College Students Admit To "Shocking" Text Messaging Habits in Class

While teens are renowned for the frequency with which they text, those in the 18-24 age range are also fairly avid text-messagers. According to data released from Nielsen this fall, that age group sends around 1,630 texts per month – roughly three texts per hour. So it’s not terribly surprising that a recent study by two psychology professors at Wilkes University finds that college students text message during class. A 50-minute lecture gives you time to send at least a couple messages, right?

But in the words of the students who took the survey, professors would be “shocked” if they knew how much texting went on in class.

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Professors Deborah Tindell and Robert Bohlander asked students from over 250 colleges to assess their text messaging habits. 95% of respondents said they bring their phones to class every day, and almost all of them – 99% – believed they should be allowed to do so.

Texting During Class

91% admitted they have used their phones to text during class. Almost half said it’s easy to get away with doing so without their instructor noticing. And 62% said that they feel they should be allowed to text in class as long they don’t disturb others.

However, students did admit that cellphones could be “disturbing.” About 25% said that texting causes a distraction to those nearby, and 75% said they’ve been disturbed by someone’s phone ringing in class. And about a third of students said they thought that texting in class would be a distraction for the person sending the message, causing a loss of attention and/or poor grades in class.

About 10% of college students said they’ve sent or received texts during exams. And 3% said they have actually sent exam information during a test.

The latter is certainly an issue of academic dishonesty, but unlike the terribly low-tech behavior of passing notes, there’s something about cellphone use in classroom that seems to generate a heightened level of concern about college students’ behavior in the classroom.

Engaging Students (With Technology)

The Wilkes University professors offer several pieces of advice to tackle this – design clear classroom policies, walk around the classroom – particularly the back of the class, and avoid paying too much attention to the blackboard. (Seriously.) “Make eye contact.”

Or – and this is my suggestion – we can find ways to engage with students and with technology, using text messaging as a way to field questions and discussion right in class. I mean, eye contact is good too though.

Discuss