texting in class

carnation · #1 02-28-2009, 09:07 AM

I haven't taught college in a couple of years and I never taught the huge classes so this hasn't affected me but do y'all know...how has texting affected the big classes? Are there students who sit there texting for half the class? And how on earth is cheating by cell phone controlled?

AlwaysSAI · #2 02-28-2009, 09:54 AM

I've never cheated via text message...let alone cheated at all. But, I did have to take a sociology class my (1st) senior year that was more than 100 freshmen and me.

I was notorious for sitting in class and texting my sister. "I'm bored. Text with me."

I got a C in the class. I could have done much better but I just didn't care. And that professor kept making references to being a freshman and how this was supposed to be the best incoming class in years. I almost raised my hand and said something, but I didn't.

KSig RC · #3 02-28-2009, 10:04 AM

Get off my lawn.

SWTXBelle · #4 02-28-2009, 11:21 AM

I am fortunate in that my classes are small. That said, texting is a problem. I've told my students that in a class of 20 OF COURSE I am going to see them texting so stop it. For testing, they have to leave everything but a pen and a blue book in their backpacks, against the wall.

KSigkid · #5 02-28-2009, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Get off my lawn.

That.

Also, I've been in law school for the past three years, since the advent of text messaging, and it hasn't changed a darn thing.

texas*princess · #6 02-28-2009, 01:28 PM

I haven't been in school for awhile, but even then, cell phones were completely outlawed by all my professors. My classes varied in size, most of the upper level classes were smaller (30ish students) but the other classes were bigger.

It was easier for the profs to make sure students didn't use their cell phones during classes/tests that had a small amount of students. For the larger classes, the prof & the TAs would walk around to make sure.

As far as texting during class, that's just plain rude. I would hope students have more common sense & manners than to do that. Then again, I know it is probably very common.

ZTAMich · #7 03-01-2009, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texas*princess

I haven't been in school for awhile, but even then, cell phones were completely outlawed by all my professors. My classes varied in size, most of the upper level classes were smaller (30ish students) but the other classes were bigger.

Hijack - I just love that the BIGGEST class I ever took had 30 students. Perks of a small school! My upper level classes had anywhere from 4-25 students.

If you can keep up with the pace of the class I say texting is fine. I'd rather turn my phone off and concentrate on getting the education I'm paying money to get. I didn't have a cell phone in college oddly enough. We text during meetings at work a lot - eek!

JohnnyCash · #8 02-28-2009, 05:07 PM

If its a large class, pretty much everyone texts.. either that or they're on Facebook on their laptops.

ETA: During testing, TAs walk around making sure students are not cheating or on their cell phones.

LucyKKG · #9 02-28-2009, 05:15 PM

Yeah, a lot of people in my classes text. It's pretty obvious, but the teachers don't say anything. In the big lecture class I have, I know people are on Facebook and such on their laptops. I seriously haven't had a test in class for a lonnnng time. It's weird, but I keep getting take-home midterms instead. Just lots of essays.

lovespink88 · #10 02-28-2009, 05:35 PM

I agree with everyone above. I text no matter what the class size, unless I'm in the first row or two. I mean, I don't sit there and whip my phone out to start conversations, but if I think of something I need to ask/tell someone, or if someone asks me a question, I'll write back. I don't sit there and have whole conversations though.

As for texting during tests, I don't think that's a problem. Maybe, I've just never noticed it because I'm usually so focused on the test that I don't see it, but I've never seen someone text during a test. Even in tests in a big lecture hall, there are TAs walking around, so I think people just don't do it.

AKA_Monet · #11 02-28-2009, 06:11 PM

When I taught college level courses, the tests were organized in such a way that texting was literally impossible to do if one had not read the assigned material.

As far as cheating goes, I have not seen a lot of that, I've seen plagiarism, but not outright embolden cheating. Not saying that it does not occur, because it probably does, but saying that texting cheat sheets, et al. are not a wise thing these days... I can see why some kids do it though, some courses are really tough and the importance placed on getting a stellar GPA is important.

Kappamd · #12 02-28-2009, 06:06 PM

I think it is pretty common, as is facebooking. I do, however, think it is unbelievably disrespectful when people sit back in full view of the professor and sit there texting for the full 50 minutes, but I have never really had a professor say anything. The policy for tests in every class I've ever taken has been phone=F, as in if the prof sees your phone at all, that is grounds for failure. If you're not going to pay attention in class, then why come?

I.A.S.K. · #13 02-28-2009, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kappamd

If you're not going to pay attention in class, then why come?

Because the professors hold against you when you dont come and attendance is a part of your grade, maybe?

If I make the effort to get up and come to class Im going to participate. I have txtd in class. I do not text in small classes. I only text in my really large Econ class. The professor isnt the best and I usually am not up front. All of my other classes Im right in front of the teacher.
For some of my classes I find that actually going is not useful to me if I actually do the assigned reading/work. I get incredibly mad when the professor/teacher is of no value and attending class is of no value. For the most part I care about getting an A and at least a B in a class more than anything.
I know of people who cheat via text message. Its not rare. It happens often in large classes. Small classes not at all. I have used the calculator on my cell phone to take a two hour Econ test twice. I wasnt cheating and if I was cheating I wouldnt have been caught. The general rule is that you cant use your celly during a test and if youre caught you'll be asked to put it away.

AGDee · #14 02-28-2009, 09:45 PM

The main reason that I waited a long time to get a cell phone is because I really dislike that, as these technologies grow, people expect you to be immediately available to them all the time. I find this incredibly annoying. Will the younger generations be able to wait for anything ever? I often tell my daughter that it will not harm anything if she waits 10 minutes to answer a text. I've had to ban texting at the dinner table, while shopping with me.. all kinds of situations. I don't know how to get the point across that IT IS OK TO NOT BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS ALL THE TIME. This includes while interacting with people at work, while in class, while eating a meal with people, etc. I do try to make myself immediately available to my children because of the chance that it could be an emergency, but anybody else? They wait until I'm ready and available to answer.

phisiglindsey · #15 02-28-2009, 07:06 PM

I'll be honest, I text during class. I mean I don't text non-stop, but if someone does text me, I'll text them back, just not religiously. It's very hard for me to ignore my phone altogether.

I've never seen someone cheat via text though. I definitely think that would be too hard. Our professors and TAs walk the class during tests.