Would you like an easy way to
improve your grade – by 5 or even
10%....?!
Avg. Score no phone – Avg. Score phone users = 4.7 ± 1.4 %
Final Grade (percent)
90
3 Astronomy Classes (N=328)
Spring 2012
85
80
75
70
30%
70%
65
60
Never
1-2 times
3-5 times
Over 5 times
Frequency of Cell Phone Use (per class)
Tamir and Mitchell (Harvard) FMRI study: talking about yourself on Facebook activates the
brain’s reward system, like gambling does for many people. Your students find this hard to
give up. They are “high” on it!
The Stanford study of Multi-tasking (find it on YouTube) shows that NO
ONE multi-tasks without missing important information….
I think I’m a great
multi-tasker.
Am I?
I bet the
professor thinks
we’re taking
notes….
Canadian Study of Laptop use
Students were asked to use laptops to take notes on a
lecture.
 ½ the students – randomly assigned – were also asked
to look up stuff “when you feel you can spare some
time….”


What do you think was the effect on grades?
5
FTEP – Using Clickers in the Classroom
Those sitting in view of a laptop did even worse!