Meanwhile, educators in England are worried, make that scared, that kids will bring their cellphones and stick them (their class) on Youtube and cause humiliation and embarrassment such that they might have to leave the profession.
Back on topic...
The law professor has two reasons why he forbids laptops in class....
1. Note-taking becomes verbatim transcription and the student no longer processes information in a way that is conducive to the give and take of classroom discussion.
2. Laptops create temptation to surf the Web, check email, shop or IM friends.
3. Students who are distracted also, well, distract other students who wouldn't have been distracted.
The results...80% of students report they are more engaged in classroom discussion when laptop-free.
70% say they like the no-laptop policy.
95% admit to having used their laptop for something other than notetaking...what a surprise.
98% said they saw someone else in class doing the same.
When I was a kid, we doodled, passed notes, wrote letters, and made rough drafts of papers for other classes while we listened or not, to a professor ramble on.
The real problem is NOT what the student brings or doesn't bring to class but what the professor brings.
If the prof is interesting, and the material useful and relevant, the students will be engaged.
What if your prof told you to leave your laptop turned off while in class?
I would leave it on and keep working. My education is driven by me and not by others. The laptop is a vital connection I have to making the subject matter real and applicable.
I have commented on this as well and came to the same realization that many folks have come to on this story. The issue is not the laptop; it is the professor.
Laptops, and collaborative technology in general, can add a dimension to the learning experience that is powerful. Beyond the walls of class a world exists that is more connected than ever before. If we want colleges and universities to better prepare graduates for the real world, then we need to incorporate the real world into the curriculum.
Posted by: Mike Berta | April 13, 2007 11:07 AM | Permalink to Comment