Good afternoon,

I am having some issues with talking and cell phone/electronic device use during RATs.  I teach large classes (70 and 200 students), so management has become an issue.  These are the specific issues I'm having:

1)   Talking and electronic device use by students who have finished the iRAT while other students are still completing their iRATs.

2)  Electronic device use during tRATs.

Number One bothers me because students could be looking up answers on their devices, but also because the talking interferes with the ability of the remaining students to finish their iRATs.  If most of the class is done it can get quite loud.  No matter how many times I ask them to be quiet, this continues to be an issue.  I don't have this problem at any other time during class (for example, during class discussions or when I lecture).  

Students are also using their electronic devices during tRATs.  In most cases, I think they are texting or goofing off, but obviously, in large classes like this, it's impossible to tell.  I have told them not to talk and to put their devices away, but they do it anyway.  In my 70 person class, between my TA and I, we can keep a fairly good handle on it, by asking students to put away their device if we see them using it, but in a class of 200 this is impossible.  I'm considering implementing some kind of punishment - for example, students caught using devices before the end of the tRAT will receive a zero, or even the whole team will receive a zero, but I also feel this may be too harsh.  How have others handled this problem?

Best,

Kristina

_________________________________________

Kristina N. Spaulding 

Doctoral candidate

Gallup lab

Department of Psychology

University at Albany

HU B68-E

442-4786

OH: Tue 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Fri 1:00 - 2:30