When it comes to students and technology in the classroom, Eastern’s professors show very different views.

Some do not mind their students having laptops and cell phones out in class, while others are strictly against them.

Leigh Bryan, a communication studies professor and the department’s central adviser, said she allows students to have technology in the classroom as long as it is not disruptive to the class.

“My policy on the syllabus is to be respectful, but that doesn’t mean students always are,” Bryan said. “I understand that students are obsessed with technology, so if they can check their text messages without staring at their crotch, then I don’t mind.”

She said, however, if they spend the entire 75-minute class staring at their laptop or phone, their participation grade will reflect it.

“Most of the time they do use (technology) for class work, but I absolutely don’t allow it during exams,” she said. “I don’t want to encourage cheating.”

Roger Beck, a history professor, said he has had nothing but problems with using technology as a teaching tool.

“I’m pretty technologically savvy, but we’ve had problems at the beginning of this semester,” he said. “Generally, I use a little bit of everything including the SMART Board, the document reader and I bring my laptop in sometimes, too.”

As for his students, Beck said he does not allow cell phones in class except when he says it is allowed.

His laptop policy is a unique one, however.

“I have a policy where they have to tell me what program they’re going to be taking notes with,” he said. “At any given time after class, I can ask them to show me the notes they took.”

Beck said it’s always a game of give and take.

“It’s just all the little games we seem to play to outsmart each other,” he said.

Dan Johnson, a biological sciences instructor, said he uses online management systems in class, and also incorporates online aspects into homework assignments and exams as well.

“I don’t mind my students to have their laptops out in class, as long as it’s not disturbing,” he said. “I ask them not to engage in active texting.”

He said he asks his students to be courteous, and if he has his phone on silent and put away, he expects them to do the same.

Michael Dobbs, a business professor, said he also allows students to take notes on their laptops, but with limitations.

“I don’t want them surfing the web or getting on Facebook or watching the baseball game,” he said. “If I see them doing that, they’ll generally get a warning and after that, they will get their laptop privileges denied.”

He also said he has no tolerance for texting in class, but when his classes do case analyses, he will allow his students to do research on their phones or laptops.

“It’s not a critical or essential part of the course itself, but it can certainly augment,” he said.

Marita Gronnvoll, a communication studies professor, said she as a teacher uses technology daily in the classroom.

“I couldn’t teach without technology, especially in my large lecture class,” Gronnvoll said.

She said she has mixed feelings about students using technology.

Gronnvoll said she thinks laptops are a good asset to students in the classroom, but she is against cell phones.

“It’s great if they are actually engaging in the class, but it’s a little too easy for them to get distracted,” she said. “I hate cell phones and I never ever want to see them in the class.”

Robyn Dexter can be reached at 581-2812 or redexter@eiu.edu.