at least etiquette.
They don't always succeed.
As a fellow instructor in the SCC Music Dept, I face this issue daily. I often wonder if there is a way to incorporate cell phone use in an education sense, but I have yet to figure it out. At present, I have banned them from my classroom. But I do acknowledge the anxiety you mentioned when students don't have that immediate interaction they are so accustomed to in this technological age. It is a difficult issue and I'm glad you've posted about it!
ReplyDeleteWell Becky, next time I post about cell phones (probably in a couple weeks) I'll provide my cell-phone policy and the research that drove me there.
DeleteGreat post! My policy is no cell phones visible during tests. They must be in a purse, pocket, or book bag and turned off/silent. A couple of years ago (after getting my iPhone), I attended a conference and decided I was going to try to go totally paperless. I typed notes on my phone during the sessions and carried no paper (and no conference totebag!). At another conference last fall, I went paperless too, but that time I Tweeted my notes and compiled them with the conference hashtag. It has worked out great, so I've really tried to consider that a little more in my classes.
ReplyDeleteI saw a student trying to snap photos of the pages of his book that he would then look through during the test. He still scored a 34%.
DeleteWhat is sad is this is our future...a world where phones are taking over. If I were a someone...phones would be left in the car. Emergency? Call the school - or even a direct number to the classroom. It wasn't long ago that a cell phone was the size of a briefcase!
ReplyDeleteWhy stop at cars? Let's get rid of them all together, and I don't think that radio is all that it is cracked up to be either. The Amish have it right.
DeleteOk look, we've never really been able to put the genie back in the bottle where tech is concerned. Adapt and remain relevant.
The future isn't phones. Even now no one uses them to call people. Augmented Reality that provides overlays of information is my future guess. With glasses, contacts, or implants the world will be supplemented with instant information (perhaps provided socially). Like it or no, that's the way we are heading.
As a student of SCC, I would be disappointed and slightly anxious over a cell phone ban. During class time I keep my phone on silent on top of my desk. I do not respond to text messages. In such a case that my childrens school or my children call me I will excuse myself quietly to the hallway to accept the call. That happened one time last year when the school nurse called my phone. I excused myself, took the call and immediatly called my mom to pick up my daughter who was sick. Without my phone in sight I would worry about my kids. During testing I put the phone in my pocket on vibrate. I have never had a professor become offended by my phone sitting in plain site as they can see that my phone is not disrupting me nor their class. I would hope that other students would also show their professors and fellow students the same respect.
ReplyDeleteAmanda that seems like a reasonable set of behaviors. But I have seen students come and go from class frequently because they are taking lots of "important" calls during class time. I generally tell them that if they have so much going on then this might not be the semester to attend college.
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