Walking out on a class of 200 students because one of them is texting on his cell phone punishes 200 people for the crime of 1. It is difficult to imagine that one can restore the respect he thinks he's lost by punishing 199 innocent people! I suspect that most of the class viewed this action as petulant and immature. Such a policy gives enormous and totally inappropriate power to a person who, ironically, may be motivated to wield it by the very opportunity presented by the teacher's "you sin, they pay, and I leave" policy.
There are many more benign ways to handle this situation.
> Stop your lecture and simply ask the person to put away his phone.
> Stop your lecture and stare at the person until he returns eye contact, figures out what is happening, and puts away his phone.
> Use humor. Make a joke like "I just learned that the provost has instituted a policy that students who text during class will be required to clean the toilets in the faculty men's room."
In any case, talking to the student after class should be sufficient to stop the behavior in the future.
Steve.
Professor of Psychology & Department Chair
State University of New York, College at Oneonta
127A Fitzelle Hall, Oneonta, NY 13820
Phone: 607-436-2557 FAX: 607-436-3753
E-MAIL: [log in to unmask]
Office Hours: M 1:00; T 10:00; W 1:00; Th 11:00
(other times by appointment)
Web Address: http://www.oneonta.edu/faculty/gilbersj/Stevepage.htm
Psychology Department Web Site:
http://www.oneonta.edu/academics/psyweb/
-----Original Message-----
From: Teaching Breakfast List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jim Greenberg
Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2008 11:46 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Texting in Class?
Tbers,
For your consideration:
http://insidehighered.com/news/2008/04/02/texting
Mr. James B. Greenberg
Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Milne Library
SUNY College at Oneonta
Oneonta, New York 13820
blog: The 32nd Square at http://aristotle.oneonta.edu/37_the_32nd_square
email: [log in to unmask]
phone: 607-436-2701
fax: 607-436-3081
IM: oneontatltc
"Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever"