# A smallish rant about social networking and people who can't cut the cord



## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

This has been brewing for a while, and now I just have to vent, lest I explode.

Some background - I'm 38.  I've been online in one form or another since about 1993.  I'm a PC gamer.  I spend probably 60 hours a week at a computer, sometimes for work, sometimes goofing off.  My cell phone - 3/4 of the time I leave it at home because I rarely use it.  I recently returned to school (last winter, in fact).

So - what do all those disparate facts have to do with the price of rice in China?  Not a whole lot, except that I am pointing out that I'm not an old codger-ette (god, I hope not, anyway!) that thinks computers are the devil.  At the same time, I have no problem going "unplugged", though I do suffer from computer withdrawal symptoms sometimes 

I'm taking a Education Technology class this quarter - EDCI 210, required for people who want to major in any field in the College of Education.  The class meets in the computer lab, so each student has the use of a desktop computer.  I happen to sit on the last row.  What this means is that I can see the monitors of about half the class.  About half of them spend the entire class on FaceBook or Twitter.  Another handful sneak text messages out on their phones, despite the instructor asking that no phones be used during class unless you're expecting a call, which she wants to be notified of before class.  I think that's perfectly reasonable.  She also has mentioned more than once that she has no intention of monitoring what kids are doing on their computers and while it would be possible to surf non-related web sites, please "make wise decisions".

On to the rant!  Thanks for sticking through the non-rant stuff   I don't get these kids.  Honestly.  Firstly - they want to be teachers.  That's the implication - they're in a class that is not required, nor is it an elective, for any non-education major.  How would they feel if their students were tweeting / FBing their way through class?  The next thing - they are missing important information.  Not just the course material, which you are paying someone to teach you, but also non-related things that directly impact your grade.  A for-instance - these people tweeted / texted their way through a thirty minute discussion about what's required for our classroom observation.  If you don't do said observation or don't do it correctly you will fail the class - regardless of whatever grade you had outside of the observation.  Furthermore, it's not just Tech being ugly - the State requires that you have 180 hours of observation before you can student teach, and you must student teach before you get your license.  Meanwhile, not a single note was taken on how to submit the assignment (and no, it's not a matter of just handing it in - it has to be uploaded to a web site, and you have to know WHERE to upload it once you're at that site).

It just KILLS me.  I feel like slapping them, honestly.  One, it's BEYOND rude.  Two, last I checked the world is not going to end if you aren't "connected" for four hours.  Is it bad that a part of me hopes they fail?


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## Daniel Arenson (Apr 11, 2010)

I think I saw a few of them walk on your lawn, too.  

Daniel (fellow old codger)


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

LMAO  I'm sure they did - damned kids!  :shakes cane:


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## Indy (Jun 7, 2010)

Let 'em fail.  Maybe there are lessons they will learn, maybe not.  I stay unplugged for work unless I'm on a break, and then there are nights when I'm too tired to read and can't even look at my kindle.  I just want my food and coffee and restroom... then back to running, er working.

People who know me know that I rarely, if ever, make a call at work and that if family calls for me, it is probably an emergency.  So I have little sympathy for folks who can't turn off a phone or look up from twitter to listen to a class they paid to attend.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Arkali I am right there with you. After the 3rd repeat question one day from an idjit in class who wouldn't stay off of FB, I raised my hand and when called on- I stood, stared directly at her, and said, "get your ass off FB and pay attention and you wouldn't be asking the most stupid questions ever!" May not have won me a new best friend in her, but after class a couple other people stopped me to tell me they appreciated it.


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

This would bother me too.  I'm also bothered by game playing during church.  I sat next to my 24 yr old brother once and he played Doom the entire time!  I elbowed him and tried to get him to put it away.  Words w/ friends is also a popular game during church.  I use my iTouch during church, but I use it to follow along the lessons (which keeps my pregnant self awake).  It's rude and disrespectful


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

BTackitt said:


> Arkali I am right there with you. After the 3rd repeat question one day from an idjit in class who wouldn't stay off of FB, I raised my hand and when called on- I stood, stared directly at her, and said, "get your ass off FB and pay attention and you wouldn't be asking the most stupid questions ever!" May not have won me a new best friend in her, but after class a couple other people stopped me to tell me they appreciated it.


Totally agree, Indy.

And Tackitt - you GO, girl! Seriously. I mean, I'm a firm believer in "The only stupid question is the one that doesn't get asked." BUT - that assumes that the student is paying attention. Ask the teacher to repeat if you missed something, clarify if you didn't understand. But asking her to repeat herself because you can't be bothered to listen...? GRRRR. I'd have paid money to sit in that class when you said that. Did the prof say anything? Soooo awesome!

Alle - agreed.

And that brings up an interesting point. How is it any less rude to play with a gadget than it is to fall asleep. I actually think falling asleep is less rude. That's something that you aren't necessarily in control of (though standing up works great!)


