This is a topic that was recently discussed; I am writing to tell you about what I found out simply by sitting in the back of a large classroom in a freshman class. I went to observe a colleague's teaching but couldn't help observing also students and their laptops. Those within my reach spent the time reading news and other websites with what looked like MTV pictures, reading email, writing email, and shopping. Every time a power point card changed, they would switch screens, copy the text, and then go back to shopping. They shopped for cell phones, computer monitors, and clothing. Other students wrote notes in pretty cards or read messages in their cell phones..... sigh.....
I have several students in my class who use laptops and before the issue was raised in this list, I had naively thought that they would be taking notes. Perhaps they do take notes but now I believe they also do other things. I don't think there's much that can be done. Asking them not to use the laptop might be counterproductive. Maybe I could place a rule in the syllabus for next year: laptops cannot be used in the classroom. Any suggestions? Martha
