From Distraction to Engagement: Wireless Devices in the ClassroomFrom Distraction to Engagement: Wireless Devices in the ClassroomBy Berlin Fang Wireless devices in the classroom threaten to distract student attention but also offer opportunities for student engagement. Faculty use different methods to reduce in-class distractions, up to mandating no use of wireless devices during class sessions. To increase student engagement using wireless devices, faculty employ creative options for making wireless devices part of instruction, from cell phones as clickers to laptops for on-the-fly web research.The path of technology integration in education is lined with disruptions on one side and opportunities on the other. Technology teams work to bring useful technology into teaching, all with good intentions, only to encounter unwanted side effects such as distraction and disruption in the classroom. The challenges loom large in classrooms with wireless connections, especially when universities give students ubiquitous Internet access and sometimes even the devices for such access.