Steve and all,
If a student's behaviour, whether using technology or not, is disruptive, I think the disruptive factor of that behaviour should be politely explained to the student as part of the request for the student to cease such activity.  I also explain to students that some sorts of activities, such as the appearance of a lack of interest or attention, will be harmful to them if they are on an internship or job.
Students readily accept very stringent writing rules, for example, if they know that breaking such rules on a resume or cover letter will result in failure to secure that internship or job.
As Steve has suggested, we are living in a different culture than the one in place when many of us were younger.
I think our students need to be helped to be "cross-cultural" so they can exist happily in the several cultures they visit.
I suppose the same may be said for all of us, although I suspect that our students are more easily educated than I in this regard.

Janet


J. Nepkie, Ph.D.
SUNY Distinguished Service Professor
Professor of Music and Music Industry
Music Department
State University of New York College at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York 13820
v. 607 436 3425
f. 607 436 2718
________________________________________
From: Teaching Breakfast List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gilbert, Steven ([log in to unmask])
Sent: Friday, October 29, 2010 11:47 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Next TB and Agenda?

Last night I attended a talk at SUNY-Binghamton given by a world-renown author.  The talk lasted about 50 minutes (with a Q&A afterwards).  In the row in front of me -- and in direct eye-shot of the speaker -- was a student who spent about a third of the lecture scrolling through facebook pictures on her iphone, and texting her friends.  The old norm was "hope that a lecture is fascinating, engaging, and full of stimulating media, but if it isn't, then try to find interest and meaning in it anyway, and if you can't, at least try to avoid behavior that overtly communicates your lack of engagement, disappointment, and wish to be doing something else."

What is the new norm, and what is the role of new technology (e.g., cell phones) in creating and maintaining it?

Steve.
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Steven J. Gilbert, Ph.D.
   Professor of Psychology
      State University of New York, College at Oneonta
      [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
      Phone: 607-436-2557     Office: FITZ 416
      Home Page: http://employees.oneonta.edu/gilbersj/stevepage.htm
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________________________________
From: Teaching Breakfast List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Greenberg, James ([log in to unmask])
Sent: Friday, October 29, 2010 8:34 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Next TB and Agenda?

TBers,

Just a reminder that our next Teaching Breakfast meeting will be Nov. 4, Thursday in Starbucks at 8am.  The topic (unless someone wants to talk about something more burning) is “Lifting the Ban on Cell Technology in the Classroom”.   I’d like to talk about your reasons for allowing or not allowing students to use cell phones during class.   There is a growing voice in Higher Ed. advocating lifting this ban and I’d like to hear what you think.


Mr. James B. Greenberg
Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Milne Library
SUNY College at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York 13820

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