Taming Tech Distractions to Keep Students on Task

For many teachers, the benefits of using technology in the classroom can feel outweighed by the ongoing issue of off-task behavior often associated with device use. When teachers feel like they are policing more than they are teaching, technology is seen as a stumbling block in their classrooms. The downside is that devices then sit unused, students don’t learn critical skills of digital citizenship for lifelong purposes, and teaching and learning often become more teacher-centric.

In my opinion, the anti-technology sentiment I observe among teachers and future teachers stems from the fear that students will disengage from face-to-face classroom learning due to the allure of distractions such as cute cat videos, friendship drama, or catching up on other homework. By removing the stimulus, teachers feel more in control of the learning environment. But how can teachers navigate the space of teaching and learning with technology while addressing off-task behaviors in a way that makes the technology use still worth it?

SET EXPECTATIONS AND CLEAR CONSEQUENCES FOR OFF-TASK BEHAVIOR

From the first day, teach your students how you will deal with off-task behavior. When I ask preservice teachers what they fear most about technology in the classroom, the answer is often something along the lines of “Students not using the technology for the actual classroom learning.” What are ways you can mitigate this type of behavior from getting in the way of teaching? I begin by letting students know what they can expect of me. I tell them that I will be walking around the classroom. I will be looking at their screens. I explain that I know screen brightness is often decreased to engage in off-task behavior.

I then explain how I will respond to off-task behavior. In this explanation, I help them understand that I work very hard not to allow off-task behaviors to interrupt the teaching and learning for those who are on task. If I walk past a student’s desk and move their laptop to a 45-degree angle or close the lid, they are to leave the device that way until I change the angle or I permit them to do so. If they think they might be prone to being off task, they should bring paper and a pencil to take notes in case this happens.

I explain that I don’t stop teaching, I don’t call them out; I quickly and assertively change the position of their device and strive to keep teaching. After a few minutes, I might walk back by and open up the laptop, depending on the student’s attention and attitude. Occasionally, I will close a device and put it on the corner of my desk. If this happens, they are told they can get it at the end of class.

I may or may not discuss the issue with the student at the end of class; I use discretion in this regard. What I don’t allow is for the technology to run the classroom. By explaining these expectations and even modeling examples of what it would look like, I don’t waste my teaching time constantly managing classroom behavior in a technology-rich environment. I strive to set up my classroom for success regarding technology integration. How do I do this? I start by creating an acceptable use policy/covenant for my classroom. While basically all districts have an acceptable use policy (AUP), it often includes so much legal jargon that it’s hard for students to understand.

With a classroom AUP, students—and their families—are made truly aware of your expectations. Perhaps I write this policy with my students—often beneficial for elementary students—but regardless, students should understand that there is an AUP, and the expectations are present from day one in my classroom. The following are things to consider in the policy:

• What is technology? Are phones allowed? Their own devices? School-owned devices?
• When technology will be used in the classroom and when it won’t be used.
• Define the ramifications of onetime off-task behavior versus an ongoing issue.
• Define when the all-school policy overrides the classroom policy.
• Have students sign the policy, and consider giving extra credit for parent signatures as well.

PROACTIVELY TALKING ABOUT DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP

When I have asked my university-level preservice teachers what they were taught about digital citizenship in their K–12 career, the answer nine out of 10 times is “Very little to nothing.” This means that reactionary discipline for off-task behavior is most often how students learn about digital citizenship. While not all off-task behavior looks the same, speaking into the space of acceptable use and proactively helping students critically think about the issues of multitasking, gaming addictions, and decreasing attention span in adults are all proactive ways to mitigate these problems.

By empowering learners with a better understanding of who they are as learners, we help them to see the big picture of “Why?” When I look at the different aspects of digital citizenship, I often see how I can weave these concepts into my curriculum and be more proactive in my approach to students’ understanding of the use of technology.

So how do I keep the technology from becoming burdensome in my classroom? I do what I said I would do. I consistently walk around while I teach. I don’t sit at my desk, I don’t anchor myself at the front of the room. I move and I walk around the class as I speak, teach, and listen. I strive to consistently address off-task behavior through lesson redirection and lids at 45-degree angles, and occasionally I close devices for a bit.

I don’t allow devices to become my archnemeses. I engage students with the use of their technology, asking them to do things that require quick usage. I give students these bursts of computer use, and then set the expectation that their screens are at 45 degrees, and they aren’t looking at those screens, while we discuss their findings. When we are purposeful in our technology use, students are less likely to find the time to be distracted by those cute little cat videos.