An instructor may say "OK, class, take out your paper and pen and let's take some notes" while flashing a well thought out presentation on a smart board, projector, or dry erase board. Then as the instructor discusses the talking points and looks around the room, very few are writing. Some students are pointing their cell phones at the board and snapping a photo. A few are getting out of their seats with their cell phones to get a better frame on their photo and then sit back down. Most "old school" traditional teachers might view this as a big problem. It certainly can change the pace of a class. It might allow an instructor to cover a lot more material without as many pauses waiting for some students to finish writing notes. Students should also be able to give their undivided attention to listening when unencumbered by writing. Will students learn the material? They now have their class notes accessible at any time, anywhere they have a chance to study in their own time. Will they actually go back and review their photo later or transfer it to their home computer? Maybe we as instructors should send them a text message once in a while to ask them to review their notes and confirm the assignment or test dates.
We have been told that the act of reading, writing and repetition will help solidify ideas in the learner. As handwriting skills decrease among students, a photo of well organized notes could be especially helpful to a visual learner. Photonotes are a trend that will likely not go away, so we as instructors must embrace it and find innovative ways to challenge students with how they will use them for study. Banning technology in the classroom is not the answer.
Another trend that I have mentioned before, is that of cyber cheating. Students in elementary and secondary schools receive the lesson plan, worksheet, or assignment. A few students may do the work, but are coaxed by other students into photographing it with their cell phone and posting it on a social network. Then other students in the same class or later classes go to their social network page and view the answers to the information. Some students in later classes will have the work done before they enter class or know all the test questions and answers. Some students will not do their work in class but will miraculously show up with it completed sometime before the end of the class day and tell you they forgot to turn it in to you. For the instructor, generating individual random work for every student can be cumbersome even with available software. I say a cheat is a cheat. Schools should include such a statement in their Appropriate Use of Technology standards, teach ethics, integrity, and copyright law, and have written consequences for students caught using technology in an inappropriate manner. A way to safe guard from this is obviously to not allow any technology usage during practice, assignment and especially testing. So just be advised when the student pulls out their cell phone and asks if they can listen to music while they work.
Recently while substitute teaching, the teacher left a lesson plan instructing me to tell students to work on their current writing project and that they could use their mp3 players while they worked if they were quiet and respectful. When the class entered a few students came to me and told me that they would be conducting an experiment, which I ASSumed was for their writing project. They put one student on the floor listening to an mp3 player and had her cover her head with a coat. As I walked around the room monitoring the students, some began to laugh. I observed them looking at the girl on the floor who had begun to twitch in a way that looked distressed. I immediately had the student stop and get up off the floor, and inquired if she was alright. She said yes and seemed fine. I asked the students about the experiment and what they were writing. They informed me that it was called iDosing. While they talked I looked it up on the internet and quickly read through an article published by the Washington Post:
When I asked the students more about their writing project, and if their teacher had known what they were doing, they all shrugged. I had been duped. They were not writing an article, just experimenting in class with what they believed was an internet based drug. Listening to a variety of tones, repetitively for long durations, which is supposed to interfere with their brain waves and give euphoric feelings. I told them that I was reporting the whole class to the office and called the assistant principal immediately. The assistant principal came to my room and we had a discussion in the hall about it. He took appropriate action with the students, counseling and parents.
iDosing was new to both the assistant principal and me. The great unknown. Was the student in class acting out a reaction to the tones to get attention? Does iDosing really alter a students state of mind? Yield a bad headache? Little is known. Some small amounts of research reported in the Washington Post article suggest there is no effect, some suggests there may be. I am not a doctor, but what I do understand is that there is no place in school this behavior. If a student is seeking out a cyber drug, would they also look for analog versions? It is a question for counselors and doctors, but a trend in which teachers should be aware. I felt very embarrassed that I unwittingly allowed this behavior in my classroom for any length of time. I take my students safety and well being as the highest priorities and took appropriate action as soon as something looked amiss. This episode reinforced how quickly the world is changing and this was an experience I will not soon forget.
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