Rewards for students who stay offline inside classrooms

The app has been developed to encourage students to pay attention in class instead of using their phones.

University students in the UAE will now be rewarded if they lock their phone screens during class thanks to a new app.
Lock&Stock is a free mobile app through which students can earn points each time they lock their phones using the app, earning them discounts to various outlets. The app has been developed to encourage students to pay attention in class instead of using their phones. 
The co-founder and CEO of Lock&Stock, Craig Fernandes, said the rewards are meant to be as an incentive for students to put their phones away during class.
"I love social media as much as the next person, but like all things out there, I think there is both a good and a bad side to Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and the like," Fernandes told Khaleej Times. "I think it's a little addictive and people find it hard to stay offline. I believe this problem is especially evident in today's classrooms, and that is why I wanted to create a service that incentivises students to put their phones away and actually pay attention.
"With regard to encouraging students to stay offline, I think Lock&Stock can do a lot of good, because it literally offers students a tangible reward in exchange for their attention during class. The only other alternative we have at the moment is an outright ban on cellphones in universities, which I personally think is a little draconian in this day and age."
Students are rewarded with one point for every three minutes their phones are locked. They can use the points earned to get discounts and offers from Lock&Stock's various partners around the UAE.
"Some of our partners have given us as much as a 50 per cent discount, while others have opted for a free upgrade or straight freebies. Some of the brands that have partnered with Lock&Stock are Novo Cinemas, Charley's Philly Steaks and the Millennium Plaza Hotel," Fernandes said. 
The company has already teamed up with more than 50 partner brands, spread across the fashion, food, entertainment and wellness industries, all of whom will be offering tailor-made discounts which will be targeted at students on the Lock&Stock platform.
However, Fernandes made it clear that students cannot "cheat" by locking their phones through the app when they're not in class.
The app tracks the user's location and is programmed to work only on university and college campuses. The Lock&Stock app is currently available for download on the Google Play Store and will shortly be available on the App Store.
sarwat@khaleejtimes.com