To help formulate my thoughts regarding student use of laptop or notebook computers during class sessions, I asked my colleagues at Southern Oregon University to respond to a survey regarding their own ideas and policies. I reported on the results of this survey in an earlier post.

With their input and my own experience over the last few years in mind, I have tentatively concluded the following.

1. Laptop or notebook computers can be very useful in taking, storing, sorting, finding, and printing notes taken by a student during class sessions.  In addition to regular word-processing programs, a number of other applications have been designed to streamline note taking in class.
2. Though a few of my colleagues disagree, students should not be using Google, Wikipedia, or other web resources during class, whether they are being used to look up material of immediate class-related interest or not.  This only presents yet one more distraction from the focus needed to follow ofttimes complex subjects as they emerge from a lecture, presentation, or discussion.
3. Student use of the web during class poses intellectual problems as well.  It can sometimes invite quibbling over minor points, with an aggressive student pitting something he found while surfing against something the professor said.  Students raising questions in real time based on their own knowledge is another and good thing (though often best pursued outside class), but what was just found using Google (while missing other closely-related points and clarifications from the instructor) is not “student knowledge.” It is only raw and unprocessed “information.”
4. All recent research in the psychology of “attention” strongly suggests that the dream of multi-tasking is more of a scattered nightmare than a real human faculty.  To put it even more strongly, I believe it is too consistent with the distracted behavior of consumerism to be thought of as something real and productive.  Without implying anything conspiratorial, unfounded beliefs in multi-tasking benefits the mass marketer more than it does the individual. In the classroom, note taking using either paper or the computer is all distracting enough. Anything more bends the student-productivity curve downward.
5. The in-class use of laptops or notebooks computers for anything other than taking notes is frequently distracting to other students in class.  I have heard this directly from many students.  Some find even the note-taking use to be distracting.
6. Maintaining attention and focus is everything in class, as in life.  This goes for the instructor as well.  Student use of computers during class can be very distracting to a teacher, particularly if it is clear the student is engaged in web surfing, emailing, or gaming.  Each abuse has its own telling posture and body language: The Note Taker generally sits erect, with eyes moving frequently between his computer screen and the instructor, presenter, or projection screen.  His hands are moving in those complex ways that signify typing.  The Emailer might be typing as well, but he rarely looks up from his screen.  He may even find it hard to suppress a non sequitur smile or chuckle as he types. The hand movements and eye gaze of the Web Surfer are very distinct as well.  He leans forward into his screen, his eyes dart within its frame, while only one of his hands moves little more than a half-inch in any direction.   The Gamer behaves similarly to the Web Surfer, but his slight hand movements are jerkier and punctuated with occasional  pouncing and with faint facial grimacing.  Frequently, the behavior of seat neighbors of both the Web Surfer and the Gamer are telling as well. Their eyes may dart between the instructor, their paper notes,  and their neighbor’s computer screen, with either smiles or frowns on their faces.  Rarely are laptop or notebook computer users aware of those around them.
   
7. It is rude and distracting when students to do anything in class other than take notes, ask good questions, and participate in discussion when asked.  Using a laptop or notebook computer for anything other than taking notes has the same effect as reading a book (even one assigned for the class), reading a newspaper, texting on a cell phone, or talking (even quietly) to a neighbor. Students sometimes do not realize the focus and effort required to make a good classroom presentation.  Unless the instructor is merely reading his lecture or, worse, reading from PowerPoint slides, he has to think, and think hard and well, as he speaks.  It’s a task very few students are capable of at this point in their careers, so some may easily assume it’s little more than a television or movie performance, which many do not understand also results from lifetimes of work, effort, and laser-like focus and attention.
8. So, here’s my trial policy:

• Student computers may be used only for taking notes or for other functions directly connected with note taking.
• Students using computers must sit in the front-most rows of the classroom. This means they cannot hide illicit uses from other students or myself. If needed, I will see to it that plug-in power for this purpose is made available.
• Students using their computers for illicit purposes will be first warned in writing and on a second offense prohibited in writing from computer use in my classroom.