Break for a Tech Check
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Mobile devices are everywhere, including our classrooms, and many faculty struggle to decide exactly how to handle their use. We all know that students (or, let’s face it, most of us) can’t multi-task as well as they think they can. Some instructors try to ban devices outright but that often means students simply make greater efforts to hide their phones. Others go to the opposite extreme and employ mobile devices as instruments of learning. If you aren’t comfortable with either end of that spectrum, a good compromise can be to build in breaks for a ‘tech check’: go ahead and restrict device use but let students know you will stop periodically to allow them to check their phones. Not only can this alleviate the anxiety many students have about putting their devices away, it can be a good reminder to break up lectures into smaller chunks (which, if you're mostly lecturing, is always a good idea!).
References:
- Graham, Edward (2014) “Using smartphones in the classroom,” National Education Association, http://www.nea.org/tools/56274.htm.
- Hardison, John (2013) “44 ways to use smartphones in class,” Getting Smart, posted January 7, 2013, http://gettingsmart.com/2013/01/part-1-44-smart-ways-to-use-smartphones-in-class/.
- Rosen, Larry (2015) “iPhone separation anxiety,” Psychology Today, posted Jan 18, 2015, https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/rewired-the-psychology-technology/201501/iphone-separation-anxiety.
- Weimer, Maryellen (2012) “Students Think They Can Multitask. Here’s Proof They Can’t,” Faculty Focus, posted Sept 12, 2012, http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-professor-blog/multitasking-confronting-students-with-the-facts/.
Submitted by:
Jennifer Imazeki
San Diego State University
jimazeki@mail.sdsu.edu
ctl.sdsu.edu
More tips and just-in-time resources are available at https://conhi.asu.edu/academic-innovation