6) Dunleavy suggests that “Laptops not only can add value to the teaching and learning process but can also contribute to classroom management problems.” How do you think that laptops would contribute to classroom management problems?

There could easily be a disconnect between students and their teacher as students focus on the laptop, using it for surfing, email etc. and ignore the teacher. Students would need considerable direction as to how to use the tool (laptop) in assignments and would need to be assessed on how they used it. The whole scene of freq.uent technical difficulties could prove to be very challenging in terms of classroom management. (Elizabeth)

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I agree with you Elizabeth, that students need a lot of direction and clear expectations when using technology, and this need would only be greater if each student had their own laptop! I participated in a 1:1 laptop program in teachers' college, and believe me, there are even adults who need that kind of direction. Teachers would really have to be on the ball at all times-- this isn't for teachers who like to sit at their desks. --Jessica

Hmmm - good point. Pedometers anyone? Maybe introducing laptop learning will help us all reduce our weight as we roam the room increasing our students' knowledge! (Linda)

Laptops have the potential to contribute to classroom management issues if there are no guidelines in place. Students need to be given clear expectations and be closely monitored. I wonder if once the novelty has worn off of using a laptop daily, if students would settle into being more focused during class time? When students are able to see the potential and final products as a result of using a laptop I would hope that they would use their time more appropriately and leave social networking and surfing the net for out of class activities. I know that there are some schools that use laptops and wonder what their experiences have been. Perhaps some of our classmates who use whole classroom sets of laptops will have some insights into this.(Cindy)

I agree with you Cindy. There needs to be strict guidelines, however once in place for a bit I think that the novelty wqould wear off. I think this is the case with the introduction of many of the web 2.0 tools...when they are introduced the focus is on the tool , rather than what the tool is to be used for. I think that the benefits would weigh out the classroom management issues with the 1:1 ratio. -Jean

As you can tell, I'm basing my answers on my 'interview' with my nephew and sister-in-law who are living the 1:1 laptop classroom experience. What better way than to ask from their perspective? According to my nephew there is no classroom management issues. The teacher says 45, (laptops must be closed to a 45 degree angle), lap top down, lap top up. He says these rules are followed. My sister-in-law says the teacher is very much in control and does not see the laptops as a concern with classroom managment. She feels it is the same as when he was in a non-laptop class. Obviously finding the right 'rules' would be key to a successful laptop classroom. (Val)

Absolutely Val. Classroom management is classroom management no matter where you are or what your kids are doing. If you take your kids on a field trip its not like you lose all control because they are in a different environment (well...you don't lose ALL control ; ). If you find rules that work...they will work with laptops too.-Jean

I agree that, when used in critically engaging and meaningful ways 1:1 laptops can be beneficial (if they work).  However, this question reminded me of a video called A Vision of Students Today http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o.  At the end, two different post-secondary students share these two messages: I facebook through most of my classes and I bring my laptop to class but I'm not working on class stuff.  When I went to university I don't remember anyone having a laptop.  Walking around the Student Union Building at the U of A campus now it seems that everyone has a laptop.  Are we preparing our secondary students for this reality?  arlene 

Good questions Arlene.  My guess is at this stage most are not.  My god-daughter is in first year sciences at UBC.  Her average in highschool was 96 %.  Her mid-term in physics at UBC was 48%.  When visiting her, she said she didn't realize the study questions, homework etc. were on her vista/blackboard.  She was briefly told in the first week of classes but had never used it before, so she never explored it, instead trying to figure things out the more traditional way she had done in highschool (books, peers, paper & pencil).  She was completely lost.  Having figured Vista out now, she is again doing extremely well.  When we visited her she would do a physics question (10 minutes was given then it timed out) and submit it.  She was allowed to submit it twice (if the first was incorrect).  She says each of her classes has at least two electronic tools (eg. vista and a professor webpage).  I'm assuming she is not the only one experiencing this post-secondary steep learning curve. (Val)