Michigan State University history professors are implementing strict technology bans in their classrooms as a response to rising concerns about student loneliness. Professor Helen Veit has significantly limited device use, requiring students to leave the classroom to use their phones. She has enforced this policy for over three years and noted that many students have expressed appreciation for the change.
“A lot of students have told me they really love it, they really appreciate it,” Veit said of her no-device approach. Initially, students may feel discomfort with the ban, as communications junior Lydia Stefanovski recalled her confusion when she first entered Veit’s class. “I thought coming to college I would be able to have a bit more freedom,” Stefanovski said. However, she later found that the absence of devices enhanced her learning and participation in discussions.
Veit emphasized that the silence in classrooms has paralleled an increase in reports of student loneliness. She believes technology might prevent students from forming connections during class. “I felt that having smartphones was really preventing students from connecting with each other,” she said. In a recent Trellis Strategies survey, about 57% of college students reported feeling lonely on campus, a concern that has prompted discussions among faculty about the impact of excessive social media use.
Professor Charles Keith, who has also adopted a stricter technology ban in his classes, noted that about one-third of the history department has moved to a phone-free environment. He recalled experiences of complete silence among students toward the end of semesters, indicating a lack of comfort in engaging with peers. “I don’t want to force students to talk to one another,” he said, but he encourages them to utilize time in class creatively, whether through doodling or reading.
Students have responded positively to the technology-free environment in some classes, with Keith describing instances where students actively engage with one another even before class starts. Yet, both professors acknowledge that not all students know how to initiate conversations, prompting Veit to offer conversation prompts to facilitate interaction.
Despite the challenges of transitioning to handwritten notes, Keith provides detailed PowerPoints after lectures to assist students in focusing on learning rather than just note-taking. He also accommodates student needs, offering breaks during longer classes for device use.
Michael Stamm, chairperson of the history department, has encouraged faculty to explore similar technology bans, citing positive feedback from students who reported feeling less isolated and more engaged. “What the evidence shows is that students are gonna be, initially, a bit hesitant and maybe even oppositional,” Stamm noted, but he emphasized that most students felt positively about their experience in classes without technology by the end of the semester.
As technology bans gain traction at MSU, professors and students alike are navigating the balance between engaging with course material and building meaningful connections in the classroom.
