David, that's an interesting perspective. I have had the opposite experience when I have taught. Now, I should say that I am in IT and taught as an adjunct one intro networking class to 25-35 students. At the beginning of the first class I told them that I am not going to regulate use of electronic devices in class; if they wanted to watch videos all during the class that was their decision *so long as it did not interfere with the class or other students*. I also made it clear that they were responsible for all work in class and not paying attention in class was not a valid reason for extra attention during office hours. It worked well, but it might have been a function of the smaller class size. Tinkering on a device did not relieve you from being called on, and class participation was part of he grade.
Having said that, I never had anyone complain of another's laptop use bothering them; if I had I would have adjusted. Actually, I only had a few using laptops, and often they would use it to research class topics as I was talking. Bottom line, in my experience (limited), letting students decide worked the best. But I can certainly see the other side. Finally, with regards to WiFi blocking, I don't think the simplest solution has been offered yet. If the wireless is accessed via credentials, create an LDAP/AD/Radius interface that can disable those accounts during a specified class time, or on command from the instructor. Can it be done? I don't see why not, but I may be missing something(s)... Greg As a side note, authentication On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 10:02 AM, David J Molta <[email protected]> wrote: > As a faculty member who also closely follows developments in the wireless > industry, I thought I would share my perspective. > > I teach an intro networking course to 120 students per semester. I try to > "edutain" whenever possible but it is impossible for me to compete with the > Internet for the attention of most students. Network guys/gals need to > understand this. If you think you can command the attention of 120 students > staring at laptops and smartphones in class, give me a call and I will hire > you. > > I also know enough about wireless to know that dealing with this problem at > the physical layer is probably not practical, for many reasons -- > financial, > technical, and behavioral. If there is any hope for a technical solution, I > could envision a system that ties together class rosters, authentication, > and location services. But even with that, you don't have any control over > commercial wireless services. > > My current policy is no laptops or smartphones in class. I give students a > 10-minute grace period at the start of class for urgent communication. Some > students complain about this policy but the majority understand why I do > this and feel it helps them focus on course content. The most valid > complaint comes from students who take notes in class on their computer. > I'm > somewhat sympathetic to that, but if you've ever sat next to someone in a > meeting who is taking notes on a laptop, you know that the keyboard clatter > is distracting, sometimes infuriating. I encourage students to take notes > by > hand or record the lectures for later transcription, which helps with > retention of course content. > > In my wireless course, which only has about 25-30 students, I have been > more > hesitant to implement a no-tolerance policy, but even there, I think the > only way I could get away with that is to change my presentation style so > that I spend more time in the back of the room checking screens and > scolding > abusers. > > Alas, one wonders whether there is a solution that will be acceptable to > all. Last semester, our Dean implemented a no-laptop policy for faculty > meetings, offering to reduce the meeting time by 30 minutes as an > incentive. > Before this policy, it was a very strange experience, with over half of the > faculty attendees working away at their computers while we were supposed to > be deliberating about important issues. The policy seemed to be working > pretty well until the iPad was released. Now we have faculty coming to the > meeting with iPads. It's not a laptop, right? > > dm > > Dave Molta > Associate Professor > Director, BS in Information Management and Technology > Assistant Dean for Technology > Syracuse University School of Information Studies > 212 Hinds Hall > Syracuse, NY 13244 > 315-443-4549 > [email protected] > > > > > On 11/19/10 10:30 AM, "Hanset, Philippe C" <[email protected]> wrote: > > Luis, > > Cellular networks (usually licensed spectrum) are not under the same > regulations as Wi-Fi (usually unlicensed spectrum). > In the US, for instance, one cannot interfere with the licensed spectrum > (jammers etc...), and when it comes to the unlicensed spectrum (e.g. Wi-Fi), > you have to comply with Part15 of the FCC. > > Can you interfere with cellular networks in Nicaragua or Costa Rica? (I > would double check...otherwise students will remind you!) > > The point I want to make with Cellular access (Macro towers, DAS, etc..), > is that students that cannot join the Wi-Fi network > in classrooms will find other wireless technologies to get access > (Smartphones, tethering