# Bored students infuriate professors



## Candypants (Nov 29, 2010)

I read on Gizmodo today how some profs get frustrated because students are just texting in their classes with the result that some lecturers just walk out of the class. As a freshly graduated student, I still remember some of the uber long lectures by some non-inspirational lecturers. It got me thinking that in today’s world, it must SUCK for some professors to hold lectures. What’s next? iPad gaming sessions, or will students eventually get more sensible?


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## Dollface (Nov 30, 2010)

Honestly I think this problem isn’t so much related to texting, but our modern society in general. Kids these days are raised in an environment where they get distracted all the time, so it’s not that surprising that once in a classroom, they find it hard to suddenly focus on just one person talking.


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## musicninja17 (Nov 30, 2010)

We now live in a world where a lack of entertainment is bad. The message we get is 100% 'me' centric in american culture. Which isn't exactly the greatest thing.


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## cmhardw (Nov 30, 2010)

I've heard arguments that it's the students' faults for not paying attention to the professor, and arguments that it's the professor's fault for not engaging the students more. I don't know which one to follow to be honest. It saddens me that people need technology and flashy lights to be engaged and not feel bored with something nowadays. However, it also seems that technology should be integrated into the classroom in ways that would accommodate students a bit better.

I'm ambivalent here, I have pretty strong feelings on both sides of the issue. We ban facebook and texting and such in our classes where I teach. However, we allow students to take breaks when they want. So the could facebook by just stepping outside, but most of them still try to "get away with it" in the classroom without stepping outside on a break (which they are allowed to do with no consequence).


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## iChanZer0 (Nov 30, 2010)

cmhardw said:


> I've heard arguments that it's the students' faults for not paying attention to the professor, and arguments that it's the professor's fault for not engaging the students more. I don't know which one to follow to be honest. It saddens me that people need technology and flashy lights to be engaged and not feel bored with something nowadays. However, it also seems that technology should be integrated into the classroom in ways that would accommodate students a bit better.
> 
> I'm ambivalent here, I have pretty strong feelings on both sides of the issue. We ban facebook and texting and such in our classes where I teach. However, we allow students to take breaks when they want. So the could facebook by just stepping outside, but most of them still try to "get away with it" in the classroom without stepping outside on a break (which they are allowed to do with no consequence).


 
The students who try to "get away with it" sound like unreasonable idiots.


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## JonnyWhoopes (Nov 30, 2010)

musicninja17 said:


> We now live in a world where a lack of entertainment is bad. The message we get is 100% 'me' centric in american culture. Which isn't exactly the greatest thing.


 


http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=entertainment said:


> S: (n) entertainment, amusement (an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention)



According to the dictionary, unless you're dead, you're always entertained. Something ALWAYS has your attention. Even if it's not apparent from your outward appearance, even simple thoughts in your head may have your attention.

Granted, I understand what you meant and were attempting to make clear. I just can't help but jump on the technicality bandwagon.

::EDIT::


iChanZer0 said:


> The students who try to "get away with it" sound like unreasonable idiots.


 
This

::EDIT::


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## BigSams (Nov 30, 2010)

We don't need all this technology to 'engage' students. If you need flashy smart boards and graphing calculators with features that 4th year students don't even need, etc, just leave school. High school math and sciences should be done without calculators, traditional art courses shouldn't have photoshop units and english class shouldn't involve a class wiki!
I'm not saying make classes boring, but don't add to or minus stuff from the evaluation rubric for the sake of entertainment. They don't want to learn, let them fail; every kid'll straighten up in 1 year. BTW no I'm not some lamenting geezer, I'm a high school student.


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## endless_akatsuki (Nov 30, 2010)

why wouldn't you use a resource that's open to you? It's like struggling with your science homework while you do it right in front of your computer (I've known people to do this...)

Completely pointless. In the real world, there are so many resources to use, so why would we ban these during school and "let them fail?"

I use Google, Sparknotes, etc for almost all my homework, and I've learned so much more than from just class. I'm not proud of it, but I don't hate myself for doing it. It's my way of getting it done.


Imagine how the world would change if schools didn't teach these technology subjects. I don't know about you, but I think graphing complicated equations by hand is counterproductive.


