Devices Are in the News – and Everywhere Else

I’m sure I’m not the only one watching the anti-Twittering struggles of Alberta Speaker Ken Kowalski with mixed feelings (see the Globe and Mail story here). I think the Speaker is correct in demanding that Members pay attention to the proceedings while they are in the Chamber – after all, it is their job to do so. However, the Speaker has villified the hand-held device, where the real culprit is its operator. I once attended a session of the Ontario Legislature during my undergrad days, and observed MPPs writing Christmas cards. Is Twittering any more offensive to the dignity of the House? I don’t think so. (If you really want to worry about the state of democracy, have a look at the Sunlight Foundation’s Read the Bill campaign.

Meanwhile, over at the Volokh Conspiracy, Professor Eugene Volokh reports on his laptop-free class experiment. Not surprisingly, the students found that having a laptop in class gave them much better study notes, but reduced their actual engagement in the class. This one’s going to be interesting to watch. What is the point of a classroom lecture – to engage with students in an exploration of ideas, to have a conversation? Or is it to pass along the information required to complete the assignment, pass the exam or meet the curriculum requirements? Each has its place, and may require a different forum. Teachers? Students? What’s your experience – how can one reconcile the apparent conflict between “in the moment” engagement and the need to create a record for later use?

Comments

  1. Thanks for reporting on this Wendy.

    The Alberta Hansard is easy to search at http://www.assembly.ab.ca and since Mr. Kowalski’s condemnation of device use in the chamber, the keyword Twitter appears every daily transcript of the Alberta Legislature since.

    Facetious statements by some Alberta MPs aside, what a great marketing opportunity for Twitter!