Campus, on a rainy day

If you look at the “magnified” image, note that the young woman in the light blue jacket is intent on the cell phone in her hand.

One of the classes I teach is an undergraduate class for “non-majors.” A 21st-century classroom phenomenon we university professors have to deal with is cell phones (web browsing and texting during class time). This is especially true in classes with lots of first-year students (freshmen). Earlier this week an interesting question occurred to me as I was walking to my office in the morning during a regular class-time when there wasn’t much “foot-traffic.” Most of the students who were on campus at the time were looking down at their cell phones…

For those of you in the U.S., has it seemed that there is a greater presence of online dating services advertising on television now? I’ve had that impression.

Hmm. A connection?

Today I put two questions to my class for non-majors.
1. How many of your parents met in college?
The unscientific response seemed to be about a third of the class.
2. I wonder how many college students have walked right past a soul-mate and prospective life-partner because they were looking down … at their cell phones.
Hmm. Some connection to online dating services?

Except for golf perhaps, what’s one fundamental rule for sports participation?
Keep your head up!
So it is in life, too, no?

Labor markets and “natural selection”? What I tell my good students about their classmates who spend more time on their phones than they spend studying: Good news! These are some of the people you’ll be competing against in the labor market, so fret not!

Suggestion for parents? Make your kid pay their own cell phone bill. Nothing like a monthly bill to help remind them there really are costs attached to using those handy mobile devices. I can discourage students from using their smart phones during class, but I can’t prevent it. So the really, really “smart” ones think they’re fooling me. Congratulations! but it’s your grade, not mine. If your parents haven’t taught you good discipline for your electronic “tools,” it’s unlikely I’m going to have any luck. We’ll just have to wait for “The Jungle” to teach you.

One year ago (“‘Boo!’”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-10-31
Two years ago (“Post-Halloween”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-10-31

[Frank Hymus]

So many on line dating services.

And so many people out and about have their heads down on their phones. Why bother going out I might ask? Not to say I don't keep my phone with me especially during the week when the markets are open, but I don't stay glued to it with my head down. Here is one of mine, with the man out in the middle of beautiful big open park by the river and all he could do was play with this phone. He never looked up once in five minutes. http://365project.org/frankhymus/work-in-progres/2013-10-22

Nice colors on the image though...

[Tammie]

Very pretty campus.

[Danette Thompson]

Good for you! My son worked for his fraternity headquarters just out of college. He visited many campuses and told them all to put their phones down!!

[Thom Mitchell]

@danette Wait. You have kid(s) *out* of college, Danette!? Hard to believe...!

[Rick Schies]

No matter where you go today, you have people buried in their phones or tablets. When we go out to eat, it is very common to see a couple sitting in the booth or at a table and both, or at least one is on their phone, a definite hindrance to common communication. My Wife and I both have cell phones provided by our employer which is for work and personal use, so there is that work connection which often pulls me away. In my position, I cannot always leave work, at work, and having a work phone makes it so easy for them to stay connected to me.

[Danette Thompson]

@rhoing Ha! Yeah. I was a child bride. :-)