Our action research project examined the on-task and off-task behaviors of university-level student use of wireless laptops in face-to-face classes in order to establish rules of wireless laptop etiquette in classroom settings. Participants in the case study of three university classrooms including undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students.  Students were encouraged to bring their laptops to class and use them as part of the educational process. After preliminary results indicated significant off-task usage of the laptops, pre- and post-surveys, field notes, observations, and pre-and post interviews were conducted to examine the effective management of laptop usage in wireless classrooms. An action plan was implemented, reflected upon, and modified as needed until a final set of criteria demonstrated an increase in on-task time of students as well as effectively making use of the Internet and other resources through wireless laptop utilization.  

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Graphite Girls in a Gigabyte World: Managing the World Wide Web in 700 Square Feet

Tamra Ogletree*, Penelope Saurino**, Christie Johnson***
*Assistant Professor, Department of Curriculum and instruction, University of West Georgia, Georgia.
**Western Carolina University, College of Education and Applied Professions, Elementary and Middle Grades Education, North Carolina.
***Carroll County Schools, Assistant Superintendent of Administrative and Student Services, Carrollton, Georgia.
Periodicity:April - June'2009
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.6.1.211

Abstract

Our action research project examined the on-task and off-task behaviors of university-level student use of wireless laptops in face-to-face classes in order to establish rules of wireless laptop etiquette in classroom settings. Participants in the case study of three university classrooms including undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students.  Students were encouraged to bring their laptops to class and use them as part of the educational process. After preliminary results indicated significant off-task usage of the laptops, pre- and post-surveys, field notes, observations, and pre-and post interviews were conducted to examine the effective management of laptop usage in wireless classrooms. An action plan was implemented, reflected upon, and modified as needed until a final set of criteria demonstrated an increase in on-task time of students as well as effectively making use of the Internet and other resources through wireless laptop utilization.  

Keywords

Technology, Classroom Research, Laptop Computers, Wireless Laptops, Laptops In The Classroom, Action Research, Collaborative Action Research.

How to Cite this Article?

Tamra Ogletree, Penelope Saurino and Christie Johnson (2009). Graphite Girls in a Gigabyte World: Managing the World Wide Web in 700 Square Feet. i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 6(1), 66-75. https://doi.org/10.26634/jet.6.1.211

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