SURVEY: IS TEXTING GETTING OUT OF HAND?

By Sarah Zaubi

A recent survey done by the Pew Foundation indicated that daily text messaging among teens has increased from 38 percent of teens texting daily in 2008, to 54 percent in 2009. When a Visiting Professor of Communication Studies at Monmouth College read the survey results, he proposed a survey to see how texting was affecting classroom behavior.

According to Professor Joe Angotti “I decided to assign the survey because I kept hearing more complaints from colleagues that texting during a class was a growing problem.” Angotti told The Courier in an email. “Everyone seemed to have a different opinion regarding what to do about it.”

The survey was conducted by the journalism class at Monmouth College by phone using numbers selected at random from the college Redbook. The survey offered 43 professors five possible solutions to curbing texting in classes. Of those surveyed, the majority of professors, 58 percent, did not perceive texting to be a problem.

Of that 58 percent, a third of professors said they would not impose any restrictions on students texting in class. A quarter said that texting was not a problem in their class.

While texting is not a problem for the majority of professors, 42 percent still saw it as an issue.

Of those that indicated that texting was a problem, 19 percent said they would permit students to leave electronic devices turned on, but require them to leave the classroom if they are seen texting, 16 percent would require students to turn off electronic devices when they enter a classroom, and 7 percent would permit students to leave electronic devices turned on but reduce a portion of their grade if they are found texti