I know the original poster asked not to mention this, but the wave of netbooks/laptops with 3G/wifi will be upon us soon. Technology band-aid solutions cannot win this battle, IMHO.
Don Wright On 12/3/09 9:52 AM, "Peter P Morrissey" <[email protected]> wrote: > I have to say that I disagree that this would be in any way evil, assuming we > could do it effectively. > Sure, if it was done in a manner that is partially effective, then yeah, it > would be awful. > However, if there really was a way to limit by class, who can get on the > Internet and only during the class period without any undesirable side effects > that have been mentioned, and if it was cost effective and manageable, and > controlled by the instructor etc etc, then I think it would be a great idea. I > think that from what I have heard thus far, nobody has surmounted all the > challenges and has done this effectively. The danger is that it would be > implemented, but implemented poorly because an IT shop wasn't able to > effectively communicate the problems and deficiencies of the implementation. > > I have taught a lot of classes and I can tell you that it takes an extremely > gifted instructor to compete with something as compelling as the Internet. I > have found that even graduate students, and professionals using their laptops > in meetings have a hard time disciplining themselves not to be distracted. I > simply tell students they can't have laptops on during the lecture. Not only > are these compelling distractions hurting them, but it also distracts other > students who really do want to pay attention. And it hurts the tone of the > class when you call on people who are not paying attention. Sure, that problem > has been around forever, but again, the Internet just magnifies an already > difficult problem many times. There are a lot of rules that are up to the > discretion of the instructor to set to enhance learning. Some are easier to > enforce than others, but I think that if, (and again, it is very much an "if") > there was a way to allow students to use their laptops without having Internet > access it could be very useful. It seems that it is very common in Law Schools > for students to use laptops for taking notes so it is not as simple as being > able to tell them to just turn them off. That is why you see them asking for > this the most. In defense of the professors, I don't blame them at all for > asking IT to use IT to solve a problem that in their eyes is caused by > technology. It is our job to communicate to them the challenges and tradeoffs. > > Peter M. > > -----Original Message----- > From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Philippe Hanset > Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 8:54 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Restricting of wireless access in classrooms > > Nick, > > We have explored the possibility of not allowing some students > on the wireless network based on various criteria. > Though a lot of Controller Based Architectures (Cisco, Aruba, ...) > might let you do such a thing as > far as the capability is concerned, the main problem resides into the > control mechanism. > At one point you will have to rely on a database of enrollment to > block a particular student > from joining at a particular location (if you don't do it for a > location, you will prevent students > from joining all together) > The two limitations were: > -who will decide and enable the rules? > (sub-admin privileges to Faculty?) > (Have Faculty call the helpdesk prior to class) > -How accurate is the enrollment database (add/remove) > (classroom assignments do change a lot) > > And finally (but you asked us not to mention the philosophical > approach...) it's not because we can > that we should! > > We ended up abandoning the idea (though we had a lot of fun > brainstorming about it) > because it would have been a management nightmare, and it is totally > evil. > > Philippe Hanset > Univ. of TN > > p.s. We brainstormed that idea 3-4 years ago and we are glad we didn't > do it. > We see so many Iphones (using 3G) in classrooms that it would > have been a waste > of time. There is also a "wallpaper" that can be turned ON/ > OFF, effectively shutting the classroom > from most microwaves. If one is looking at a special classroom > without "connectivity", this could be > a solution. > > > On Dec 2, 2009, at 7:56 PM, Urrea, Nick wrote: > >> Thank you everybody for contributing to the conversation. It has been >> very helpful. >> >> >> ---- >> Nicholas Urrea >> Information Technology >> UC Hastings College of the Law >> [email protected] >> x4718 >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Lee H Badman >> Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 3:52 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Restricting of wireless access in >> classrooms >> >> I'm agreeing with John- this is madness. >> >> What about the DAS systems boosting cell coverage? Do faculty get an >> on/off switch for that? Or for newspapers and magazines that also >> distract? And what about ad hoc networks, and MiFi cells? And iPods, >> and >> doodling? There are several ways to get to the internet, and many more >> to not pay attention (one of my sons makes the most elaborate little >> paper figures when he's bored in class- the more elaborate his >> creations >> are, the more his mind was elsewhere in class.) And let's not forget >> that more and more emergency notification systems rely on IP and you >> being reached in a hyper-connected world. >> >> As far as surgically killing off wireless in a specific room while >> leaving it untouched on the other side of garden variety sheetrock >> wall >> goes, I'm from Arkansas- you'd have to show me. And then I'd be >> looking >> for the smoke machine and magic mirrors! >> >> But it does make for interesting cultural discussion. Be forewarned- >> non-PC profiling ahead: I have to wonder how many of the complainants >> are older, or lacking in classroom management skills to begin with... >> >> -Lee Badman >> Skeptical in Syracuse >> >> >> ________________________________________ >> From: The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv >> [[email protected]] On Behalf Of John Rodkey >> [[email protected]] >> Sent: Wednesday, December 02, 2009 6:03 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Restricting of wireless access in >> classrooms >> >> Build a Faraday cage around each classroom. [ >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage ] Embed wire mesh in all >> walls, remove all windows, replace wooden doors with steel. Your >> financial people will look askance on this, and future technologist >> who >> are now required by the faculty to ensure high wireless signal >> levels in >> every square centimeter of campus (especially classrooms) will curse >> the >> day you were born, but you will have provided a solution within the >> limits you've requested. >> >> Seriously: you can't really talk with faculty about the ubiquity of >> wireless signals and the need to have a workable strategy and >> classroom >> discipline technique that allows for proper use of those signals? >> This >> is really the conversation that needs to be happening. As the saying >> goes, you need to win the hearts and the minds. Faculty need to win >> their students' hearts and minds on this front. Otherwise, you will >> have set the stage for a perpetual guerrilla warfare. >> >> John Rodkey >> Associate Director of IT >> Westmont College >> >> On Wed, Dec 2, 2009 at 11:02 AM, Urrea, Nick >> <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >> I'm compiling research to give to our Faculty Technology Committee. >> My question is has anybody successfully implemented a solution that >> restricts access to wireless internet in classrooms? >> Also if you have tried and were not successful in restricting wireless >> access in classrooms let me know. Why didn't the solution work. >> No opinions please about how students can just go buy a mobile >> broadband >> card from a cellular carrier, or installing microwaves in the >> classrooms, or that teaching techniques should improve. >> >> >> ---- >> Nicholas Urrea >> Information Technology >> UC Hastings College of the Law >> [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> >> x4718 >> >> ********** Participation and subscription information for this >> EDUCAUSE >> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >> http://www.educause.edu/groups/. >> >> ********** Participation and subscription information for this >> EDUCAUSE >> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >> http://www.educause.edu/groups/. >> >> ********** >> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >> Constituent >> Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. >> >> ********** >> Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE >> Constituent Group discussion list can be found at >> http://www.educause.edu/groups/ >> . > > ********** > Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group > discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. > > ********** > Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group > discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/. ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/groups/.