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## StaceyHH (Sep 13, 2010)

That's a tough one. There have been some recent studies on internet addiction, in particular to social networking (SN) sites. It seems that SN lights up the same areas of the brain that are stimulated by drugs, gambling and other forms of "high" addiction. I can't help but wonder how many of those kids will never meet their goals because they are psychologically incapable of logging off without intervention?


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## 13500 (Apr 22, 2010)

I totally understand your point, Arkali. It is almost like nothing in reality means anything anymore unless it is a clip watched on a screen.

They are missing out on the whole point of being in a class--duh--to learn something.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

But see I blame it on the school system never having taught a full list of study habits/techniques.
And that starts with learning how to add, subtract, multiply and divide - yeah turn off the calculator and try it.  How about making change without electronic means?
Take notes?  Divorce yourself from Wikipedia and try to understand the teacher, hey?
If the student doesn't get it, fail them and make them repeat until they finally get it - at age 32 for high school graduation? OK with me.


You have to learn that you must "accept the consequences of your actions" - even when you don't know what those consequences are when you take the actions.....it is called be accountable for yourself.

Love a good rant.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

geoffthomas said:


> But see I blame it on the school system never having taught a full list of study habits/techniques.
> And that starts with learning how to add, subtract, multiply and divide - yeah turn off the calculator and try it. How about making change without electronic means?
> Take notes? Divorce yourself from Wikipedia and try to understand the teacher, hey?
> If the student doesn't get it, fail them and make them repeat until they finally get it - at age 32 for high school graduation? OK with me.
> ...


Your points are well taken, Geoff, but keep in mind that many schools teach a full list of study habits/techniques, as well as fundamental reading, math, and language. It the kids are too stupid/egocentric/lazy to apply what they have learned, the responsibility seems to me as if it should be placed squarely on the shoulders of the kids. Just my 2 cents and 31 years of teaching experience rearing their ugly heads.


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

While I agree with many of the sentiments, if I were running a school computer lab network, you can bet I'd have a pretty aggressive firewall that would disallow such sites -- possibly only allowing access to a "white list" of external domains that would be submitted in writing by the teachers and reviewed periodically.

In fact, if I had my way, the building -- or at least the classrooms -- would be wrapped in a Farraday cage arrangement to inhibit all wireless communications, too.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

geoff, excellent.  When my oldest was in 5th grade he came home and told me the teacher hated him.  I asked him a few questions and told him I would deal with it.  I went to the school a few days later and asked to speak to the teacher.  She got out her grade book and showed me where my son had not turned in a few assignments.  She wanted to give him a chance to make them up.  I told her, and my son no.  I explained that he had not been ill, he understood the work, and he was not going to be given another chance.  The teacher thanked me.  My son learned a valuable lesson.  Especially after he was grounded for not turning in work.  It was never an issue again.  
deb


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

NogDog said:


> While I agree with many of the sentiments, if I were running a school computer lab network, you can bet I'd have a pretty aggressive firewall that would disallow such sites -- possibly only allowing access to a "white list" of external domains that would be submitted in writing by the teachers and reviewed periodically.
> 
> In fact, if I had my way, the building -- or at least the classrooms -- would be wrapped in a Farraday cage arrangement to inhibit all wireless communications, too.


I agree, to a point. I think Tech takes the stance that its students are adults (or should be). To clarify - while the name of the school is Louisiana Tech University, it is a four-year university with a good reputation across the board, and a stellar reputation for its engineering programs. (http://www.latech.edu) if anyone's interested. Anywho - I'm guessing that they feel like it's not their place to babysit students, and with that, I agree. That gets back to the "make wise decisions" thing. It's no skin off Tech's nose if half the class fails. Yes, they're great and want to see everyone succeed, and the profs will pretty much bend over backwards to help you if you ask for help. But they also don't bat an eyelash at flunking people who don't do the work.

PS: Deb - good for you


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

It really is amazing where you see people texting, playing games etc.  When we were on spring break, we were on this underground cavern tour, and the kids ahead of us had their nintendo ds's out playing while we were walking through the cave.  kids, the cave is the attraction, not the line you're waiting in.  Remember when we were little and just had to look out the window of the car while we were driving?  My kids think they're neglected because we don't have a DVD player in the car.

But OP, I think you should go ahead and slap away.  You'll be doing them a favor.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

Thanks, Lisa   And, probably.  *sigh*  There's also something to that old saw about how I shouldn't worry about what they're doing, but should make sure I'm squared away   Still... GRRRR.


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## deanfromaustralia (Mar 24, 2011)

The problem I'm increasingly finding is that my closer friends who I would have normally have gotten together with for a coffee during the week or perhaps a beer at the pub at the end of the week have seemed to resort to Facebooking in preference to actually meeting up. It has gotten to such a point now that I am deliberately limiting my contact with them in the hope that they might pick up the phone or even knock on my door and physically say hi.

...or maybe it is actually me and I smell or have a boil or something...


