Teaching with Technology

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/24/AR2010042402830.html?nav=hcmoduletmv

This article in this morning’s Washington Post caught my eye.  It is in the Business section, but raises a disturbing question about use of computers in class. As most of us have probably realized, our students who bring computers to class to “take notes” or “view our powerpoints,” are doing other things, like social networking sites, internet surfing, instant messaging, etc.  Maybe our lectures and discussion topics aren’t really eliciting those smiles and laughs from the students!

What should a teacher do? Any thoughts out there? No matter how engaging we are as teachers and how exciting our technology, are we ever going to be able to compete with SNS, goofing off on line with friends, etc? Do we need to be policemen within the classroom?