Comments about ‘Teachers contend with digital distractions’

If students want to pay their own money to waste it playing on a laptop, then who cares? if they sit at the back and don't disturb anyone, and if the other students aren't distracted, then let them waste their own time and money!

Teachers should embrace technology not ban or regulate. Children should be held responsible for their own learning. If they choose to use a laptop, ipod or cell phone for learning then great. They are after all responsible for the information. Teachers should post assignments... all assignments on a social network site that both parents and students can get to. Districts should have podcasts that parents and students can subscribe to.... I could go on.. It seems that Education sometime is stuck in the dark ages of I am Teacher, the almighty oracle of information. You students should sit and learn what I have to say. A student with an iPod touch can find the answers more quickly than a teacher can spew out knowledge. Let them do it! Then hold them responsible for their learning.

teachers should embrace rude disruptive behavior? Teachers don't 'spew' knowledge, but some students think the classroom is a tv. These students should not be in college--period. Facebooking during interactive class time? Come on!

Homework and tests are the basic tools to check whether a student gets it. If he does all right in those areas with or without a laptop, why is that the school's concern? And if he does not, too bad for him. A university's job should be to offer instruction and knowledge, not to police the Internet habits of the students.

First at all, college students are NOT children, they are adults. I agreed with High School, JR High and Elementary schools teachers to ban electronic devices but college students, that's another arena. If the college student wants to waste his time, he's welcome to do so and ruin his/her own life as long as he/she doesnt interrupt others. A College professor is not a high school teacher neither a disciplinary officer. College faculty should concentrate in giving the class at their best of their knowledge and talents and whoever wants to take advantage of that, good choice! that's what makes the difference between loosers and winners!

What happened to common courtesy? I'm an older adult student and can't stand the interruption of the younger students who are disruptive with constantly texting or listenig to music, when I am
trying to get something out of the lecture. Also, the instructors spend a lot of time preparing their lessons. They deserve some respect in their classrooms.

dalene from california | 11:55 p.m. March 19, 2010

"What happened to common courtesy?"

It's something you lack so why should you demand it. Have you thought about the needs of others or do you just care about what you get out of the lecture and to hell with everyone else?

Tell us Queen Darlene what other things you want to prohibit us from doing while you annoy us with your constant questions about something we understand but you are too stupid to get. Why don't you shut up and we may not have to surf the web while morons ask the professor questions.

"I'm an older adult student and can't stand the interruption of the younger students who are disruptive with constantly texting or listenig to music, when I am trying to get something out of the lecture."

I am a younger student who can't stand the interruption of older students who keep asking stupid questions when I am trying to move on while they waste my time so I choose to use my time surfing since they are wasting it with a lecture that isn't necessary. Where's your respect oldie?

Oh my goodness gracious - that was very clever of you - to show your own disrespect for others. Must be wonderful to be young, gorgeous, and intellegent beyond the rest of the class (or world). Surf away princess!

I am a student who never uses a laptop in school (for notes or any other reason) except when the professor wants us to follow along on something. However, I see no problem with allowing them in class. It never has distracted me. What does distract me is in the one class I have that has freshmen in it, the ones around me sometimes talk through the whole lecture (it is a large class and they whisper). Text or chat back and forth all you want, but please don't distract me. I am in college to learn and to prepare for the real world.

Perhaps a compelling lecture or instruction from a skilled teacher would motivate the student to close the laptop...what a concept.

I thought personal attacks were against the terms of use. Your showing your age DN mod.

I'm am all for getting rid of the students that are distracting to others. It's the professors prerogative, if they wish to grade people on attention span, then they should.

Why waste his time on a someone with the attention span of a sparrow?

Classrooms are places to learn. The teachers or professors are there to pass on their knowledge and if you have your face and attention being distracted then what are you doing there? I learned long ago that there is no dumb or stupid question, everyone learns from students and teachers. If education bores you and my tax dollars are involved, then get out of school and stop wasting my taxes.

Students in college and public schools are there to learn from teachers and homework is what they use to establish and imprint that school lesson by making you think about it as you do your homework. Doing homework and out of class research helps individuals to learn how to find and use resources. It should not be done while teachers are giving lectures. It's impossible to pay attention in class and play with technology, humans don't have the ability to learn from two directions at the same time. Your attention is on one or the other.

Then educators that restrict or limit their lectures using laptops of phones, puts others who can't afford it at a disadvantage.

