Use of social practice theory to interpret mandatory student use of laptops in learning: analysis often undergraduate business courses

Social practice theories are increasingly being used to conceptualize laptop use in teaching and learning practice. This paper draws from a focus group, in which a framework of legitimate peripheral participation (LPP) (Lave and Wenger, 1991) was applied to understand student use of laptops across ten different undergraduate business curricula programs. Given the complexities that surround technology use in learning, we examine practice, as perceived by students, as they use their laptops and interact with other student learners. We seek examples of peripheral and legitimized laptop use in practice, both in and out of the classroom. By documenting narrative of student laptop activity we aim to explore different levels of engagement in the process of peripheral and legitimate participation in learning, and use LPP to interpret the impact that mandated student laptop use has in the socially mediated active practice of learning.