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## Cool Frog (Nov 30, 2010)

BigSams said:


> We don't need all this technology to 'engage' students. If you need flashy smart boards and graphing calculators with features that 4th year students don't even need, etc, just leave school. High school math and sciences should be done without calculators, traditional art courses shouldn't have photoshop units and english class shouldn't involve a class wiki!
> I'm not saying make classes boring, but don't add to or minus stuff from the evaluation rubric for the sake of entertainment. They don't want to learn, let them fail; every kid'll straighten up in 1 year. BTW no I'm not some lamenting geezer, I'm a high school student.


 
Agreed, In my math class one of the tests "required" a graphing graphing calculator or else you where going to fail half the test.
That day I forgot my calculator and passed the test with a 98%


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## BigSams (Nov 30, 2010)

@endless_akatsuki,
Erm, I never said that there was anything wrong with using stuff like Sparknotes and the internet. That's just like reading a book of notes lol.
But I must disagree with the graphing calculator business. How did people do math homework for millennia up to just 25 years ago? We shouldn't need to graph complicated functions because computers exist for that reason. Struggles are what define us and how we ready ourselves for reality. Simulating reality is not the best preparation for dealing with reality in the future. We need to struggle with painful math/physics/chem/bio problems without outside help in order to develop creative mind processes. Later on in uni or grad school, one can prep for reality with graphing calculators, electron microscopes, etc. And if you're wonder about people that are not going to uni.. well, that's why classes of different levels exist (in canada at least, even though the levels are not as distinct as I would like).

EDIT: I think graphing complicated equations at all in high school or below is pointless LOL. Really, there is a lot more the math than pulling out a calc or grid paper.


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## RyanO (Nov 30, 2010)

I don't believe for a second that this generation of students pays any less attention than previous generations. It's simply more visible. If previous students had access to laptops and texting they would of been doing it too. People who don't want to pay attention aren't going to pay attention. As for the argument that people engaging in these activities distract other students, those other students need to deal with it. Learning to block out distractions is probably more useful in the real world than the actual coursework anyway.

I don't use a laptop or text much myself because I prefer the more old school methods of doodling and staring off into space.


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## cmhardw (Nov 30, 2010)

endless_akatsuki said:


> why wouldn't you use a resource that's open to you? It's like struggling with your science homework while you do it right in front of your computer (I've known people to do this...)
> 
> Completely pointless. In the real world, there are so many resources to use, so why would we ban these during school and "let them fail?"


 
I have to say that I strongly agree with this point, even as a teacher. If wikipedia is the sum of all human knowledge (in theory), then why should it be banned in a classroom? Shouldn't it be a resource that people can use in class? It seems that learning to use these resources should be a valuable life skill.

Also, why shouldn't school teach people how to google something intelligently? We would have a smarter overall culture if schools taught people _how_ to use their resources intelligently and efficiently.

Now, having said this, there is something to say for not being _dependent_ on this technology. For example, in high school I was very dependent on my calculator. I came to realize this very painfully when in 10th grade my calculator batteries died during a math quiz, and I failed that quiz because of it. I took this as motivation to become less dependent on my calculator. Doing math is actually much faster, and much easier, for me now that I don't need to rely on the calculator so much. Also, I believe that learning to be self sufficient as much as possible is a way to become "smarter" on some level.

Again, I am ambivalent here, but I would tend to favor including such technologies in a classroom, for the very reason that these resources exist in the world and it would be a good thing to teach people how to use them.


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## y3k9 (Nov 30, 2010)

Well, in college I think it's fair that the student be able to use whatever technology they want, as long as it doesn't make much noise, because the student paying to be there. In grade-school other way around. Only makes sense, eh?


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## Cubezz (Nov 30, 2010)

Yet another thread made by you without anything related to cubing.
Anyhow, for faults, either:
A) The teacher's fault, the teacher is boring.
B) The student's fault, the student should be paying attention.
Depends on the situation I guess. My teacher is always entertaining, and I very, very rarely see someone texting etc during class.