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## NogDog (May 1, 2009)

deanfromaustralia said:


> The problem I'm increasingly finding is that my closer friends who I would have normally have gotten together with for a coffee during the week or perhaps a beer at the pub at the end of the week have seemed to resort to Facebooking in preference to actually meeting up. It has gotten to such a point now that I am deliberately limiting my contact with them in the hope that they might *pick up the phone* or even knock on my door and physically say hi.
> 
> ...or maybe it is actually me and I smell or have a boil or something...


What? Use a phone for talking?


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

part of the problem is that people think that they can multitask and still give their complete attention to each thing they are doing.  wrong!  if you're on facebook or twitter, you are not concentrating on what is going on around you.


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## The Hooded Claw (Oct 12, 2009)

scarlet said:


> part of the problem is that people think that they can multitask and still give their complete attention to each thing they are doing. wrong! if you're on facebook or twitter, you are not concentrating on what is going on around you.


Ah, Faithful Minion, I was wondering when you'd make it to this thread.

I'd write more, but I have three friend requests And four unread texts waiting....


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

The Hooded Claw said:


> Ah, Faithful Minion, I was wondering when you'd make it to this thread.


*raspberry*

please notice that did not start this thread...


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## PG4003 (Patricia) (Jan 30, 2010)

I've never seen anybody playing games on a phone in church, that would be awful.

I might be wrong about this, but I think the kids who are sitting in these classes and paying absolutely no attention to what's going on would have different attitudes if they were actually paying out of their own pockets for these classes.  Most of them probably have Mom and Dad paying the bills, so they don't care it they fail or not.  So what....the parents will just pay for another class.  My daughter had a student loan when she went to college, believe me she took it pretty serious.

Then I could go off on another totally different rant about the general attitude of the "me" generation, I call them.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

I have to say that while it is easy to throw spears at the younger generation, yesterday it was a trio of senior citizens sitting behind my 20-something niece that were actually the ones playing with phones while she was trying to watch the show.


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## Steph H (Oct 28, 2008)

Arkali said:


> LMAO I'm sure they did - damned kids! :shakes cane:


Here ya go, Arkali --


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

Oooooh... Steph.  I llluuurrrvvve that smilie.  Soooo cute!  I think I may yoink him.

So - the update this evening.  For our signature assignment (that thing you can't pass the class without) we have to have 10 hours (minimum) of observation.  Two kids talking this evening... one has done 3 hours of observation.  The other has done zero.  In addition to the observation, we also have to write up 4 paragraphs on each hour of observation.  If you did extra hours (I had to do 15 total) then for each additional hour you need two paragraphs.  That's 40 paragraphs, minimum, plus the in-class observation.  Assignment is due...

next Monday.  One week from tonight.  Good grief.   

Edit:  Had to fix a spelling oops.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Arkali said:


> Oooooh... Steff. I llluuurrrvvve that smilie. Soooo cute! I think I may yoink him.
> 
> So - the update this evening. For our signature assignment (that thing you can't pass the class without) we have to have 10 hours (minimum) of observation. Two kids talking this evening... one has done 3 hours of observation. The other has done zero. In addition to the observation, we also have to write up 4 paragraphs on each hour of observation. If you did extra hours (I had to do 15 total) then for each additional hour you need two paragraphs. That's 40 paragraphs, minimum, plus the in-class observation. Assignment is due...
> 
> next Monday. One week from tonight. Good grief.


So, stop wasting time here and go write!


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

scarlet said:


> So, stop wasting time here and go write!


_My_ stuff is on target... 0


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## Vegas_Asian (Nov 2, 2008)

Have you tried to print a paper at school and not been able to find an open computer to print on I would have to print a paper and would spend over twenty minutes looking for an open computer. Most of the people are not even doing school work. They are walking music videos on youtube and on facebook. School has signs up about if you are not doing school work, the people working in the computer lab can ask you to go. Yet to see this done


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## ◄ Jess ► (Apr 21, 2010)

Vegas_Asian said:


> Have you tried to print a paper at school and not been able to find an open computer to print on I would have to print a paper and would spend over twenty minutes looking for an open computer. Most of the people are not even doing school work. They are walking music videos on youtube and on facebook. School has signs up about if you are not doing school work, the people working in the computer lab can ask you to go. Yet to see this done


I totally know what you mean! That drives me insane. I don't mind so much about people doing non-classwork related stuff if they're sitting in the back and not distracting anyone else. They're only hurting themselves. I will admit, I played games in a class one time (Sudoku) because it was a required class and he took attendance, but we were learning about how to find the SLOPE OF A GRAPH. In college!! It was unbelievable and a total waste of time. I get annoyed when I am paying huge amounts of money to sit in class and not learn anything. I felt like Sudoku was a better use of my time, haha. Still got yelled at though. Oh well.

Makes me glad I'm finally done with school, as of last week!


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## Indy (Jun 7, 2010)

Now I had no farking clue how to find the slope of a graph until I was in college, so when that came up in my math classes, I paid attention.  But then I'm the slow math gal who had to take one math class at a time, from remedial on up to the requirements for my degree, without taking any other classes so I could actually have time to practice.  