You are a jerk. You will probably expect a high paying job with all the perks up front when you graduate (and you probably have a closet full of "Participation" trophies) and will be crying to your other worthless generation of unfair treatment when you don't get it. Your rudeness was uncalled for and you ought to be embarrassed but your too spoiled feel anything decent people feel. I'm sure you're a troll and won't read this comment but I hope it makes others who do read this feel better and ignore your attack.

1. In most cases college students pay a small fraction of the actual cost of their education. Taxpayers fund the rest. We're paying for the time you waste in class.
2. If you can learn what you need online, why are you wasting time and taxpayer money going to college? How about taking online classes?
3. Older students almost always get better grades and learn more than younger students because they know how to apply themselves. Don't slam the grannies.
4. Too many students expect top grades for merely attending class, whether they participate or not, and whether they can show they've learned anything or not.
5. Too many colleges have become accreditation mills: "I've put in my time; give me my diploma." Unfortunately time does not equal education. Engagement with ideas and information does.
6. Grow up.

First off, I'm 25 and absolutely hate it when punks like you make such foolish comments as the one you posted on this comment thread because you "know" you have the protection of anonymity. Fine enough. I am young and savvy with technology but I choose not to use it in classrooms because it is a distraction. It seems like young adult from 24 years old and older get it; it's rude to text in class and not pay attention. Saying that the "oldie" should stop being selfish is like crap telling vomit it stinks. You are a prime example of the extreme selfishness and egocentricity of so many college freshmen and sophomores, who for some reason didn't get the memo that they're not in high school anymore and should actually try to behave as adults if they want to be treated as adults (even some juniors and seniors).

Your truly,

M. Fuentes, a student young enough to know how to use technology and old enough to know when texting, cell phones, the internet and (omg) wi-fi were new things.

I have noticed this trend. It is a sad commentary. Students are becoming more and more self-centered, and rude. Our mores and manners are changing.

Believe it or not, they will pay their tuition and then just attned, not participate. Participation is part of life and part of learning. It is a silly situation sometimes; you paid your money and now you just sit. And act bored.

Professors know what I am talking about.

If someone is texting or taking phone calls during classes, I have no problem with having them leave the classroom. At that point, their actions affect more than just their own little World.

If people can use computers during classes so they are not disruptive, then it is just something that has to be accepted. But, come test or quiz time, they had better be closed. Otherwise, I would have no problem failing them for that. Again, they're supposed to be adults. Behave like it.

Some of you need to chill out. Until you are in front of the class and teaching and are being evaluated on how your students do then you need to keep quiet about letting them use them. It would be nice if the students showed courtesy and wise use of the computer, but alas far too many don't. If they feel they can surf the web while the teacher lectures then they ought to stay home and do their own research as Brad asserts. In fact Brad why not tell students they can do their own research and come in take a test to pass college. Think of how much money one could save, do away with the Universities and the professors, just let the student do their own teaching. What will we get? A bunch of smart idiots. People who do not have the ability to articulate and speak about a topic. After all a student can cram for a test and get an A, but two weeks later take that test again and they will fail, because they did not study to learn, but to get a grade.

I got my doctorate in physics in 2003. I was 49 at that time. I agree with Dalene from California that common courtesy is very much out the window, especially with the undergraduate crowd. This is very obvious when you are teaching large classes. I've often wondered how people can take physics notes on their laptops, because writing equations in Word takes a considerable amount of time. It is also common to see students with earbuds plugged into their phone or attempting to text, all this while taking an exam. Cheating is becoming more brazen and sophisticated.
As far as questions are concerned. I have found that older students are more dedicated to their studies, and consequently ask more questions. These students have often read the chapter before the material is presented in class, so the questions are more in-depth. The other students, consequently, have no idea what this student is talking about. I feel this is a direct result of these older students wanting to be in class and paying for their own tuition, instead of Mom and Dad.
So Dalene, keep asking questions and ignore the rude responses of the younger crowd.

A generation of young adults have grown up immersed in technology with no instruction of when it is appropriate to use and when it's appropriate to turn off. Sure, computer use for class is a great thing, but using the computer to do other things CAN be distracting to others who are less comfortable with the technology. Many older students are doing their best to retrain their brains to embrace their educational opportunity in college and instead of having a full experience in learning, they are bombarded by idle useage of the technology brought into the room by other students. No one is saying you have to unplug, but it would be nice to consider the fact that not everyone learns in the same way as another. Perhaps the students should consider grouping themselves in the classroom so those who are clicking away doing other things will not be near enough to disturb those who wish to sit nearer the instructor and ask questions during class. After all, everyone paid for the course just the same and should be accorded the opportunity to learn in their own way with the help of the instructor.