Laptop computers can assist pupils become more involved, dutiful as well as learning-oriented in their classrooms, a new study has disclosed.

Perry Samson, University of Michigan (UM), professor in atmospheric, oceanic and space sciences has created forceful interactive student response system named as LectureTools, which makes use of students' laptops.

Prof. Samson said, "If you allow laptops in the classroom without a plan for how you'll use them, you can potentially invite disaster. It's unlikely that students will be so entranced by class material that they won't wander off to their favourite social networking sites."

"The key is to deliberately engage students through their computers. LectureTools does just that," he added.

Instructors at over 400 colleges and universities have created accounts to utilize the newly developed tool.

Recently, he evaluated around 200 pupils who, over the past three semesters, have taken his Extreme Weather lecture course that used LectureTools.

The pupils reported that while they did sometimes stray from class tasks, laptop computers having LectureTools made them feel more heedful and able to learn, compared with classes that don't use the system.

Around half of students surveyed answered that that having a laptop computer in classroom augmented the amount of time they spent on tasks unrelated to the lecture.

But a full 78 percent agreed that laptops in class made them more engaged. Approximately, half said that having their laptops made them more attentive. Seventy percent said laptops had a positive effect on their learning, said an UM release.

The results of the research were issued in the May edition of Computers & Education. (With Inputs from Agencies)