I do empathize, however... there were some things in english that I couldn't believe were necessary to explain.

People nowadays are more and more tuned away from the world around them, is the underlying problem.  And not in a good, monkish, self-reflecting, spiritually aware way, either.


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## Tam (Jan 7, 2010)

I see it happening in high school too. A couple of teens from church have friended me on FB. I see them posting how boring a class is DURING the class on their smartphones. Which they are not supposed to have turned on in school or they will be taken away and must be retrieved by a parent...

We have internet on our office computers, and we had to ban it except for VERY specific uses - we kept catching people playing Farmville or reading Facebook between their patients instead of finding real work to do WHILE BEING PAID! It just boggles my mind. I know it must be a huge problem in some workplaces...


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## deanfromaustralia (Mar 24, 2011)

scarlet said:


> I have to say that while it is easy to throw spears at the younger generation, yesterday it was a trio of senior citizens sitting behind my 20-something niece that were actually the ones playing with phones while she was trying to watch the show.


I've banned my parents from getting a Facebook page. Not so much my father, but most certainly my mother.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

There have always been people who found ways to not pay attention in class, at all grade levels.... for me, it was reading in elementary school, and probably through high school.  The old "book under the desk" thing.  Or daydreaming.  For others, whispering to the neighbor.  Or sleeping in class (I saw this more in college).

For me, it's the grandkids texting during dinner.

And, Arkali, I hate to this to you, but 38 IS a doddering old codger by today's standards.  

(Deb, great story, good for you!)

Betsy


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

I'm 40 Betsy.. I'm the same age as dirt...
And yeah, in gradeschool I was the one hiding a book in my desk/behind another book to read, but it was usually (not always) after I had finished whatever I was supposed to do.

As a matter of fact, this is exactly what got my DS#1 in trouble when he started HS.. reading in class... He would walk into his classes, see the assignment on the board, sit down & do it during the passing period, then pull out his book. He kept getting in trouble in class for not paying attention when the teacher was speaking. We had to have a meeting about it, and the teachers and I finally got it through his head that they weren't mad he was reading, just that he was doing it while they were giving instructions. So they made a compromise, basic instructions got shorter and he moved to the back of the class where he could read as soon as they were done talking.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

deanfromaustralia said:


> I've banned my parents from getting a Facebook page. Not so much my father, but most certainly my mother.


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## Marcin Wrona (Apr 28, 2011)

It's just the modern equivalent of passing paper notes, whispering, or dipping pigtails into inkwells. I think adults have a tendency to forget, because nostalgia is what it is and because we're able to look back more objectively and see all the important lessons we've learned... but folks, school is _boring_*, except as a handy means of getting together with your friends.

*Apart of course from the two classes you're actually passionate about, and that one you probably wouldn't be into if not for the fantastic teacher.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

Yeah see I actually enjoyed learning.
Now I will admit that I was put in classes where I was challenged.

I will never forget the year in High School when my schedule got messed up and I was in English class with the "real" athletes (real because I tried for real sports and lettered in minor).  Boy was that class a waste of brain power.  Even though the other class members were not real interested, they were still bored because the teacher was MIA (don't know if they ever found out where his brain was).

Just sayin.....


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> For me, it's the grandkids texting during dinner.
> 
> And, Arkali, I hate to this to you, but 38 IS a doddering old codger by today's standards.


What??!! :bursts into tears: 

As for the note passing and such - I agree, it is a modern form of that, but... it leaks over into other stuff, too. See Betsy's comment about texting during dinner. That, to me, is so rude. I remember a few years ago seeing a couple out on a date. I overheard enough to know that it was their first date, too. The guy spent at least half the meal yakking on his cell. Honestly, if I were that girl I think I'd have gotten up and left (assuming it wasn't an emergency of some sort - and his body language didn't suggest that it was).


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

geoffthomas said:


> Yeah see I actually enjoyed learning.
> Now I will admit that I was put in classes where I was challenged.
> 
> I will never forget the year in High School when my schedule got messed up and I was in English class with the "real" athletes (real because I tried for real sports and lettered in minor). Boy was that class a waste of brain power. Even though the other class members were not real interested, they were still bored because the teacher was MIA (don't know if they ever found out where his brain was).
> ...


Same here, Geoff. I loved going to school, and often took classes in college that I didn't need for my elementary education degree. (I took advanced English composition, advanced poetry analysis, 10 hours of German, etc.) I love to learn so much that I started college less that two weeks after I graduated from high school. As for texting and the use of cell phones, I'm often appalled at what I see and hear. If I were teaching the class to which Arkali referred, I'd put a stop to the use of cell phones unless someone was in the midst of something very important. That's just my 2 cents worth of opinion, though, and I'm sure it indicates my status as a "codger."


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## NapCat (retired) (Jan 17, 2011)

Lisa Scott said:


> "...had to look out the window of the car..."


