Of Paper and Technology

A number of years ago, as I was in an undergraduate class, I was using my computer to participate in a presentation. The instructor did not like me very much and ended up giving me a discounted grade for the entire course because I was using my computer during the presentation. I know, because she told me that she did it for that reason.

Even after explaining and demonstrating the fact that I was contributing to the presentation by my use of the computer, the attitude of the instructor was that I was simply not paying attention.

For years now, I have noticed a significant disparity in the attitudes of technology and paper. If, during that same presentation, I had spent time jotting on a piece of paper there would have been no concern from that instructor. In fact, I could have spent most of the time writing completely frivolous things on that piece of paper and no one would’ve cared.

Even recently, I was in a board meeting and someone specifically said that it was inappropriate to use a computer during a sit-down meeting. I explained that often times I pay better attention using my computer because I can research relevant topics and type notes for the meeting much more quickly than on a piece of paper.

It is fascinating to me the norms of society that say if you use a piece of paper to take notes you are paying attention but if you use a computer you are simply goofing off.

I am a terrible notetaker. If I have a computer in front of me I will take very impressive notes. When I have a piece of paper in front of me I will doodle and write random thoughts that have little relation to the presentation.

Next time you want to disparage someone for using a computer in a meeting, you might want to consider that they may be actually participating more than you are.