laptops, air-cards.... or just a book, but not the > textbook!). > > So, students that can afford cellular-data access can still be distracted. > This could be an interesting research. > The hypothesis would be "Is it about who you know or what you know" or > TextBook VS FaceBook ;-) > > Philippe > Univ. of TN > > On Nov 19, 2010, at 9:45 AM, Luis Fernando Valverde wrote: > > Yes, we do. The idea is to block any source of wireless connection to > the WiFi network. > lf > > *From:* The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [ > mailto:[email protected]<[email protected]>] > *On Behalf Of *Hanset, Philippe C > *Sent:* Jueves, 18 de Noviembre de 2010 07:42 p.m. > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] WiFi blockers in classrooms > > And do you plan to block air-cards on cellular as well with that jammer? > > Philippe > Univ. of TN > > On Nov 18, 2010, at 4:06 PM, Luis Fernando Valverde wrote: > > > I understand your points of view and I agree with some of your comments. > However, we use our classrooms for multiple academic activities (MBA > programs, seminar and in-company events), and we need to find a simple > device to block the signal in a 10-20 meters radius / classroom. So, the > adjacent classrooms can work with the signal of their own access points > (some professors require Internet signal to teach their sessions – internet > dynamics, simulations over the internet, cloud computing services, etc.). > > I have heard that this is implemented in some universities in the USA, > Europe and Asia (for instance, I was told that in the Indian School of > Bussiness’ classrooms there are switches to enable/disable wireless signals. > I emailed them, but I haven’t received answer yet). > > Luis Fernando > > *From:* The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [ > mailto:[email protected]<[email protected]>] > *On Behalf Of *Greg Schaffer > *Sent:* Jueves, 18 de Noviembre de 2010 03:00 p.m. > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] WiFi blockers in classrooms > > They also use cloud document management such as Google docs and would need > the connectivity if storing notes out there. Instructors need to manage the > classroom, not take tools away, IMO. > > Greg > > On Thu, Nov 18, 2010 at 2:52 PM, Methven, Peter J <[email protected]> > wrote: > If you have some lead laying around, you could line the rooms and turn the > APs off during lecture times... But as other respondents have said it's not > really a technology issue, you design your WIFI for full coverage for a > reason. > Students use laptops to take notes like we all used to use notepads. > Similar to using notepads to draw on when bored in a lecture or write notes, > our current students use their laptops to use facebook etc. The issue > lecturers should look at is why their students are so bored in their > lectures that they are losing interest! > > Many Thanks > Peter > > Peter Methven > Network Specialist > Heriot-Watt University > Edinburgh > Scotland > EH14 4AS > (+44)0 131 4513516 > > This email has been sent from a mobile phone, please excuse any creative > spelling or grammar that may have occured! > > On 18 Nov 2010, at 20:35, "Russ Leathe" <[email protected]> wrote: > > > We can push out different SSID’s with ACL’s that limit what an > authenticated user can access. > > However, our AP heatmap shows leakage from AP’s above and below the floors > where the classroom are. > > So, in a nutshell, it wasn’t worth it (blocking that is). Especially true > once you incorporate emergency notification via 802.11x. > > I would agree with other colleagues comments, it’s an > academic/classroom/Professor issue. > > Northeastern, I believe, did not roll out 802.11x in the classrooms, > because the Professors did not want it. > The idea behind this decision was “you don’t need wifi to take notes”. > > I hope this is helpful, > > Russ > > > > *From:* The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Luis Fernando Valverde > *Sent:* Thursday, November 18, 2010 2:31 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* [WIRELESS-LAN] WiFi blockers in classrooms > > Hello, > > Has anybody used jammer WiFi blockers to block to block wireless network > access in classrooms in order to help students to concentrate on course > instruction? I would like to know which blockers are being used with > success to do this? Can somebody tell me which is the best and cheaper > solution (something so easy as turn a switch on/off)? > > Thanks, > Luis Fernando > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > Luis Fernando Valverde > Director de Tecnología de Información > INCAE Business School > Tel: +506 24 37 2338 > Fax: +506 24 33 9101 > [email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]<[email protected]>> > > www.incae.edu <http://www.incae.edu/> > ----------------------------------------------------------- > Error! Filename not specified.* *"El medio ambiente es del interés de > todos. Evitemos imprimir correos innecesarios." > ********** 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/. > > ------------------------------ > > Heriot-Watt University is a Scottish charity registered under charity > number SC000278. > > ********** 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/.
