How do you deal with cellphone use in class?

[hungry_ghost]

I'm starting this topic as a follow-up to
How do I respond to this? (Do I even respond?)
in which a poster described correcting a (very zoned-out) student who was texting during a small seminar. The student claimed OP had "shamed" her and "denigrated the classroom culture".

My position is that it is our responsibility to correct our students.
Thoughts?

[nescafe]

I ignore it when it's a "checking the text/time" flip of the phone in the lap or something similarly small. When a student begins to text incessantly or uses the phone in a way that is clearly distracting, I stop my lecture or whatever, hold the silence for just long enough to get them to look at me, and then politely as "if you can put your phone away? It's distracting me and I'm losing my train of thought."

I find phones genuinely distracting, but phrasing it this way also interrupts the behavior, mildly embarrasses the student, and avoids the confrontation involved in framing it as a matter of respect/disrespect. It usually solves the problem for the rest of the course.

I had a prof in undergrad who found another non-confrontational way to embarrass students with ringing cellphones. He had a policy that said that he reserved the right to answer any student's phone who rang in class. And he did so, too, to hilarious effect. I'm not extroverted enough for all that, but the point is that embarrassment is a useful disciplinary instrument, but one best used without confrontational means.

This isn't to say I buy the student's argument about feeling "shamed" at all (I don't). But I see the response as kind of a "turnabout" move in a call-out culture that Gen Z is sensitive to, having literally come up in it.

[RatGuy]

About five years ago, when Instagram and Snapchat really seemed to take hold of my students, I'd begin class with a "ok, devices away! It's time to begin." Generally students would indeed put them up, and generally it worked to create a device-free environment. This was coupled with a lecture on Syllabus Day and Midterm Reassessment Day in which I remind them why I don't like devices in class. For the most part, it all worked.

That said, it no longer works. There's just something irresistible about the pull of notifications. So unless a student is visibly distracting others, I let them scroll through their snaps. I make a mental note of repeat offenders, most of whom aren't passing. Then on Midterm Reassessment Day, in which I explain that "if you don't like your current grade, you must come see me. This is the point where you decide to fish or cut bait; if you're failing, and you don't see me, it's highly likely you'll still be failing in seven weeks." If one of those students does meet me to discuss turning their grade around, I'll specifically mention their phone usage.

It's my experience that students know they shouldn't be distracted by their phones, and that they resent any reminder of that as nagging parent behavior. What they often don't realize is the degree to which in inhibits their learning, and they often have to be failing or otherwise struggling for the "put the phone away" lesson to have any impact. (Or to impact them, interthreadually).

But that's me -- I teach classes of around 35-45 students, and I'm generally not distracted or annoyed by texting/scrolling in class. The thought of policing them makes me tired. But that's me.

[downer]

I admire faculty who find ways to dissuade students from using their electronic devices. Our job is to teach, and students learn better when they are not distracted.

Personally though, I really can't be bothered to police them. It's not that I want them to like me, because I don't. It's just a drag to be going on about it all the time. Sometimes if I am in the mood I will make a comment in a particularly egregious case. I do crack down on it when it distracts other students. I'm also happy to give out plenty of low grades to students who don't learn the material. I mainly focus on students who want to learn. The rest can do whatever they want, so long as I get paid.

[ciao_yall]

In my syllabus, it clearly stated that if a phone went off, the whole class had to sing YMCA until the thing was turned off.

It worked.

[Hegemony]

My students don't try the cellphone thing much.  If someone brings one out, I give them a meaningful glare.  If they continue, I say, "Okay, phones away!" and/or direct a question to the culprit.  "What date would you give for the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Kyle?"  Once someone's did ring in class.  I was all eager to answer it -- "Can I answer it??" I said with great excitement, reaching for it.  I was yearning to have such an interesting conversation with whoever was calling.  "This is Kyle's professor, did you want Kyle?  He's in class right now.  In fact the whole class is now paying attention to the fact that Kyle forgot to turn his phone off.  But what we really want to know is what the date of the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and we were hoping you could tell us..."  Etc.  Unfortunately the ringing ceased before I got the phone, and Kyle said, "It was a spam call, they're the only ones who phone me," which was probably also true.  Anyway, I imagine it was a deterrent to others.  I do give the meaningful glare a few times a term. Students scrolling through their phones does distract others and lowers the collective attention of the class.  I think it's a service to other students to make them put the phones away.

