A girl directly in front of me is toggling between two chat windows, a website of song lyrics, email, her Facebook profile, and, every now and then, her lecture notes. It’s hard to concentrate. I feel a pang of sympathy for the professor at the front of the hall. His multitasking students are certainly busy, but by bringing their online lives into the classroom, are they paying enough attention to him—or their educations?

Over at Maclean’s OnCampus, Karen Pinchin argues in, “Can I have your half-attention, please?” that although many post-secondary institutions now require their students to use laptops, using a computer during lecture can actually cause the student to score lower on tests.

And, of course, some professors just find them plain disrespectful.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out using a laptop during class takes brainpower away from learning.

But I would argue students just aren’t being challenged to use enough of their brainpower during a lecture to warrant giving their full attention to the instructor.

Post-secondary students have been listening to lecturers and scribbling down notes to memorize for centuries. Haven’t our brains, and our expectations of communication, evolved over that time? Especially over the past 20 years or so? Of course!

The old tribal storytelling method where important information is passed down to the youth from the elders no longer applies. Not in the information age.

We’re not the first generation to seek out distractions during a tediously boring lecture. Before laptops became as prevalent as they are today, students doodled, worked on other assignments, discretely read books, wrote letters (or grocery lists, novels or to-do lists) or just zoned out altogether.

That says a lot about the method of delivery of information. Too many instructors rely solely on the lecture method to teach students. Three hours listening to the same person drone on and on about a single topic is enough to drive away anyone’s attention span, no matter how disciplined a learner.

Some professors think their lectures become more entertaining if they throw the information together in a PowerPoint presentation rather than writing it on a black/whiteboard or putting it up on an overhead projector. Putting notes online ahead of time is even worse because students already know what to expect when they arrive — if they arrive.

Looking back over the past four years of my undergraduate career, I remember leaving lectures during the break halfway through numerous times simply because it was boring and I felt like I wasn’t learning anything. Sometimes I had something better to do, sometimes not.

Now, I’m not an educational flake. I love learning. I constantly consume information. I always want to know more.

But maybe that’s the problem. Either the information being provided to students by most instructors or the way it’s being delivered isn’t up to snuff with what we’re used to.

The most interesting and, I would aruge, informative lectures I’ve ever attended have included at least some of the following elements, all of which I think are must-haves in this day and age:

• Variety – A mix of the traditional podium-style lecturing along with other styles is the only way to ensure students pay attention in class. Otherwise, it turns into a real snooze-fest after about 15 minutes or so.

• Discussion – Even in large classes, giving students the opportunity to form and verbally express their thoughts on a topic is the easiest way to mix things up. Although students can become  annoyed by peers who voice opinions too regularly, a group discussion at the beginning or end of a class will get their mind working whether they raise their hand or not.

• Multimedia – Most post-secondary classrooms are totally wired these days and allow instructors to share video, audio, photos, slideshows and web pages with students. Too few profs take advantage of this incredible tool, however, and even fewer know how to use it properly. Moving smoothly from one method to another is essential in avoiding those deadly techno-phobic moments during which attention — and respect — is lost.

• Interactivity – Whether the instructor asks survey questions or simply asks students to write down the answer to a question on a sheet of paper to hand in at the end of class for participation marks, allowing students to contribute something outside of a discussion setting should prevent them from zoning out too often.

• Web 2.0 – This under-used tool is probably the most valuable. By giving students the opportunity to participate and think about class material outside of a classroom setting, they’ll be more interested in class lectures and discussions. Online blogs, forums, social networking and communities are easy to create and maintain. Students can contribute at any time and move the online material and ongoing discussions into the classroom setting.

• Time out – Providing students with a short break mid-way through a longer class is essential. Not only will you notice a renewed focus when they return, their bladders and stiff bodies will thank you.

What do you think is essential to providing an interesting, informative lecture?