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.

JohnnyCash · #7 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 · #8 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 · #9 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.

Kappamd · #10 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?

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.

phisiglindsey · #12 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.

VandalSquirrel · #13 02-28-2009, 07:54 PM

I have never done it, and find it to be pretty rude to the professor, those around you, and yourself since you're paying and not paying attention. I'm capable of going an hour without being in contact with people.

KSUViolet06 · #14 02-28-2009, 08:48 PM

My classes are WAY too small (like 15 students or less) for anyone to text without it being completely obvious. So I don't. It's also grad school, so you should be expected to be able to go 2.5 hours without texting.

We get a 10 minute break at the halfway point of every class, so if you REALLY need to text someone, you're allowed to do so then.

In my large lecture hall classes in undergrad, texting in class was the norm because there's one instructor and 400ish students. The tests were usually pretty heavily proctored though, like at least 10 TAs that were all over the room, so it was pretty hard to cheat.

Kevin · #15 02-28-2009, 09:10 PM

I've never done it, I never will. I've been considering doing a little work next semester as an adjunct at a local university. Do undergrad profs usually put up with this? This hasn't happened during my law school experience, so I don't even know how a professor would handle it. On first impression, it seems very rude/disrespectful, but then again, the student paid to be there, so if they want to not pay attention, I don't see a huge problem so long as it's not a disruption.

One of my professors had a pretty novel idea when it came to texting/surfing the internet on laptops -- she made us sign a contract subject to sanctions under the school's honor code stating that misuse of technology would mean possible expulsion.

I'm not sure whether it's something I care about or not. The way I look at it is if you're a student and I'm the prof, you paid to be here and if you can multitask, fantastic.