Did he really just pick his nose in class? Yes. Yes, he did. Etiquette is the definition of how we should act in different types of environments. Though it morphs into many variations, Dixie State College students and faculty find classroom etiquette very important. Carlos Morgan, a sophomore communication major from Santa Clara, said students should act in a way that makes learning possible.
"Students should act in a way that everybody can learn together as well as from the teacher," Morgan said. "We are all adults, so hopefully their parents have taught them what not to do in a classroom setting."
Brandon Price, a senior integrated studies major from Brigham, said students should keep their phones off or on silent during the classroom hours. They should also stay off Facebook because other students can get distracted.
"Students should know when to have fun and when to buckle down in a classroom setting," Price said. "The students are there to learn, and the teacher is given the responsibility to call a student out [on his/her etiquette] if necessary."Heather Moat, a junior nursing major from Tooele, said she hates when students talk in class and think they know more than the teacher.
"Obviously, the teacher has been in school for a really long time so they know what they're talking about," Moat said. "It's disruptive when a student interrupts mid-discussion instead of raising their hands, but I guess it depends on the teacher and whether or not it's an open discussion-type class."
Moat also said it's an unwritten law that students shouldn't talk or act out in class, and teachers shouldn't just keep lecturing over other students talking. "We are here to learn and grow away from home," Moat said. "If we set the rules for classroom etiquette in the syllabus it'd be too strict and probably filter out students. It is definitely an unwritten law and should stay that way."
Courtney Nance, a freshman radiology major from Sandy, said cellphones and other distracting electronics are all based upon students' understanding of the classroom itinerary. "If the students know what is going on in class and are keeping up on their work I think students are fine using their cellphones in class," Nance said. While DSC students have a certain understanding of classroom etiquette, teachers seem to either be really strict or super laid back.
"Students usually follow the protocol of the teacher," said Stefanie Higginson, coordinator of student life. "Students should have respect for the teacher's instruction on how they want to run their classroom."
Dean of Students Del Beatty said he's a little more strict when it comes to classroom etiquette, including being tardy. He said that in his Leadership class two tardies act as an absence and after two absences he starts docking points from their grade.
"It's really distracting when somebody walks into the classroom late. Everyone loses focus, and the class is only once a week so each time they miss they miss a lot."While classroom etiquette changes throughout each classroom, students seem to find a balance between what they should do in that setting versus others outside of that setting. If someone seems to have misunderstood that unspoken law, students hope a teacher will step in and stop the distraction before it becomes too much of a problem.