There is a TV commercial for a Van with all the goodies, touting a Multimedia Center.....shows a happy family, playing games, watching cartoons, etc......the camera pulls back and they are driving along Big Sur !! Argggg !!!

Same thing on airplanes now.....most passengers are looking at 5" screens rather than out the window at spectacular views !!!

I love technology and use it a great deal......but also love to be unplugged and sitting under a tree.....


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

NapCat said:


> There is a TV commercial for a Van with all the goodies, touting a Multimedia Center.....shows a happy family, playing games, watching cartoons, etc......the camera pulls back and they are driving along Big Sur !! Argggg !!!
> 
> Same thing on airplanes now.....most passengers are looking at 5" screens rather than out the window at spectacular views !!!
> 
> I love technology and use it a great deal......but also love to be unplugged and sitting under a tree.....


Life is literally passing some folks by. What a shame! (I can't even find the words to describe how I feel about the family missing Big Sur! What I'd give to get to see Big Sur. sigh.......) I do think the need to be entertained is a factor in the increasingly shortened attention spans that I see in my elementary students. In fact, the other day when I was driving in a nearby small city, there were two kids in the backseats of an SUV. Both were watching DVDs. The vehicle was "wearing" bumper stickers telling what school the children attend, so I'm sure the kids were only on a local outing. Whatever happened to just looking out the window Unbelievable.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

Cindy416 said:


> Same here, Geoff. I loved going to school, and often took classes in college that I didn't need for my elementary education degree. (I took advanced English composition, advanced poetry analysis, 10 hours of German, etc.) I love to learn so much that I started college less that two weeks after I graduated from high school. As for texting and the use of cell phones, I'm often appalled at what I see and hear. If I were teaching the class to which Arkali referred, I'd put a stop to the use of cell phones unless someone was in the midst of something very important. That's just my 2 cents worth of opinion, though, and I'm sure it indicates my status as a "codger."


The prof requested no cell phone use in class, and requested that if you are expecting an important call to let her know before class. I don't think that's unreasonable at all. They still text under the desk, but not so much since she busted a couple of them. The Facebook / Twitter use is rampant, though, and short of NogDog's suggestion there really isn't much to do about it. Other than hope they fail 

NapCat - that's just sad. Amazingly, hubby and I took a weekend road trip a few weeks ago. The excuse was we were going to try a barbeque restaurant we'd seen on The Food Network that was only a 4 hour drive away. The real reason - sometimes it's nice to just get away for a couple of days  Anyway - we had an awesome time. Driving and talking, and playing a rather morbid question game (if you were going to kill someone, how would you do it so that you could get away with it - both someone you know and someone you don't know). Yeah, it's morbid  No, neither of us is planning on offing anyone  Lots of talking, some singing at the top of our lungs, much "Check out that _____" (we went mostly back roads). The night after we got back he started planning a new trip. Can't beat that  I don't think either of us used our cell phones the entire trip (thank god).


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

sometimes it seems to me that the problem is that people can't simply "be" where the are.  other things always seem more important.


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## Liv James (Feb 16, 2011)

We go on an "off-the-grid" vacation every year so that my kids, my husband and I remember what it's like to be disconnected and totally focused on something other than technology. We take one cell phone and leave it locked in the glove box in case of a true medical emergency. Other than that, we are electronics-free - no Gameboys, no iPods, no iPads, no laptops.

The first day is tough ... there is some snarky withdrawl going on. 

The second day everyone settles into the groove. 

By the third day we're having long, thoughtful conversations. 

On the fourth day we go home and slowly reconnect.

It's always my favorite vacation of the year.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

I totally agree, Scarlet 

And Liv - that sounds lovely


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## Guest (May 10, 2011)

I teach a class here and there.  I have very few rules.

No phones.  If you have some kind of family emergency situation (mom dying, wife about ready to deliver) you are to give the family MY cell phone number.  I am happy to take that call for you.

First thing I do is ask "has everyone turned off their cell phone?"

It has never been an issue.  If it were, they would not like the response.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

oliewankanobe said:


> I teach a class here and there. I have very few rules.
> 
> No phones. If you have some kind of family emergency situation (mom dying, wife about ready to deliver) you are to give the family MY cell phone number. I am happy to take that call for you.
> 
> ...


I can only imagine the blow-up  Truthfully, though, I'd be pretty peeved about giving someone your cell number. I'll chew on it a bit more, but my initial reaction... it just seems overly intrusive, or as if you're questioning my word. If I had been a good student and never given you a reason to think I might lie to you and I went to you before class and said "Look, my dad's in the hospital and my mom's supposed to call when they finish this or that, so I may need to step out for a minute." and you told me that my mom would need to call you... honestly, I'd be tempted to tell you to shove it. That's me speaking as an adult though, expecting to be treated as an adult.

