Recurrent waves of blue facebook screens during courses

• E. Ulstrup ^[1]
  1. [1] University of Copenhagen

     University of Copenhagen

     Dinamarca

     
• Localización: Ikaskuntza-irakaskuntza akademikoaren eremu berriak arakatzen / Universidad del País Vasco - Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (aut.), 2019, ISBN 978-84-1319-033-4, págs. 262-265
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • In this paper, I will discuss how students’ use of laptops functions as a testimony of theirengagement in class. Through observation of courses at Danish bachelor programmes, I have observedthat students’ use of laptops seems to move in certain patterns during courses. For certain periodsof time, most students are engaged in study-relevant activities on their laptop, such as writing notesor working with digital tools initiated by teachers. During other periods, however, many of thesestudents are more engaged in off-task activities not relevant to the course. Here, Facebook is used mostfrequently, hence “the blue waves”.This paper is based on my Ph.D. project, which focuses on undergraduate students at RoskildeUniversity from a sociocultural perspective. By means of course observation and interviews withstudents and teachers, I have been investigating correlations and discrepancies between teachers’and students’ attitudes and experiences related to university teaching and learning. One discrepancyfrequently observed is related to students’ use of laptops in class. I have subsequently encountered thistendency in other universities, and similar findings are presented in international literature as well.It is evident that in-class engagement is linked to students’ cultural norms and habits, but it is alsohighly influenced by the action of the teacher. Building on empirical analysis, I argue that visibility,response, relation and variation seem to be crucial pedagogical elements to consider if the teacher wantsto increase student engagement, and reduce “the blue waves”.