Getting Attention in the Laptop Classroom

 

The English Language Arts teachers in this qualitative study reported somewhat negative outcomes in social and material spaces in the context of laptop technology in their classrooms.
These outcomes included: (a) social isolation, (b) limited communication with a teacher or peers, and (c) offtask behavior. In an attempt to uncover the reasons for these rather negative results, the researcher analyzed these teachers’ classroom environments and instructional engagements with laptop technology, since these practices are believed to be reflective of these teachers’ current beliefs about instruction and technology’s role in it. Some of the reasons the researcher uncovered were: (a) limited physical space, (b) cumbersome furniture, (c) poor technology infrastructure, and (d) the largely instrumental use of technology in numerous learning engagements.

via Getting Attention in the Laptop Classroom.

Largely instrumental use