A NOTE ON CELL PHONE USE and STUDENT SUCCESS
Studies - and teacher observation all point to the fact that cell phones can be a distraction to learning. Teachers try various strategies to deal with the problem. Some teachers ask students to leave their phones in an in-basket until the end of class. Certainly, teachers will ask students not to bring phones to class during an exam. But even when teachers ask students “on trust” not to use phones during class time, many students look for opportunities to text surreptitiously when the teacher isn’t looking.
Stats indicate that “Half of teens send 50 or more texts per day and girls between 14 and 17 average 100 messages per day” (Pew Study, Earl, The Atlantic, May 2012). It is also somewhat disconcerting to know that some parents will text their child during class time, exacerbating the problem and teachers’ ability to enforce rules.
Some teachers have tried to incorporate the cell phone into the classroom as a viable instruction and learning tool by allow students to use the calendar, the calculator, internet research, or to snap a picture of their homework assignment. But this becomes difficult to sustain if the privilege is abused by those who may choose to wander into text messaging, games, or inappropriate internet sites.
When we consider student success, it is important to note that research indicates that many high school students have become dependent on technology rather than making the effort needed to think contemplatively or to learn and retain subjects such as math. Such dependency results in a shorter attention span, difficulty reading long complex passages, an inability to take the time necessary to think contemplatively or to problem solve (Sturm and Drang; Brenger, Harvard Business Review; Earl, The Atlantic, May 2012). Some students struggle with math, for example, because they are afraid of tackling even the simplest math problems without a calculator. Though it is clear that this is the age of technology, and we can embrace its advantages, we have to beware that “over-dependency can impair students’ ability to engage in sustained cognitive thinking, inductive and deductive reasoning, or detailed analysis and problem solving (Earl, The Atlantic, May 2012).
Although some students argue that they are experts at multi-tasking, capable of wearing headphones to listen to music and texting on their cell phones while attending to class lessons, the truth is that these other activities impair student success because they distract from focussing, learning, and retaining information. In fact, experts argue that rather than multi-tasking, people move back and forth from one task to another. Harvard research indicates that so-called “multi-tasking” can reduce productivity as much as 40%, increase stress, and cause a 10 point drop in IQ”. (Bregman, Harvard Business Review; Earl, The Atlantic, May 2012).
So when students are struggling with understanding complex concepts in Math, Social Studies, Science, or English, they should really ask themselves: “Am I spending my classroom time wisely? Am I focusing on the lesson, or something else?”
Remember that the advantage to staying focussed in class is that students will understand and retain information better, thus requiring less time completing homework and doing better on tests.
Studies - and teacher observation all point to the fact that cell phones can be a distraction to learning. Teachers try various strategies to deal with the problem. Some teachers ask students to leave their phones in an in-basket until the end of class. Certainly, teachers will ask students not to bring phones to class during an exam. But even when teachers ask students “on trust” not to use phones during class time, many students look for opportunities to text surreptitiously when the teacher isn’t looking.
Stats indicate that “Half of teens send 50 or more texts per day and girls between 14 and 17 average 100 messages per day” (Pew Study, Earl, The Atlantic, May 2012). It is also somewhat disconcerting to know that some parents will text their child during class time, exacerbating the problem and teachers’ ability to enforce rules.
Some teachers have tried to incorporate the cell phone into the classroom as a viable instruction and learning tool by allow students to use the calendar, the calculator, internet research, or to snap a picture of their homework assignment. But this becomes difficult to sustain if the privilege is abused by those who may choose to wander into text messaging, games, or inappropriate internet sites.
When we consider student success, it is important to note that research indicates that many high school students have become dependent on technology rather than making the effort needed to think contemplatively or to learn and retain subjects such as math. Such dependency results in a shorter attention span, difficulty reading long complex passages, an inability to take the time necessary to think contemplatively or to problem solve (Sturm and Drang; Brenger, Harvard Business Review; Earl, The Atlantic, May 2012). Some students struggle with math, for example, because they are afraid of tackling even the simplest math problems without a calculator. Though it is clear that this is the age of technology, and we can embrace its advantages, we have to beware that “over-dependency can impair students’ ability to engage in sustained cognitive thinking, inductive and deductive reasoning, or detailed analysis and problem solving (Earl, The Atlantic, May 2012).
Although some students argue that they are experts at multi-tasking, capable of wearing headphones to listen to music and texting on their cell phones while attending to class lessons, the truth is that these other activities impair student success because they distract from focussing, learning, and retaining information. In fact, experts argue that rather than multi-tasking, people move back and forth from one task to another. Harvard research indicates that so-called “multi-tasking” can reduce productivity as much as 40%, increase stress, and cause a 10 point drop in IQ”. (Bregman, Harvard Business Review; Earl, The Atlantic, May 2012).
So when students are struggling with understanding complex concepts in Math, Social Studies, Science, or English, they should really ask themselves: “Am I spending my classroom time wisely? Am I focusing on the lesson, or something else?”
Remember that the advantage to staying focussed in class is that students will understand and retain information better, thus requiring less time completing homework and doing better on tests.