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## DavidWoner (Nov 30, 2010)

BigSams said:


> @endless_akatsuki,
> Erm, I never said that there was anything wrong with using stuff like Sparknotes and the internet. That's just like reading a book of notes lol.
> But I must disagree with the graphing calculator business. How did people do math homework for millennia up to just 25 years ago? We shouldn't need to graph complicated functions because computers exist for that reason. Struggles are what define us and how we ready ourselves for reality. Simulating reality is not the best preparation for dealing with reality in the future. We need to struggle with painful math/physics/chem/bio problems without outside help in order to develop creative mind processes. Later on in uni or grad school, one can prep for reality with graphing calculators, electron microscopes, etc. And if you're wonder about people that are not going to uni.. well, that's why classes of different levels exist (in canada at least, even though the levels are not as distinct as I would like).
> 
> EDIT: I think graphing complicated equations at all in high school or below is pointless LOL. Really, there is a lot more the math than pulling out a calc or grid paper.


 
The math people did in high school 25 years ago is way less advanced than the math people are doing now. If you go to work in a job that requires advanced calculations you will use a calculator or whatever computer software is necessary. Are you saying students shouldn't be familiar with the tools they will be using in the future? Should students not be allowed to use computers because people got by just fine without them decades ago? And who needs pencils, clay tablets worked fine for ancient peoples.


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## IamWEB (Nov 30, 2010)

Cubezz said:


> Yet another thread made by you without anything related to cubing.


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__________
This is the:

fOTf Sctiono epic
__________

Can ya dig it?



Spoiler



One of these isn't allowed in your sigs. What were you expecting, the answer?


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## masteranders1 (Nov 30, 2010)

I think it's really just circled around technology addiction. On our school's campus, all people talk about is video games, past texts, computer stuff, etc. (most of the time). Everyone texts, everyone thinks that because they break rules they're "popular" and get equally stupid friends because of it. Being a student myself, it's maybe 90% students' fault and 10% teachers' fault. (May need slight adjustment, but whatever). In our art class, two of these intelligent students started talking and then the teacher just sat back in a chair, and told them to go up and teach the class because they thought that they were so smart. It's annoying. Put your phones in your backpack, don't break rules, and try to follow common sense. If you're a student and you do that, you'll be fine. A bunch of teachers at my school get angry every day and one has even almost quit. 

Bottom line is, students' fault, they don't think rules, boundaries, and limits apply to them.


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## Lorken (Nov 30, 2010)

Most of the stuff my stats teacher taught me in high school was all on a graphics calculator, and then in Uni, I had to re-learn everything since they don;t let you use them


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## Dixie (Nov 30, 2010)

Try this to fight boredom 
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003KR0FI2


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## BigSams (Nov 30, 2010)

Are we under attack ....... ?

EDIT: i.e. is ^ post spam?


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## y3k9 (Nov 30, 2010)

Dixie said:


> Try this to fight boredom
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B003KR0FI2


Ohhhhhhh, that looks fun.


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## freshcuber (Nov 30, 2010)

I recently decided just today that I'm never texting in class again. There are girls in my English class who run the show. We were presenting books we read to the class and while one of them was in the front she stops her presentation and checked her phone! I was speechless. At least when I used to text I knew I was taking the risk that I could lose my phone and wasn't so blatant about it. Then the other girls actually defended the perpetrator because of she hadn't then "it would have kept vibrating every two minutes." The teacher never batted an eyelash throughout the whole incident. I decided to take Ghandi's word for it and be the change I wanted to see in the world so I'm not texting in class anymore.


You can say what you want about the students and the teachers but both are at fault. It's one thing for a teacher to be indifferent and let the student fail if they choose to do so but this teacher nearly encourages disruptive behavior in class and she herself can be seen texting during class. Today's society and the environment kids are growing up in has become very... tolerant and honestly lazy. There is way to much emphasis put on socializing and things like Facebook and 6th graders with cell phones just exacerbates the problem. Just last week a girl in my school was suspended for a status she posted on Facebook. It was so offensive a boy dumped fruit punch on her (although considering the circumstances it was well warranted). 

Utilizing technology available to us should absolutely be done. We don't still hunt with sticks for a reason. However, technology should be used to promote and enhance individual intelligence, independence, and create an over all better student that has been readied for what lay ahead of them better than the previous generation before them. Technology has become so abused that it's sickening when you take a good look at it. There are kids who honestly believe that prestiging in Black Ops is more important than their schoolwork. 


