To no surprise, many university professors dislike the use of cell phones and laptops in class. Some believe these devices distract students and everyone around them. Although, some professors are more lenient about cell phone usage in class, others care too much.
The world today preaches about the need to stay connected everywhere at all times — especially communication majors. During lectures students are expected to disconnect from updates, news and social interactions.
College students can have a lot going on in their lives and expecting them to completely detach themselves for hours at a time is neither realistic nor fair.
Students can’t be in all the places they need to be at the same time. Smartphones allow people to extend themselves in a virtual setting, and they shouldn’t be deprived of this interaction.
Economics junior Eduardo Hernandez said he uses his cell phone in class when the material isn’t interesting and he’s bored; but more importantly when he has a lot of things going on.
“I need to know on the spot what I need to do and where I need to go,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez also said students nowadays are more distracted than ever and cell phones facilitate distraction in the classroom. Boredom and distraction are inevitable in many classrooms, especially during lectures that aren’t particularly interesting and last nearly three hours, as many students have experienced.
From personal experience, it doesn’t necessarily take a cell phone or any other electronic device to distract me from class. If I’m bored enough, I begin to daydream or pick my at split ends. But of course, having the chance to scroll through Instagram posts and tweets is more entertaining distraction.
Dr. Joanne Cantor, director of the Center for Communication Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provides presentations on productivity, creativity and stress reduction. According to the firm’s site, the only way around digital distractions is to change attitudes, because our “brains don’t function well under constant distraction.”
Cantor said information overload blocks creativity and focusing on one thing at a time is the best way to achieve success.
Any kind of overload can be detrimental. Students shouldn’t be overloading on studying, drinking or eating — it’s just not healthy. But overload when it comes to social media tends to differ.
When it comes to digital interactions, staying out of the loop can be good when it comes down to studying for a midterm. But as many students in communication-related majors know, staying updated is a lifeline for doing well in the class.
Overload better defines the kind of class where the professor reads off the screen for 50 minutes in monotone voice.
As much as Cantor wants to label electronic devices as the main perpetrators of distraction, the way some professors conduct their classes is what pushes students into the comforting arms of their devices.
There isn’t a clear cut way to know if someone is using their phones to stay connected with the news, send important emails or plan weekend activities. But if students wish to miss out on lecture information they’re funding, that’s up to them. There’s no need for college students to be looked after like children.
A Time article from 2012 referred to a study that tested students on their recall of information from a 20-minute presentation. The study reports students’ attention begins to fade at around 10 or 15 minutes of any information intake.
What does this mean about our learning abilities and our teachers’ lecture methods? Professors now have the duty to make a constant effort in engaging students if the use of cell phones really bugs them.
The most important aspect to consider when discussing cell phone usage in class is students have the right to stay updated. The world doesn’t stop just because class is in session. Going a step further means evaluating the role of professors and how they deliver course material.
Whatever your stance is, the fast pace of today’s world is undeniable and things are only getting quicker.
You snooze, you lose.
