With each successive term here at Drexel, it seems that more and more professors are prohibiting the use of cell phones and laptops in class. While I understand that cell phones being used in class is a hindrance to learning, I can’t seem to wrap my head around the fact that laptops are now not allowed. I know that a lot of students just don’t pay attention to the professor if their laptop is out and open; I’ve counted the number of classmates that just sit on Facebook. But those of us who would like to use our laptops as instruments of learning during the class are more often than not, not allowed. In my mind, it is useful to be able to look something up on the internet if something does not quite make sense, but you don’t want to draw attention to yourself to ask for an explanation. Some people just want to hide in the back of the class, unnoticed, and ask no questions. If you don’t have a way to find the answer for yourself, and quickly, this is impossible. I also know that many people, myself included, take faster and better notes on a laptop. When you can just type your notes as your professor is talking rather than having to hand-write them, it does a world of good. The faster people write, the sloppier their handwriting, and the less understandable it is. If professors want us to have a better learning experience in class, they should let us use our laptops.
Tweet
Subscribe to RSS
I have to say, I agree with the stance on banning electronics in the classroom. Students are there to learn, not to goof off. The only benefit to having laptops in the classroom is taking “faster and better notes” (which doesn’t hold true across the board, I can assure you), and it just doesn’t outweigh the negative factors.
Besides, if you have a question about what your professor is saying, wouldn’t it be better to ask him/her directly, rather than trusting what you find on Wikipedia? They know their stuff; otherwise, they wouldn’t be teaching it.
I agree with you both. My take on laptops is that if the student sits on Facebook the whole time, that is his/her problem and his/her loss. Sitting through a class that you’ve registered and paid for and fooling around on Facebook is foolish, to be sure, but a choice. No one can be forced to learn. Before laptops people could choose to hide other books in their text books, write notes to their friends, draw, or simply space out.
But, I also agree w/ R. Perrin—if you have a question you should ask it. You should not be “hiding in the back” but an active participant in the class.
As a teacher, I struggle with this myself. I hate to patrol the students while they are on their laptops; on the other hand, it is really annoying when I see that a student is on Facebook! Sometimes I embarrass the student; other times I put a moratorium on laptops, but I have yet to make a final rule yes or no, as I like to use laptops myself. I also have a class contribution rubric that I use as an incentive to get the students to pay attention, but as Kathleen said, if a student wants to goof off, they will do so.