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i t i# l
Classesin Slumberland

TherearetimeswhenI find myselfcountingthe numberof headssnoozingawayon /

{ { {
' i:l^-c
' tablesof lecturetheatresout of boredom.Thenumbersarecloseto a constanttwentyfive and
I
l' , " rt
'
ji
:
t''

t ',', t
i i': ten percentin lectureandrecitationroomsrespectively.This trendbringsme to wonderif - ,' '' 'f .,

i,,tii",i"
\,i'
classesareconductedfor thepurposeof expandingour intellectualcapabilityor the classroomis i;

simplyanotherplacewherewe cancatchup on our sleep.

Studentsmay blamethe drynessof materialconveyedduring classor evenhow the

monotonous
voiceof their instructorresembles
a sweetlullaby for inevitablydozingoff. A more

reasonable
explanationfor sleepingstudentscouldbe foundthrougha closerexaminationof

their lifestylehabits. The 'sleeper'populationtypically includesthemidnightoil burnerwho

sleepfor examrevisionor attemptsto completeh,gmework.Moonlightersalsoaddto

exchanges

the demographics by juggling nurnerous

part timeioUs'thbiracademicschedule.Thereis also
,t
the occasionalpartyanimalwho restsin classwhile its bodyundergoesdetoxificationof alcohol

consumedon the previousnight in town.

Whilst instructorsarefrustratedby this phenomenon;the academicpursuit of studentsis

alsohinderedwith the seekingof reposein classrooms.Sleepdeprivationhasbeenshownto

resultin declinationof studentperfiormance

of andaffectcreativethinkingabilitiesin a studyof
t
universitystudentsin England.Gradesaredropping,rnanhoursarelost. Yet theseoccurrences'

of studentsnoddingheavilyawayaregenerallyacceptedthroughoutcollegesacrossthe natiorr.

Traditionalapproaches
to this situationinclude1) ignoringthe student2) gettinga nearby

studentto wakethe student3) askingthe studentto leaveclass4) talking to the studentafter

class. Theabovementionedtechniqueshavebeenappliedby teacherssincethe dawnof sleeping

 Ningshan
Ho
in thepopulationof 'sleepers'.Is thereno
students.Yet we do not notea significantdecrease

curefor our sleepingstudents?

Universitiescouldimposea curfewon the collegecampus;shorteninglibrary hoursfor a

t,'*
I,
start,subsequently (barsandcoffeeparlors),finally
extendingit reinsto local 'night shopso

hitting studentresidencehallswith observationof lightsout policies. The situationwould no

l11,'
','
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'
doubtbe welcomedand easilyenforcedby the five police departmentscurrentlypatrolling our ,./"u "J
,,1'''
,l .rtd i
campus. :
j

Lectures beware! Students in this new proposed systemmight be high in energs levels

and brimrning with questions.

\./

A lessradicalproposalwould be to encouragestudentsin bringing their snoozingout of t;

the classroom.SleeppoOJinliirff*din offi"* buildingsto inoeaseproductivityof workerscould {,

,t
,\ ri
I

f- J i: ..J

, ' ,,i''' be placedin lobbiesof acadermic

buildings. This would lure our sleepingstudentsout in the tl
'\
r t'r - )

-. \ ,r - o-penwhere
'
theycanconducttheir nappingbusiness.
..!r' tt: .' t "l
-. ' \i' ,L\tt-,],, ,"', . , r r . f - i' r -
' '.''''
. \ rqt . r "' u '. ' t r , : t . --
i,i' i , ' Ii' ':' hrprddiction of- response
to the implementation
of a curfewowe tum to the casestudyof
\ ,itt
,..,
,,r1t,,, i i
i , \ '. '' a particularhigh schoolteacher.Thehigh schoolphysicsteacherconcernedwasfired after
''
v''$' l'" refusingto correctthe gradesof two studentswho werepenalizedfor sleepingin classstating

statepolicieswhich allocatesthe awardingparticipationgradesto the disuetion of teachers

involved. Implementingthe first solutionmight be catastrophicasit suggestsinfi.ingingon

rights of studentswhich magnitudeis well beyondgradepenalties. The secondproposed

solutiondiscussedmight ensurestudentsgettingthroughclassesawakebut doesnot guarantee

optimallevelsof participationin class.

 Ningshan
Ho
j
I
Regardless
of whomtheresponsibilitylies upon,a moreacceptable
andno doubtmore
i
,i
.l'

welcomesolutionwouldbe to do awaywith existingclasseswhich meetbefore9:30am.The , i.l'- "

\ .r 'tl li
'' time lossimposedcouldbe compensated
by extendingclassesto 7:30pm. This changein class ;)

timingswould increaseboth classattendance

andparticipation.By startingclasseslaterin the :]
tt ,.,i.
/l
day,studentswill hopefullyutilize their textbooksfor its meantpurposeratherthanaspillows. , r;f
\l
I

Citations

N.M. (2006).Acceptabilityof Treatmentfor a Student

Carter,S. L., & Punyanunt-Carter,

Sleepingin the CollegeClassroom,

EducationSpring2006,126(3),541-546.
Retrievedfrom

hJtp:ilwww2.lib.pundue.edu:70174//JS445M57BI3N9lUC4BCAM3.GEEJI7UMF7CO4GAIQ19

AFFASSBRR-815?4?fiurc:rneta-.3&sho.rt-format:002&selnumber=002958&sqt_entry:000001

&fognat:999

Engelhardt,C.L.o& Walsh,J.K. (1994).The Sleepy-TimeBlues.TheEducationDigest,59(Feb

1994),6A-62.Retrievedfrom

hfip://www?.lib.purdue.edu:70I7/VAJ7BXXTE76NGO3REHVTPJCUBF6L7CJC3963GLFREO

5Y35JLK$V9"84900?func=meta-3&phort-format-002&set_numbpr=00299?&set_entrv=00008!

&formaF999

Mamola,K.C. (2005).ClassParticipationon Trial. ThePhysicsTeacher,43(6),330.Retrieved

from

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