I have zero problem with the no cell phone rule, though


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Okay, this may make me (more) unpopular, but there are VERY FEW things that can't wait until class is over.  If your mom is extremely ill, why are you in class?  Take time to be with her.  If they are not local, and you feel the need to sit by the phone, then why are you in class?  If there is nothing you can do to change things, then turn the cell phone off and check in with folks at home after class.


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## Guest (May 10, 2011)

My students, fwiw, are non-traditional, mostly late starters.

Turn em off.  The funny thing is, I have NEVER had a problem.  And I taught high school for a while years ago.  I gave out both my cell and home phone to students.

Never had a prank call.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

I agree about texting in class and it's rude to do when you're with friends. However, you are wrong that it is not possible to multitask while tweeting or using some social media. I regularly open TweetDeck while writing. When a message pops up I ignore them until I see something interesting or decide I want to put out a tweet. A substantial part of my writing is done that way which I think disproves the contention that "you can't multitask". 

That said, none of those activities belong in the classroom or church.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

JR, if you're ignoring them, you're not multitasking. If you stop writing to tweet, you're tweeting, not writing and not multitasking.  having two windows open on your screen and glancing back and forth between them is not multitasking.  multitasking is when you are supposedly doing 2 things that require concentration (i.e. texting and paying attention to a lecture), one of them  always suffers.  but hey, if you think it's working for you, great.


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## JRTomlin (Jan 18, 2011)

However, the point was that if you are using social networking you can't do anything else and that it takes all your attention. This simply isn't true.

Ii don't care whether you call it multitasking or not, the statement wasn't correct.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

scarlet said:


> Okay, this may make me (more) unpopular, but there are VERY FEW things that can't wait until class is over. If your mom is extremely ill, why are you in class? Take time to be with her. If they are not local, and you feel the need to sit by the phone, then why are you in class? If there is nothing you can do to change things, then turn the cell phone off and check in with folks at home after class.


Well, it would honestly depend on the situation. When Daddy fell and broke his hip earlier in the year I IMMEDIATELY called my boss and told him I was going to Shreveport and why, and called my hubby making logistical plans as I threw stuff in an overnight bag. I stayed at the hospital / my mom's house for 3 days while he had his surgery and the first couple of days of recovery. At that point, I went back home and planned to return the following weekend. It looked as if he was out of the woods (and he was), but at the same time he could have taken a turn for the worse, at which point I would have again immediately have left.

So, yeah, there are times when someone is the hospital and you don't necessarily need to be there right that minute, but that could change in a heartbeat. One of my co-workers lost his daddy a couple of months ago. The man was in the hospital for weeks. Work was still done, but there was more than one instance when the co-worker got a call and left immediately, because you just don't know. You can't put life on hold indefinitely, but it sure would suck to find out that your parent passed away 30 minutes ago and they've been trying to call you for three hours. Sorry, sometimes you do need to be reachable. And that's coming from someone who would ordinarily agree with you that you should just turn the phone off.

But I still lub ya, even if I don't agree


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

JRTomlin said:


> I agree about texting in class and it's rude to do when you're with friends. However, you are wrong that it is not possible to multitask while tweeting or using some social media. I regularly open TweetDeck while writing. When a message pops up I ignore them until I see something interesting or decide I want to put out a tweet. A substantial part of my writing is done that way which I think disproves the contention that "you can't multitask".
> 
> That said, none of those activities belong in the classroom or church.


Yeah, but there's a difference between writing and monitoring tweetdeck and listening to a lecture / taking notes while monitoring tweetdeck. I never said you can't multi-task. Just that it's rude to essentially be yakking while someone else is trying to talk


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

oliewankanobe said:


> My students, fwiw, are non-traditional, mostly late starters.
> 
> Turn em off. The funny thing is, I have NEVER had a problem. And I taught high school for a while years ago. I gave out both my cell and home phone to students.
> 
> Never had a prank call.


I wouldn't worry about a prank call per se, in my objection. I would, if I were in a situation of possibly having a call come in that was an emergency (and not just a generic "An emergency could happen at any time, ya never know." fashion) as I outlined above, excuse myself from your class. If it was a choice between you taking a private phone call for me and me attending class or me taking my own call and staying home, I'd stay home. Sorry. We'll have to agree to disagree. I understand where you're coming from, truly, it just wouldn't sit right with me to tell my family that they'd need to call you in such a situation. Call me hard-headed, if you will


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## Marcin Wrona (Apr 28, 2011)

geoffthomas said:


> Yeah see I actually enjoyed learning.


Sure. Alas, enjoying learning and enjoying school are not always as closely linked as we might like. 

In any case, all the tweeting and texting in class certainly is rude. I remember reading that some schools (Europe, I think; I want to say Sweden, but I can't say I remember) are experimenting with cell phone dampening of the sort some movie theatres use. I have some safety concerns with that idea, but I wonder if it can be adapted... like, if one could get a nice, braying alert when a cell phone is used on the premises.

Science folk, get on that. Teachers will thank you.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Its not just in school. As a family practice physician I am constantly amazed at how many parents will bring their kids into see me and then the PARENT texts on her phone the whole time while I'm trying to get a history. If I'm luck the kid will fill me in. Sometimes they both text on the phone during the whole visit.

