In this modern digital age, especially with the advent of ultra-portable laptops, it is nearly impossible to go anywhere in the US without seeing a computer. College campuses have by far some of the densest populations of computers since every student has at least one and most buildings have a local array of desktops. A classroom may be packed full of students furiously typing the notes into their various word processors so that they can later take their laptop to the library and print them off. Is this really what goes on though?
Carrie Fried reports on a recent survey of two classrooms regarding the use of laptops during class. When students were asked what they found the most distracting in class, 229 of the 359 students who responded reported that laptops were the biggest distractions, whether it be an other's laptop or their own. Many of the students who had laptops reported using it for purposes other than taking notes, purposes like checking emails, instant messaging, and playing games.
Professors have recognized this rising distraction and have put forward efforts to stop it. Some professors have completely banned the use of laptops in their classrooms, while others require their students to sign a contract stating how they may use their laptops during class time before they are aloud to use them.
On the other hand, a college can't require their students to buy expensive laptops and not expect them to use it however they wish. It is not fair to the student to be told what to do with their property. Therefore, it must be the responsibility of the student to pay attention in class and the responsibility of the professor to make the class interesting enough to warrant his or her students' attention.
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