Legal Research

Devices are in the news - and everywhere else

By Wendy Reynolds

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?

Full post as published by Slaw.ca on March 12, 2009 (boomark / email).