And I can't tell you how many times I've had patients answer phone calls during their visit. Its like they will die if someone goes to voicemail. The less rude ones answer the phone and tell the caller they will have to call them back because their at the doctor's office. Some have whole conversations, usually I leave and go see 2-3 other patients and then come back and they are upset at me....


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

how can i convince my co-workers to stop holding their cell phone conversations in front of my cubicle?


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## Marcin Wrona (Apr 28, 2011)

scarlet said:


> how can i convince my co-workers to stop holding their cell phone conversations in front of my cubicle?


Mild electric shocks that intensify with time.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

Holy cow, Chad.  Have you ever said something?  I'd be tempted to say something along these lines:
"Tell you what.  While you're having your conversation, I'm going to go see about a patient in room 2.  I'd sure hate to interrupt you."  Said in a super-sweet voice, of course.

Scarlet - have you tried throwing things at them?


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Marcin, wish I could.  The problem is that they can't see me due to the orientation of my cubicle, and just start talking.  and people don't realize volume or carrying issues.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

I suppose a loud "Keep it down!" wouldn't work?  Sometimes I love working from home.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Arkali, trust me, in some instances, I have actually interjected into conversations to get people to realize I can hear them.

btw, i'm using the flat version of KB today, so I can't quote.


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## Coral Moore (Nov 29, 2009)

scarlet said:


> how can i convince my co-workers to stop holding their cell phone conversations in front of my cubicle?


*sigh* If you figure that out let me know. I'm in a big building with mostly no reception in it. I sit near the windows, so everyone walks this way to get better reception and stops right in front of my cube to talk. Drives me crazy.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

i'll admit that i just got snarky and e-mailed the department manager and asked her to remind people they are not private and should not be talking in this area.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

scarlet said:


> Arkali, trust me, in some instances, I have actually interjected into conversations to get people to realize I can hear them.
> 
> btw, i'm using the flat version of KB today, so I can't quote.


Crazy. You'd think the "Well, how IS Aunt Martha doing?!" would clue them in. Some people are asses, though.


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## N. Gemini Sasson (Jul 5, 2010)

Chad Winters (#102) said:


> Its not just in school. As a family practice physician I am constantly amazed at how many parents will bring their kids into see me and then the PARENT texts on her phone the whole time while I'm trying to get a history. If I'm luck the kid will fill me in. Sometimes they both text on the phone during the whole visit.
> 
> And I can't tell you how many times I've had patients answer phone calls during their visit. Its like they will die if someone goes to voicemail. The less rude ones answer the phone and tell the caller they will have to call them back because their at the doctor's office. Some have whole conversations, usually I leave and go see 2-3 other patients and then come back and they are upset at me....


I don't doubt it happens. On the flipside, I took my son to the new doctor in town for an appt. The doctor's cell phone rang FIVE times in 15 minutes. He checked the number every time. Kept apologizing. I couldn't figure out why he didn't just turn the ringer off. Um, no, we didn't go back.


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## drenfrow (Jan 27, 2010)

Along with a few others who have posted, I was one of those always trying to read a book in class. Now, as a middle school teacher, it is truly a painful thing for me to have to get onto a kid for reading when s/he should be working. I have no problem with them reading if they are done with their work. In fact, I have a no chit-chat rule; if they finish early, they are actually _required_ to read something.

I read this book last year and I think some of you would find it really interesting:



The author makes the case that educational delivery practices need to be completely revamped in light of the new generation of electronic device users. I just couldn't get on board with it which makes me really old and set in my ways. It is a really thought provoking book and it is something schools are going to have to deal with. I'm just glad I'm old enough that _I'm_ not going to have to. 

Off topic: BTackitt, I loved your use of the word "idjit". We grew up using that word, and I remember that as a kid, it was really quite of a bad thing to call someone.


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## Marcin Wrona (Apr 28, 2011)

drenfrow said:


> I read this book last year and I think some of you would find it really interesting:
> 
> 
> 
> The author makes the case that educational delivery practices need to be completely revamped in light of the new generation of electronic device users. I just couldn't get on board with it which makes me really old and set in my ways. It is a really thought provoking book and it is something schools are going to have to deal with. I'm just glad I'm old enough that _I'm_ not going to have to.


You might (well, everybody might) enjoy 



. It's an animated precis of a lecture given at the Royal Society for the Arts, about exactly that topic. The full lecture is available on their youtube stream as well (but note that the whole thing is about an hour long).


