How to Look Interested or What are you doing behind that Laptop Screen?
Have you ever taught a lesson or gave a presentation with some participants in the room using computers or laptops? Have you ever wondered what exactly the people behind the laptop or computer screen are doing? Are they listening/ taking notes or are they checking their email or going shopping on Ebay? Or maybe doing both?
A lot of teachers and administrators bring laptops to classes or meetings to take notes. Administrators often bring a laptop during a teacher observation.
Appearance and its perception can be everything in conveying a non verbal message or disposition. I’ve noticed that a simple design advantage offered by the Tablet is the ability for one to take notes on a computer without having the screen act as a “barrier” between the student and teacher or the evaluator and the one being evaluated.
I guess it’s my teaching side that expects students or participants to actually look at the teacher or presenter during a lesson or meeting. And from a teacher or presenter’s point of view, seeing the audience typing behind a screen without being able to what is displayed looks a little too detached.
So, score one for the Tablet’s design for fostering a more personable class or meeting.