[Air-l] laptops and Internet access in class

[Dr. Steve Eskow]

The sentence of course meant to read this way:

"The older communication technology and the new one are not yet compatible, 
and may never be."

SE
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dr. Steve Eskow" <drseskow at cox.net>
To: <air-l at listserv.aoir.org>
Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2007 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: [Air-l] laptops and Internet access in class


>A hunch, not yet a hypothesis.
>
> The "classroom" is a an ICT: perhaps 600-square feet of enclosed space, 30
> chairs, a lectern or desk for a "teacher" who faces the "students" in the
> chairs, a "chalk board," and various recent enhancements.
>
> This older communication technology and the new one are yet compatible, 
> and
> may never be.
>
> Thus: there is now evidence that when an instructor puts lectures, 
> syllabus,
> resources, opportunities for access to faculty and other students. . .all
> online, the students choose not to come to "class."
>
> Do most faculty members here require class attendance?
>
> Steve Eskow
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Suzana Sukovic" <suzana.sukovic at uts.edu.au>
> To: <air-l at listserv.aoir.org>
> Sent: Friday, May 18, 2007 11:33 PM
> Subject: Re: [Air-l] laptops and Internet access in class
>
>
>>
>>>
>>>The experience also highlighted how difficult it was to sit BEHIND
>>>someone who has graphical content on their laptop. I consider myself a
>>>fairly animated speaker, but I apparently resemble an animated
>>>character popular with undergrads these days, and it was distracting
>>>for students to see that animation on screens several rows ahead. That
>>>is, I have a feeling laptops are far more distracting to others in the
>>>room then they are to the users.
>>
>> I've heard students repeatedly saying that they like full f2f engagement
>> and technology used for particular purposes, but it may depend on a
>> course.
>> There are different levels of engagement while listening and taking notes
>> or listening and multitasking, but lecturers can't control that. I agree
>> that laptops can affect students who don't use them. Recently, I was
>> sitting in a dimly lit room waiting for a public lecture when someone 
>> with
>> a laptop sat in front of me. A glare of a small screen was quite
>> unpleasant, especially that there was a large screen switched on to be
>> viewed during the lecture. I had to move to another seat. I imagine that
>> interesting things happening on someone's screen can be distracting to
>> students.
>>
>> This is not to say that laptops and mobile phones can't be used
>> successfully in the classroom. Sam's example shows a successful use of
>> technology integrated in class activities and used by everyone. Has 
>> anyone
>> tried to use mobile phones in the classroom? A couple of years ago mobile
>> phones were successfully used at UTS to boost popularity of some very
>> unpopular but compulsory 1st year finance courses. Students were asked to
>> send answers to questions, which were diligently reviewed during a break
>> and presented to the class. It turned to be a really good way to engage
>> the
>> students.
>> Suzana
>>
>> Suzana Sukovic
>> _________________________________________
>> Information & Knowledge Management
>> Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
>> University of Technology, Sydney
>>
>> PO Box 123
>> Broadway NSW 2007, Australia
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>
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