No Laptops in the Classroom
Posted in School by George
My torts class at GMU Law does not allow laptops in the classroom. The reason is because my professor and others claim laptops are not conducive to active thinking. I agree.
Laptops tend to make individuals want to transcribe a lecture. When I write my notes, I struggle to capture as much information as I can on paper, but sometimes I just can’t get it all so I have to think about what is important. When I’m able to type on my computer, I don’t need to think about what’s important, necessarily, I can always capture it all and think about “what is important” later on. In addition, it’s very, very easy to end up surfing the internet instead of listening if there is a boring topic going on in class.
I don’t know if I’m going to take notes by hand in all of my classes this semester, but I’m kind of glad that I’m going to be forced to try it in at least one class.
August 21st, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Speaking as someone who has been in front of class on the other side of the laptops, I agree with not allowing them in the classroom.
At an undergrad level, computers seem like a distraction to most students. It gives them a chance to check their email, use instant messenger, or just play games.
August 21st, 2007 at 1:43 pm
Yeah, they really are distracting. Every time I saw someone in undergrad on a laptop they were regularly IMing, emailing, or surfing the net during class… rarely were the laptops used for school…
August 21st, 2007 at 9:11 pm
I think that is a pretty good policy. As was stated the use of computers is pretty much distracting to everyone in the class. More importantly I think that writing is alot more conducive to learning and i think that is what George was getting at. Im not a psychologist, but if not mistaken the more complex the encoding of a fact makes it easier to remember. That is to say that the process of interpreting what the professor says, followed by the motor action of writing it down makes the information much more retrievable. Typing on the other hand does not have the benefit of the complex hand motion and like george said you can just type without even thinking about what has been said.
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:50 pm
George and Missy, are you saying that people who use laptops are distracting themselves or are you saying that they distract other students?
August 22nd, 2007 at 4:21 pm
I would say both because i know if i have a computer in a class i find boring i often find myself surfing the internet as opposed to listening. I have also been in a class where someone was playing a game or watching a movie during the lecture, which needless to say is distracting to everyone behind that person.
August 22nd, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Yeah, well if the use of laptops is consequently distracting other students, then I absolutely agree that its a problem. Otherwise, I don’t really see it as a big deal. If a student wants to stare off into space, surf the web, or whatever, I say let them do it (provided they don’t disturb others). Sure, they might flunk out as a result, but that’s their problem. They’re paying tuition, which means they have the right to make that choice for themselves. Besides, genuinely disinterested students will always find ways of distracting themselves, laptops or not.