Of Cars, Classrooms, and Bad Ideas

The benefits brought by wireless technologies are varied andmany, but there are issues of concern for different groups of people at everystep of the way.  Usually the advantagesgained by wireless systems of varying types outweigh the concerns, but thoseconcerns don't simply go away because the majority is happy with their new-foundconnectivity. Each generation of technology helps to shape the world around us,and it's a natural step to want to use more technology to fight off the undesirableeffects that come along with the benefits. But too often, fighting technologywith technology is not only ineffective, it can amount to expensive overkill whencompared to procedural solutions.

Let's talk about Ray LaHood, the current US Secretary ofTransportation. I don't envy Secretary LaHood for having to answer for the somberstatistics regarding accidents caused by distracted drivers. There are more vehicleson the road than ever, and in those vehicles are a staggering variety of entertainmentand navigation systems, mobile phones, and old-school communications like CBand two-way radio.  Many states have lawsagainst distracted driving, but they tend to focus on mobile phone use and leantowards the "hands free makes everything good" mode of thought.  Now, there are rumblings in Washington aboutworking towards solutions that render mobile phones useless in vehicles.Secretary LaHood has been quoted often of late, speaking in favor of suchdenial of service technologies.

As a subscriber to a higher education discussion forum onwireless issues on campuses, I recently took part in a spirited thread aboutfaculty members wanting wireless network admins to provide a "kill switch" forclassroom wireless.  Some instructorsinvariably don't feel that they can compete with the Internet, and so somewhatunderstandably would like to be able to make the WLAN go way during theirlectures. I have been asked about similar capabilities for churches, movietheaters, and even residences (like when the baby sitter is in the house) as awireless consultant.

It seems to me that Secretary LaHood's concerns are quite similarto those of many higher ed faculty members, albeit the motivation to reducetraffic fatalities is not quite analogous to worrying about students using Facebookduring class time. But the essence of each case is similar enough to warrantattention.  Where LaHood wants in-vehiclejammers, role-based restrictions, or alternative DoS methods, the professors wantthe same in classrooms. And though at first blush both ideas seem worthy ofconsideration (forgetting for a moment that the FCC really doesn't dig the use ofjammer-type equipment), the realities associated with each make themnon-starters while exposing other issues.

Back to the classroom- the arguments against restrictingwireless use in college lecture halls are many. To name a few:  remove Wi-Fi and you still have mobilewireless. Remove both of these, and faculty members still compete withmagazines, books, and doodling. It's hard to surgically remove just enoughsignal from a dense environment to achieve the desired result without impactingadjacent areas.  Mucking with useraccounts in all cases is an administrative nightmare. And the list goes on. Thecomplexity to control the classroom wireless as envisioned by peevedinstructors just isn't cost effective (or realistically possible) when otherdistractions remain.In the car, LaHood would punish passengers that couldbenefit from mobile connectivity to keep drivers "safe".  I personally have broken New York's law bycalling in dangerous debris on a major highway to help keep other drivers outof danger (pulling over was not an option in the shoulderless constructionzone). Even if the Transportation Secretary finds a way to impose a Cone ofSilence on drivers as it relates to cell phones, he won't find a technicalsolution to people shaving on the way to work, watching movies or reading thepaper while they drive, or putting on make-up at 70 MPH (I've witnessed all inthe last week on local highways).

To those instructors that ask for an on/off switch forwireless in the classroom: think about the silliness of your request, andrealize that Wi-Fi is just one of many distractions. Self evaluate for how youcan be more engaging, and remember that monotone voice and boring content willcause even the best student to take their mind elsewhere. Manage the classroom,and let students who don't pay attention suffer at grade time. I have less guidanceto offer Secretary LaHood, but I do know that he's barking up a hopeless,expensive, ill-thought out tree. Perhaps the fix includes better new-drivertraining or required continuing education, stiffer penalties for existing laws,or some other low-tech procedural tweak. One thing is certain- using technologyto deny drivers the use of their mobile phones will never work.