By way of update to my recent post about laptops in class, here’s Torill Mortensen thinking with her fingers about recent research on the consequences of mobile phones going off in class:

Why we don’t like cell-phones in class

… Apart from being annoying, distracting and rude, ringing cellphones makes students forget what they learned before and during the ringing of the phone. If the ring tone is a popular, well-known piece of music, this is even worse.

For my classes, I have this rule which has these consequences; in my view, those who visit such consequences upon offending and offensive mobile phones are not criminals but heroes!

Torill concludes with excellent advice for students in class:

So: That mute button? Use it!

Hear hear!