Development of the In-Class Structured Laptop Use Measure

Abstract

Laptops are frequently used in university classrooms. Though laptops can disrupt classroom learning, structured laptop classrooms—in which laptop activities are integrated into lecture— have been shown to improve student academic outcomes. Despite this, no standardized measure exists to determine the degree of structure in laptop classrooms. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the In-Class Structured Laptop Use Measure (ICSLUM), which is intended to measure a classroom’s degree of laptop structure. The ICSLUM is moderately valid, being associated with on-task behaviors, lack of off-task behaviors, engagement and attentiveness, and course grades. The ICSLUM is also reliable, with an overall reliability estimate of .90. The components of the ICSLUM indicate that structured laptop use consists of several variables, including classroom activities and student and instructor behaviors. Thus, in addition to its intended purpose, the ICSLUM can measure certain student and instructor behaviors, such as a student’s on-task behaviors or an instructor’s regulation of laptop use. The ICSLUM is also usable as an alternative to student evaluations of teaching, as it might be less susceptible to students’ biases regarding instructors. Finally, the ICSLUM provides a standardized measure of structured laptop use, allowing further research on this topic.