[aside]

I require cell phones to be put away, unless a student has previously told me of an emergency situation he or she must monitor. Enforcing the policy has not been a problem in my classes. 

[hungry_ghost]

In my syllabus, it clearly stated that if a phone went off, the whole class had to sing YMCA until the thing was turned off.

It worked.

Do you mean that it worked as a deterrent? OR that the whole class actually sang YMCA every time a phone went off?
Do students still know this song?
I think I would like to have a similar policy, but I wonder if there is a better song. Maybe... "Jingle Bells"?
Or maybe my students could vote on a "class song", to be used in certain appropriate circumstances.

[Biologist_]

I tell my students that they are welcome to audio-record my lectures, so many of them have their phones out on their desks throughout each lecture. We do a lot of think-pair-share and such throughout lecture. When I notice a student handling the phone, it's often to pause or restart the recording so they can record the lecture itself and not record themselves chatting with their neighbors. If a student is messing about with a phone the rest of the time, I don't usually notice or it's not usually severe enough for me to mention it.

[AvidReader]

My response to cell phones depends on what is going on.

If I am lecturing, I rarely comment. Often they have it out to photograph the board, or to look up a vocabulary word. Sometimes I ask them to look for something. (For instance, if we are evaluating sources, I might search for a term on Google, and ask students to investigate a few of the top websites and report back).

If students are doing a group activity, they sometimes use their phones to get more information about topics, so if all group members seem to be working together, I again don't mind.

My classes are small(ish), so if a student is using a phone during work or group time, I'll often stroll by to see what is happening. If a student is not doing class work, I try to give a suggestion. ("If you've finished X, you can look ahead at Y, which is what we'll be doing next.")

In discussions, I've noticed that students with phones out often want to contribute and can use the phones to do so. I've had many a student look up an author/topic for more information during a discussion, so I sometimes *ask* them if they are doing that (or something equally positive). "Oh, Kyle, I see you have your phone out. Are you looking to see when Borges was born?" He knows I see him. It reminds him of our primary purpose (discussion). Most importantly, it gives Kyle something relevant to do and a way to get back into the discussion without losing face.

AR.

[Nekolove]

In discussions, I've noticed that students with phones out often want to contribute and can use the phones to do so. I've had many a student look up an author/topic for more information during a discussion, so I sometimes *ask* them if they are doing that (or something equally positive). "Oh, Kyle, I see you have your phone out. Are you looking to see when Borges was born?" He knows I see him. It reminds him of our primary purpose (discussion). Most importantly, it gives Kyle something relevant to do and a way to get back into the discussion without losing face.

AR.

I think this is a really great way to deal with this issue in smaller settings. Many times the students think they can look at their phone and pay attention in class (I mean, many people are on their phones most of the day and do other things at the same time.....although I think we all agree these people do this multitasking to varying degrees of success). When paying attention is hard or even a tiny bit of boredom seeps in, the phone is the first place to turn for many young people. I don't think they even realize they are doing it, the action has become so habitual. So I like this tactic of redirecting that impulse in a way that gets back to learning and the work in the class.

My biggest pet peeve is when we do critiques or student presentations in class and the students have their phones out. I generally let it go when I'm lecturing, but it's so disrespectful when they make it obvious they aren't paying attention to each other. So I clearly tell them that, and tell them why, and haven't had too many problems.

