One time in class a young male student's phone rang. I said I would answer it--he jokingly let me. I told the caller that the student was still in bed (not sure what made me say that), then I realized how it sounded. I was terribly embarassed and haven't done it since (it's difficult to talk with your foot in your mouth anyway). I haven't had the opportunity to embarass myself again (at least not with a cell phone), our students don't usually have their phones on and if one accidentally rings, they silence it immediately. It really hasn't been a problem. Carol Carol L. DeVolder, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Chair, Department of Psychology St. Ambrose University 518 West Locust Street Davenport, Iowa 52803 Phone: 563-333-6482 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> web: http://web.sau.edu/psychology/psychfaculty/cdevolder.htm
________________________________ From: Annette Taylor, Ph. D. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sun 10/8/2006 4:01 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: [tips] RE: cell phones. . . . I admit I am much kinder in my approach than others seem to be--maybe because it has (a) never been a terrible problem, and (b) I tend to be the worst offender--forgetting to turn the darned ringer off! And of course, my husband is the worst enabler of the problem because he is always the one who calls and then says he forgot what time I was in the classroom....we won't go there. My policy is simple: phone goes off, the offender brings donuts for the whole class at the next session. If they 'forget' they have to bring them for the next two classes. The class can also vote for bagels and cream cheese if we have had so many offenses that we are all tired of donuts. I have been known, in addition, to ask my husband to call me during class the first week, so I can illustrate how it works, and then I bring donuts for the class the next day :) It's a good ice-breaker. Fortunately, no one has *ever* in my classes answered the phone! They just turn off the offending ringing device and put it away; usually quite red-faced. I have a second part of the policy: absolutely positively no cell phones out during exams. If I see a phone out during an exam it is an 'F' on the exam and no excuses, etc. I always put the correct time on the overhead display from the US time website, because students complained that they "only use it to know what time it is"--and again, I can relate to that somewhat because I am highly allergic to metal from watches, so I use my phone to tell time with in class. So as to the two girls with the chronic addiction/psychological dependence on their cell phones, the situation is different because it sounds like their phones are not actually ringing and distracting the rest of the class. The next time I were to catch such a chronic offender, I think I would openly suggest in class that they visit the counseling center--a service students pay for with their tuition dollars but seldom make adequate use of--to find a treatment for their phone disorder. I found that this particular suggestion has worked very well to stop students from making repeated trips in and out the door during class. Either I get a note from their doctor explaining their bladder disorder, or they find a better way to fulfill their need for attention. I do usually couch all of this in humor. That seems to be the key element. Annette Annette Kujawski Taylor, Ph. D. Professor of Psychology University of San Diego 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 619-260-4006 [EMAIL PROTECTED] ---------------------------------------------------------------- This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program. --- To make changes to your subscription go to: http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0&lang=english <http://acsun.frostburg.edu/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=tips&text_mode=0<=english>
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