People have also become fragile. Ten or twenty years ago if you had a problem with someone you'd fight and that'd be the end of it usually. I realize fights in school are discouraged but we all know at least one person who'd be better off getting knocked around once or twice and to be honest I wouldn't mind if a teacher were doing it. I'd gladly take a few thrashings of it meant that those girls in English class were taking the same. Nowadays though it's so cloak and dagger. Hidden texts, tumblr blog posts, formsprings questions totally offensive and out of line, Facebook statuses, they cause soooo many problems it's literally not even measurable. 


Everyone would be better off if they put less emphasis on their plans for Friday night and thought about what's truly important. People need to start looking in the mirror and getting their priorities straight because right now I'm not sure what the future will be when it's run by my generation.


Sorry about my rant. The girls on English got me livid and I was venting I guess.


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## qqwref (Nov 30, 2010)

Seems like most of the people in this topic are basically saying that the reason is that modern students/professors are stupid, fragile, very easily bored, etc. I don't think the problem is that everyone sucks now. Nothing substantial has changed.

I think the problem is mostly in the system:
- Not all professors (at least those who give lectures) are chosen for their teaching ability. I know firsthand that many professors got their jobs because of their research, and if that's the case then you can't expect them to be good teachers, even though teaching is (for students) the point of college. It's understandable that people would be bored if they have to sit for an hour listening to a bad teacher talk with no interaction.
- Too many people go to college. It's supposed to be about higher education, but in this day and age everyone needs a college degree to do well (or thinks they do), which is simply false. Specialized instruction in a discipline is useful for many people, but not all, and it's a waste if someone isn't going to take advantage of it. In addition, even though everyone went through a general curriculum in high school, people are still funneled into basic all-round classes in college, and it's inevitable that people will be bored in a class that they're not at all interested in. Since many people in college don't deeply care about what they're being taught, anyone could expect that they would be bored in lecture.
- Not all lectures really need to be attended, but many students (and many colleges) don't realize this, and teachers/colleges often expect or require that everyone will go to every lecture. Hence you end up with tired, bored, or drunk people in class, getting nothing from the experience. It's not even true that everyone learns best from a lecture format - for instance I learn best either when conversing about a topic, or when being presented with a well-written explanation that I can go through at my own pace. It is simply not possible to shove everyone into a room with a professor and have unanimous learning take place. There were several classes in college where I missed a lot of lectures (due to being sleepy, having work to do, or just not valuing the class enough) and did fine anyway.
- The lecture format is even, in a way, outdated. People are very connected now, and used to the ability to easily manipulate information, look things up, and interact with their environment. This isn't a bad thing. However, society has created many ways to make it easier to understand and process data, and a format which completely ignores this trend is simply asking people to do more work for the same gain. The best lecturers I had (the ones who caused me to learn the most) all used slideshows, discussions, or handouts, and it's not because I'm unable to follow normal lectures, but because an updated format is more conducive to understanding.


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## Candypants (Nov 30, 2010)

Hear, hear.. ! I definitely think that the no texting-thing comes from sensibility and courtesy, and here's the problem.. if you've never gotten into big problems because of texting or whatever, why would you stop? I'm definitely up for professors showcasing some bad apples in class.. that will shut the rest down for sure. At least, that's what worked for me


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## cuberkid10 (Nov 30, 2010)

Being a student still in classes, I take both sides. The teacher should be more interesting, or at least take away their phone. But the students should also be paying attention. I personally don't mind kids textings once or twice during class. (Like, checking to see if they got a message and texting back). What bothers me is when kids start bringing others into their phone. (Playing music or showing a friend a text). It gets really annoying. If you get good grades and still pay attention: Go for it, just don't cause a stir.


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## cuberr (Nov 30, 2010)

freshcuber said:


> I recently decided just today that I'm never texting in class again. There are girls in my English class who run the show. We were presenting books we read to the class and while one of them was in the front she stops her presentation and checked her phone! I was speechless.....


 I was reading through all these posts so fast I didn't even read the names and after I finished this one I just knew it was by you. 