I also teach small classes (generally under 20) and my discipline is art/design so the students have to be able to be vulnerable with each other and creating trust in the room is a big deal when they talk about each other's work. In general I also think it's a huge drag to police this, so I try to give breaks (these are long studio style classes) and do my best to mix things up and keep the students engaged. The only time I make a bigger effort to police is when I can tell the behavior has become really distracting for the other students.

[ciao_yall]

In discussions, I've noticed that students with phones out often want to contribute and can use the phones to do so. I've had many a student look up an author/topic for more information during a discussion, so I sometimes *ask* them if they are doing that (or something equally positive). "Oh, Kyle, I see you have your phone out. Are you looking to see when Borges was born?" He knows I see him. It reminds him of our primary purpose (discussion). Most importantly, it gives Kyle something relevant to do and a way to get back into the discussion without losing face.

AR.

I think this is a really great way to deal with this issue in smaller settings. Many times the students think they can look at their phone and pay attention in class (I mean, many people are on their phones most of the day and do other things at the same time.....although I think we all agree these people do this multitasking to varying degrees of success). When paying attention is hard or even a tiny bit of boredom seeps in, the phone is the first place to turn for many young people. I don't think they even realize they are doing it, the action has become so habitual. So I like this tactic of redirecting that impulse in a way that gets back to learning and the work in the class.

My biggest pet peeve is when we do critiques or student presentations in class and the students have their phones out. I generally let it go when I'm lecturing, but it's so disrespectful when they make it obvious they aren't paying attention to each other. So I clearly tell them that, and tell them why, and haven't had too many problems.

I also teach small classes (generally under 20) and my discipline is art/design so the students have to be able to be vulnerable with each other and creating trust in the room is a big deal when they talk about each other's work. In general I also think it's a huge drag to police this, so I try to give breaks (these are long studio style classes) and do my best to mix things up and keep the students engaged. The only time I make a bigger effort to police is when I can tell the behavior has become really distracting for the other students.

I generally didn't worry about phones except I had a very strict rule about PUTTING THEM AWAY DURING OTHER STUDENT PRESENTATIONS. They were told to put them away, and actually lost points if they tried to sneak them out.

[the_geneticist]

I think that students need to learn to self-regulate their use of phones.  There are times when I strictly enforce a "no electronic devices" policy (taking quizzes).  I also have some lab activities where they can't use their phones/iPads/etc. so they aren't tempted to Google Image the organisms in lab rather than use the microscopes.  But students can have legitimate reasons to have their phones in lab.  They use them as calculators, timers, take pictures from slides to zoom in on features, etc.  TAs sometimes have had to make sure that they aren't using images of worksheets from their peers or otherwise cheating.  But overall, it's not really an issue.  I'm not going to begrudge a student that takes a short break to check their email/facebook/whatever as long as it's an OK time to take a break.

[pepsi_alum]

I have yet to find a solution that I am 100% comfortable with. In principle, I support banning phones outright, but it takes a lot of time and mental energy to consistently enforce the ban, especially in classes bigger than 30. My de facto policy for the past few semesters has been "strict no-phone policy during presentations" and "less strict policy during lecture -- I'll call it out if it's overt, but not if the student is trying to be discreet."

FWIW, I've had some interesting conversations with chronic texters which suggest a general lack of awareness on their part. I once had a chronic texter ask for extra credit to pass the class. When I responded that her test scores would likely go up if she put her phone away, she replied in horror, "you mean you can see me doing that?"

[octoprof]

I had a prof in undergrad who found another non-confrontational way to embarrass students with ringing cellphones. He had a policy that said that he reserved the right to answer any student's phone who rang in class. And he did so, too, to hilarious effect. I'm not extroverted enough for all that, but the point is that embarrassment is a useful disciplinary instrument, but one best used without confrontational means.

When a phone rings, I have told them that they can only answer if its their mother, and I'd like to speak to her, too. I say this with a laugh, of course. Usually the student mutes the phone or steps out to answer if it's someone important.