There is an intriguing piece in Sunday's New York Times about digital pens, that allow you transmit written notes to electronic format, either as an image (like PDF) or as text using character recognition software. This kind of thing has been around for a while, but in past the method was to have people write directly into their PDAs and tablet PCs.
Digital pens eliminate that by allowing you to rely on pen and paper, and then upload your notes later. There are some bugs to be worked out, but it sounds promising, and something that could be quite user-friendly and affordable in future. Perhaps digital pens will become as commonplace as calculators and digital cameras, and could reduce the need to take a laptop with you everywhere.
I wonder about the use of laptops, combined with wifi, in the classroom. While I know that students don't always pay attention in class, and can just as easily be doodling as opposed to taking notes, laptops seem to create a kind of half-wall that directs the student away from the class. And with wifi, it's all too tempting to simply check email or chat online than listen and contribute. I know that laptop use is much more prevalent in law school and business school; maybe some of you out there have your own observations from experience.
Some argue that laptops in the classroom make for a much more productive class. This assumes that the laptops, however, are being directly integrated into the lesson plan, rather than simply servicing as a note-taking device for students.
The NYT article can be found here; more on the Logitech pen at Amazon.
