Give your phone a rest

By Megan Walsh, Staff Commentary

This past Wednesday, I counted five laptop screens shining with Pinterest during my afternoon class, and when Pinterest got boring, a new tab would open to Facebook. For those who had forgotten their laptops, myself included, phones were sitting on one knee, slyly hidden beneath the desk. Some professors ignore when this happens, while others make a scene. Obviously, I prefer the former tactic but I understand how frustrating it would be to have students more interested in e-cards than what I had to say. Professors need to realize that if students are giving into the temptations of social media sites, it's most likely because the lesson is not enticing, but students do need to be respectful and put their electronics away when their professors are obviously putting forth effort. Neither boring lecturers nor social media scrolling students are in the wrong; rather a compromise must be reached.

I completely understand how disrespected many professors feel when their students do not give them attention, but I hope the faculty takes a moment to put themselves in their students' shoes. When students stay up to date with their readings and follow the syllabus, many classes become monotonous and boring - if professors do not think of new ways to present the materials, facts are simply being reiterated from what the books and PowerPoint presentations posted on Moodle already taught us.

I don't want to point any fingers, because I do believe that texting and pinning during a lecture is disrespectful, but when the professors don't incorporate any creativity into their lesson plans, can they really blame their students for succumbing to distractions? Both sides need to put effort into solving this problem.

As for students, there are times when it is appropriate to check your phone in class - the professor steps out for a moment, you finish your reading before the majority of the class or it is taking a long time for the professor to get the audio to work. Take advantage of these opportunities. When the professor is lecturing or a video with important information is playing, put your phone away. I guarantee that wall post will still be there and that text message will not just mysteriously disappear.

Professors, if you want your students to care about what you have to say, then care about your students and try switching it up a little bit - include partner and group work into your schedules, throw in some entertaining videos or anecdotes or create a conversation with your students rather than just talking at them. Not only will you get the attention you desire, but I would bet the test scores will skyrocket as well.

Like nearly anything in life, when both parties commit to simple changes, success can be easily obtained. So, students and faculty please accept this simple challenge - let your phone rest for a few hours a day and make your lessons a bit more entertaining.

Megan Walsh is a sophomore biology major. She can be reached at walsh15@up.edu