The development and validation of the classroom cell phone policy attitudes and policy compliance instruments
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The current study applied Fulk’s (1993; Fulk, Schmitz, & Ryu, 1995) social influence (SI) model of technology use to students’ perceptions of classroom syllabi in the basic communication course. More specifically, the study evaluated students’ attitudes toward policies and intended compliance with policies attempting to regulate cell phone use in the classroom. Results demonstrate that students report to use their phones most often for social purposes while in class, students exhibit more positive attitudes when they encounter encouraging cell phone policies, students do not differ in their intended compliance to either encouraging or discouraging policies, and students’ general attitudes toward cell phones significantly predict their intended compliance with classroom syllabi. These findings have significant implications for researchers, instructors, and basic course directors in designing usable course syllabi and better understanding how to manage students throughout the basic course.