Pocket Points, a new, free mobile app, is impacting universities all over the United States, rewarding students for staying off their phones during class.
It works by opening the application then locking the phone. The longer the phone is locked while the student is in class, the more points are accumulated.
Points can be redeemed to earn discounts at local and online businesses.
Mitch Gardner, one of the founders of Pocket Points, said the app started at California State University, Chico, and has expanded to more than 100 universities and colleges.
“We wanted the top colleges, and we’re at the majority of the most populated universities,” Gardner said.
Gardner said Pocket Points will launch next spring at Auburn as part of the app’s second national launch, an effort to get students off their phones in class.
“I think there’s a problem with students being pretty much addicted to their phones, and whether they stay off their phones or not, we’re trying to solve that problem and give them an incentive to be focused during class,” Gardner said. “So that’s kind of our mindset, just creating a symbiotic relationship with the small business as well as the student body, and I think we’ve done a pretty good job so far.”
Gardner said he is still unsure which businesses Pocket Points will partner with in Auburn.
“We want the best ones,” Gardner said. “It’s just a matter of time.”
Gardner said the app has been effective in keeping students off their phones in class.
“We have a cool stat,” Gardner said. “In our first launch, and up until now, we’ve kept students off their phones for over 200 years worth of time, and that just keeps going up, so it might be 300 now.”
In the future, Gardner said Pocket Points strives to reach more college students.
“We’ve got a lot of really great ideas in plan, but right now our focus is on giving every college student the ability to use Pocket Points,” Gardner said. “We want every school to have Pocket Points, so we’re working really hard to make sure we achieve that goal, and then we’re going to keep innovating and moving forward.”
Melissa Blair, assistant professor of history, said she does not have a problem with Pocket Points coming to Auburn.
“It would be awesome if students just didn’t get on their phones in class, but I don’t think that’s reality right now, so I’m not terribly uncomfortable with something that tries to incentivize the behavior that students should be doing anyways,” Blair said.
Blair said she thinks Pocket Points should think about small classes and arge classes.
“I think that if there was some way that the app could only reward students when they’re in a giant class that would be ideal, because if one of the 18 people in my upper level class is on their phone, I’m going to know it, and they’re not going to do it,” Blair said.
Jessica Broussard, freshman in nutrition, said she thinks the app is a cool idea and is a good incentive for students.
“Free food is a gift here, and I think students should take advantage of it,” Broussard said. “If I’m getting rewarded for just sitting in class and doing what I’m supposed to do and paying attention, then I’ll definitely use the app.”
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