Was asked if possible to establish a policy to fine someone (or require a donation) if a cell phone rings during an education program, is answered, or if student takes out Blackberry/Treo/iPhone and checks email, sends text messages or accesses Internet during class. There's no question that ringing cell phones and device use can be annoyances and distractions to instructors and other students. Offenders often don't care, as their interest is in multi-tasking or not missing a communication.
Don't know what the answer to fine question is, but checking into it. What do you think the answer should be?
4 comments:
These are grownups. Simply state at the beginning that the learning environment is the prime consideration and disruptive students will be asked to leave. Leave it up to the instructor to determine and enforce. Policies are demeaning and assume everyone is an idiot:in this case, let the responsibilities rest with the instructor and the student.
At my last association, folks whose cell phones rang during an education session were asked to make a donation to the association's educational foundation ... but this was a grassroots effort started by members and encouraged by members. I think if the association staff had tried to start or enforce something like this, it would have caused a lot of resentment among attendees. As it was, everyone I saw whose cell went off was fairly good-natured about making a donation.
Why should the phone or other devices be allowed in the classroom? This (No phones or electronic devices will be allowed in the classroom) should be posted on any class that is offered. If they forget they may need to go back to their car and leave it there!
We've had that policy for years here...initially done at the request of the membership! We make it a tax deductible contribution to whatever community effort the Association is supporting that month. There are those who grumble a bit, but like the tax deduction! Then there are those who usually write a little more on that check!
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