Dare all to live in multiple worlds?

JAnet, you are off course right, but I am not able to switch to the new world as easily: I understand that blocking all use of such devices is not only unpopular, but also impossible, as increasingly, such devices can convey knowledge better than the professor could:
Texting could, if used right, enhance the teaching, and be a assett. Ethics would be the ideal answer - but I see that popular culture is endorsing the use of such devices at all times: if most do it, it must be right.... We do not accept the new norm in plagiarism, and should not rely on ethics alone.
However, as I sometimes walk by an "intelligent" classroom on campus and see virtually all student screens turned on Facebook, and the instructor is teaching content (foreign language) - I wonder if we would not better replace ethics with (some) control:  can we block at least for some classes some surf" able" places?

Best

Achim


________________________________________
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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