Is frequent text messaging in class harmful to students’ educations? In this digital age of technology, constant information, and multi-tasking, students can engage in constant communication with others but this practice may actually encourage scattered concentration, distraction, and disengagement with course material. Many students have a difficult time withdrawing from technology--the phone becomes more interesting than the real world. Recent studies have shown that constant texting leads to anxiety, distraction in school, falling grades, and sleep deprivation. As an educator, I worry that students are not developing the social skills they need to succeed in school and beyond the classroom.
I make it clear to students at the beginning of each semester that I have zero tolerance for texting in my classroom. If they are caught using their phone, they will be asked to leave and will receive a “0” for that day’s activities. Students also sign a “promise statement” that they will turn off and refrain from using their phone during scheduled class time. Throughout the semester, I also provide reflective periods as a way to create a level of relaxation, awareness, and concentration. In the spring and fall, I have my students spend quiet time near the pond or in MCC's zen garden. For several minutes, they close their eyes and concentrate on hearing the “smallest” sound: frogs croaking, a distant bird chirping, the wind. This exercise encourages contemplation on the immediate world. It also inspires the imagination, as well as creative and compelling thinking. As a result, students are more focused on course material and they engage with their classmates in a more direct way.
