How to keep students on task with their own laptops
How do you guys keep your students on task if you allow them to use their own laptops in class.
Alan,
Thank you for adding this forum post. This is an increasingly difficult topic, especially with the current technological advancements. Several students now have laptops and tablets, that they bring to class, usually in the place of "paper and pen". In my class, I make sure to discuss the guidelines and inform the students that they can use the devices for notation, but not to "surf the net". In addition, I "roam" the class during my lecture, so that I can see what the students are doing on their laptops/tablets. Whenever I see a student that is using the device for something other than notation, I address them during a break or after class.
Tremayne Simpson
Before my students are allowed to use their laptops, tablets or smart phones in class, they have to agree to help me research the subject theory, and present their findings to the class. Once in a while, I will leave out a point of theory and "bait" the students to find the information.
Wilbur ,
Excellent suggestion. Instructors have to accept that these technological devices will be brought to class, therefore we must find ways to enable the students to use them for class-related exercises.
Tremayne Simpson
I like your idea but wondered whether spliting them in groups for the research and presentation could help in keeping them on track. Some of these students finish their assignments so fast and then go back on their laptops to surf the internet, or play their favorite game. I tried it and some of the students will of course do what they are supposed to be doing, but there will always be the others, who must do what they want to do when they want to do it. I shall certainly try your "bait" idea in my next class.
Working in a computer lab (for a graphic design class) as I do, all of the students already have a computer in front of them, so if they want to play games or chat with friends, well, they're going to do it, regardless.
Some students, however, will bring in their own laptop anyhow. Usually these are quite motivated students, and they regard their laptop as somehow superior to the classroom computer (it usually isn't, in fact), or at least the machine that they're more comfortable using.
As often as not (and just earlier today, in fact), this causes just as many problems as it solves: software version incompatibilities (to say nothing of the unlicensed, even pirated software that students will often have on their machines), font mismatches and the like can cause the students work to come out not quite right.
Certainly that's a teachable moment, as these types of problems will come up throughout their career, but in the tight-deadlined institution in which we work, it can cause headaches.
We recently updated many of our courses by adding laptops using electronic service manuals to move
future technicians away from paper manuals. The change at first was challenging getting them away from paper. The electronic is far more flexible just a little different to navigate.
We do have to move around the room to ensure they are using the manual and not surfing the internet.
The other thing we tried was installing a program that monitors the sceen. Has worked well in one class.
This would vary greatly depending on the level of the students. Generally speaking, the more advanced the students are, the more likely I am to give them free reign. However, I always preface it with the caveat of one person can mess it up for everyone.