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## Alle Meine Entchen (Dec 6, 2009)

I will cop to surfing the net during a college class.  I needed a computer class and decided to take it as a summer class.  The only one avalible was remedial computers.  The first lesson was on how to copy and paste (I kid you not).  Now, I was raised w/ computers.  I married and IT tech whose goal was to train me to become my parent's tech support.  I know how to use word and power point, etc.  The professor knew I only needed the class for credits, so she told me so long as I did my homework, I could do whatever I wanted.  She wrote the assignments on the board beforehand, so I would come in and do them during the 1st 15 mins of class and spent the rest of the time goofing off.  Sometimes she would give me a wk or so assignments in advance and I'd do those before goofing off.  The teacher knew beforehand and she also knew I didn't need to learn the material.  It worked out well for her b/c I was willing and able to help my classmates figure stuff out.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

N. Gemini Sasson said:


> I don't doubt it happens. On the flipside, I took my son to the new doctor in town for an appt. The doctor's cell phone rang FIVE times in 15 minutes. He checked the number every time. Kept apologizing. I couldn't figure out why he didn't just turn the ringer off. Um, no, we didn't go back.


The only time I would do that is if I was waiting for a return call from a specialist because I was trying to get a patient in to see them urgently that day. Miss the call and you may not get them back.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

Chad Winters (#102) said:


> The only time I would do that is if I was waiting for a return call from a specialist because I was trying to get a patient in to see them urgently that day. Miss the call and you may not get them back.


Which is actually a good point - that is that sometimes we don't know the full story. What we perceive as rudeness could be necessity. At the same time, using the doctor example, the perception might have been a bit different had the doctor not just apologized, but also taken the time to explain. "Sorry to check the phone, but I'm expecting an urgent call regarding some test results." or something along those lines. You can't (and shouldn't) go into too much detail, but you can give a little detail to show the person that you aren't being intentionally rude.

That said, lots of people are just plain rude, and the resulting phone call is "What are you doing? Blah, blah, blah..."


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## susan67 (Mar 18, 2011)

Cell phones and the idiots (this does NOT refer to everyone who uses a cell phone) who use them are a huge pet peeve of mine and i could go on and on but I will try to keep it short.
I think cell phones can be be useful when used correctly just like anything else. They are great for emergencies. And some of the previous posts have mentioned that. But what I really want to know....

What the heck did everyone do BEFORE cell phones were so common?

So many people can't take that darn phone away from their ear for anything! And I am soooo tired of explaining things to people who are to busy with the phone to listen and then come back and yell at me because no one told them...Grrrr. 
As soon as I am old enough that people might think I am senile...I am gonna start whacking people with the new cane I will buy! LOL.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

LOL @ Susan.  I think I want a cane, too 

As for what people did before... 
1) Husband got home from work.  He'd stopped at the store to get bread.  Shame he didn't get milk, too...
2) Emergency - you'd call and pass a message along as best as possible.
3) Urgent information - you'd tell your assistant when so-and-so calls to come get you - no matter what.

Cell phones are great - they really are.  But holy moly, you aren't going to die if you're unplugged for an hour.  I think that's what kills me, this attitude that you have to be constantly available to everyone, no matter how inane the issue is.


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

And Arkali, I think your number 3 is the answer to the doctor above.  Give the specialist your assistant's number.  And give your assistant all the info needed. That way when that ONE call comes in, your assistant can politely get your attention.  And you are not looking at your cell phone every time it rings.


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## scl (Feb 19, 2011)

What amazes me is the number of kids I see at Disney World
who are glued to a cell phone or hand held game the entire time.
They've spent all that money to get there and then don't even 
look up to see where they are going.


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## Guest (May 11, 2011)

Funny thing I have noticed since spending more time in cafes... people have become significantly louder.

I had a woman in my writing group who took the volume cake.  And she was CONSTANTLY shrieking her personal business into the cell with people around her.

So I started asking her about her personal nonsense.  "Is your cousin going to go to have his colonoscopy? He really should."

When she asked who I thought I was listening in on her conversations, I politely pointed out that, even deaf in one ear, it was virtually impossible for ANYONE around her to miss her conversations.

She stopped that crap tut suite.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

oliewankanobe said:


> Funny thing I have noticed since spending more time in cafes... people have become significantly louder.
> 
> I had a woman in my writing group who took the volume cake. And she was CONSTANTLY shrieking her personal business into the cell with people around her.
> 
> ...


GOOD for you. Seriously. There's a book called I See Rude People that deals with stuff, and that's exactly how Amy Alkon (the author) suggests dealing with it.

SCL - that's very sad. Someone linked up-thread to a youtube of a lecture, and the guy said that part of appreciating the aesthetic is enjoying the moment. Totally agree, and as someone who has never been to Disney Anything, I'd love to go. I can guarantee you that I wouldn't even have my cell phone on me, let alone be using the damned thing.


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## susan67 (Mar 18, 2011)

Arkali, I am with you on the Disney thing. I live in Florida about 1 1/2 hours from Orlando and haven't been to Disney. Maybe we should go stand outside the gates and tell parents to leave their kids in the car and take us instead...not only wouldn't I even have a phone with me....I would appreciate the trip to Disney!!! LOL.


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## Anne Victory (Jul 29, 2010)

EXACTLY - take me - I'll actually be GRATEFUL!


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