In Silicon Valley itself …some companies have installed the “topless” meeting—in which not only laptops but iPhones and other tools are banned—to combat a new problem: “continuous partial attention.” With a device close by, attendees at workplace meetings simply cannot keep their focus on the speaker. It’s too easy to check email, stock quotes and Facebook. While a quick log-on may seem, to the user, a harmless break, others in the room receive it as a silent dismissal. It announces: “I’m not interested.” So the tools must now remain at the door.
Mark Bauerlein, Wall Street Journal
September 14th, 2009 at 10:56PM
I spent my summer wringing my hands: Will I have the guts to ban laptops etc. in my classroom? Will I stare down the rebellion that my laptop ban is likely to produce? Will I avoid coming off like an angry old crank and Luddite with the ban?
Last week, loin-girding time. I went to my first classes and in due course announced the ban supported by a tale from last year of the last laptop straw for me.
I’m sure I didn’t come off very well for the issue was made pretty much not one from the moment I brought the proscription down from on high. The 10% of my students with their laptops out simply shrugged and put their devil-machines away. But I really didn’t know what else to do at that point but continue on with my justification for the decree. Three times I played this same scene out.
Just when I think I’ve got my students figured out, and think I know who and what they are, they give me a remedial lesson in what happens when you assume.
September 15th, 2009 at 9:26AM
I’ve found the same thing, Jack.