Student Devices in Class: A Source of Distraction?

Faculty Focus posted an interesting article earlier in the month on cell phone policies. A survey of faculty was conducted to see what they did related to the use of cell phones and other student devices in the classroom, and their responses were then grouped into broad categories. By far, the largest number of policies were classified as "prohibition policies" where the instructor banned the use of any sort of student device for any reason. Faculty responses ran the gamut from those who permitted devices for class-related activities only, those who left the decision up to the student, those who found novel ways to encourage non-use, and those who had no policies whatsoever.

Discussions like this are interesting and often founded on research showing that people are unable to multi-task effectively, and therefore see student devices as a potential distraction to learning. This article asked many relevant questions as to the effectiveness of various policies, as well as whether policies were the most effective means for getting students to stop using their devices during class.

I confess I am prone to distraction and often find myself attending to non-related activities on my phone when I am in a meeting or listening to a speaker. However, when I am fully engaged with what I am doing, I forget I even have a phone and even tune out non-related noises and conversations.

So the questions these discussions raise for me include:

• If my students are using their cell phone or other devices in class, does it mean they find the class boring or not engaging? 
• Does the use of student devices for class work improve student engagement, or just cause a novelty effect that will soon wear off?
• What is my purpose for instituting a cell phone policy? What is the mindset behind such policies?
• Can my students help me draft a fair and meaningful policy, and does this increase the likelihood that students will abide by it?
• What can I do to make my class so engaging, students will forget about their devices and immerse themselves in the learning experience?

How about you? How do you feel about student use of personal devices in your classroom, and how do you handle it? Does this article inspire you to ask questions about the use of policies to control cell phone use in class? What do you intend to do with this information?