But I agree that teachers should be more strict with cell phone usage and everything. Where I go to school, the teachers are actually pretty strict but girls will still be texting in their purses or going on Facebook from their ipods or twittering. I'll admit it, I text in class too, but I still engage myself in the learning and I only do it if I'm in a free period or I already know what's going on in class. Although I know there shouldn't be any excuses for doing it..sometimes you just can't help it. Which almost proves how bad technology has become, but at least I still try hard in school and do extremely well. A few weeks ago, I had my friend change my password for my Facebook so that I wouldn't go on for a week, and it really helped me realize how much more time for other things I have when I'm not wasting my time just staring at my Facebook waiting for the newsfeed to change. With all this new technology, kids like having things that go fast, so sometimes listening to a teacher lecture to them is very boring and causes them to let their minds wander. Honestly, I think both sides can improve though. Teachers can start using this new technology to spark interest in the students while the students should realize when they are at school they need to learn and therefore should not be worrying about what other students are doing or where they're going later on. As a high school senior, I know how it feels to be in school and just wanting to leave, as senioritis has definitely already set in. Although it feels like I'm almost done and should get a break, I realize that next year I'll be going to college and it definitely won't be any easier, so I shouldn't start slacking off now. I think more schools should really stress that because sometimes I feel like high school students feel college is all fun and much easier, therefore they don't worry about slacking off in high school and not learning anything.


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## Erik (Nov 30, 2010)

This goes for lecturers:
As long as nobody is hindering the learning experience of other students I think it should be legal to do whatever you want in class. This also means that the cell phone should be set at silent if you want to text.
Like Michael said before, not all lecturers need to be attended. I like to go there and see if it is interesting for my studies or the subject I am currently researching. If it is not interesting or valid I will just leave again OR if I expect something interesting might come I will just do some stuff that I have to do anyway (looking up information I need on the internet, dealing with email or making appointments) and I can pay attention whenever I want.
In this way I am not obstructing the class, and I am making efficient use of time.

On a part Chris mentioned: he mentioned that the new resources of information now should be used if they are there, and that students need to be taught how to use these resources.
I strongly agree with this, still often a fuzzy 60 year old teacher has worse googling-skills than the average student. Education should be developing at all times. I already heard it many times in class that google was one of the ways to access information, many lectures have been given about the information you can use and where you can get them from. Not one of the lectures were actually explaining how to search for this information using several resources....


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## Kynit (Nov 30, 2010)

I don't understand the amount of students that text constantly: in class, out of class, before school, after school, while going out... why can't you stand being away from people you don't even care that much about? Classes at my school are 80 minutes long, with 10 minute breaks between them PLUS an hour long lunch break. I don't really find it all that hard to focus on my work for a while, and I really don't see the need for constant communication. It's ridiculous. I've been obsessed with the internet for a long time; it's not a 24/7 necessity.

Mind you, this is coming from someone who has very few friends, is fairly unpopular, and texts about 5 times a month... but it's an opinion, in any case.


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## Igora (Nov 30, 2010)

cmhardw said:


> Also, why shouldn't school teach people how to google something intelligently? We would have a smarter overall culture if schools taught people _how_ to use their resources intelligently and efficiently.



Though I do agree with teaching how to use better technology, like Erik said, sometimes the person teaching it knows less about using using a computer than the students. This makes for a waste of time, and in some cases makes the teachers seem condescending. Possibly worse is if the teacher thinks they know what they are talking about, and are corrected by a student during the class.


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## musicninja17 (Nov 30, 2010)

The point about fights somebody made up there ^ yeah...nobody knows how to fight anymore.


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## Dollface (Dec 1, 2010)

y3k9 said:


> Ohhhhhhh, that looks fun.


 
Why do people still buy on Amazon while you can get the stuff straight from China? Here.. same thing for half the price: 
http://www.miniinthebox.com/mini-ha...0043.html?utm_source=frmkt&utm_campaign=frmkt
Img:


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## Edward (Dec 2, 2010)

Kynit said:


> I don't understand the amount of students that text constantly: in class, out of class, before school, after school, while going out... why can't you stand being away from people you don't even care that much about? Classes at my school are 80 minutes long, with 10 minute breaks between them PLUS an hour long lunch break. I don't really find it all that hard to focus on my work for a while, and I really don't see the need for constant communication. It's ridiculous. I've been obsessed with the internet for a long time; it's not a 24/7 necessity.
> 
> *Mind you, this is coming from someone who has very few friends, is fairly unpopular, and texts about 5 times a month... but it's an opinion, in any case.*


 
Then you wouldn't seem to get it...
Texting is fun. Have you ever chatted with a bunch of people online for a really long time? It's like that, except through the phone, and seemingly more private. You should do it more 
Though, I do agree, I don't see any reason to even need to bring your phone into the classroom.


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