When athletic training freshman Morgan Villanueva loses interest in a lecture at UF, she reaches for her secret weapon: a cellphone.
Villanueva, 19, said she texts throughout the 50-minute period.
She’s one of many college students who send text messages during class, but a recent University of Pittsburgh, Bradford study suggests the habit may impede their learning.
Math junior John Streese, 20, said if he already knows what is being discussed, or he isn’t interested in the material, he will send up to 10 text messages per class.
“I feel like I’m listening less, but I don’t know if that relates to learning less,” he said.
Senior lecturer of communications Edmund Kellerman said he doesn’t believe students are capable of multitasking.
Those who text in his communication classes miss instructions.
“If you can’t pay attention to it, you cannot absorb it,” he said.
Kellerman tells his students to only use electronics to access the course website and for emergencies.
He gives breaks during multi-period classes.
Kellerman said he has his own way of dealing with cellphones his students bring to class.
“If your ringtone goes off, I get to sing along with it,” he said. “That’s a negative reinforcement. Trust me, you don’t want me to sing.”
Contact Julia Glum at jglum@alligator.org.
A University of Pittsburgh study suggests that texting during class may interfere with a student’s ability to learn.
