March 22, 2006
No Laptops Allowed
Countless professors have groused about the ubiquity of distracting laptops in the lecture hall. But few have been willing to take the steps that June Entman took to rid her classroom of the dread devices.
This month Ms. Entman, a professor of law at Memphis University, warned students that that they'd have to check their laptops at the classroom door and take notes with pen and paper. (Ironically, the announcement came in an e-mail message.)
"The computers interfere with making eye contact," she argues. "You've got this picket fence between you and the students."
But students in Ms. Entman's courses say the professor shouldn't be allowed to tear that fence down. A group of disgruntled laptop users filed a complaint with the American Bar Association. That complaint was dismissed, but they're now circulating a petition against Ms. Entman. (Associated Press)
Comments
Commenting is closed for this article.
Previous: Life's Mysteries, Still Unsolved
Next: '2020 Vision'
Simple, but somewhat expensive, compromise: use tablet PCs.
— John Rettenmayer Mar 22, 05:13 PM #
An important consideration when teaching any class, is that instructors need to be preparing students for the future. The future for most of our students will be a world where law and other professions are using computers in all aspects of work-life. In other words, laptops are the pen and paper of the current generation.
— David J Wright Mar 22, 05:33 PM #
I don’t blame her. There’s nothing more alienating than looking up from a lecturn to see laptops and not faces. The more we dehumanize academia the worse professor-student relations will become. There’s nothing wrong with pen and paper. Would a judge allow an attorney to sit behind her desk, typing away instead of paying attention to what’s going on in court?
— M Tanter Mar 22, 09:39 PM #
It’s a ridiculous stance. A teacher of current students needs to recognize that most of them have been using computers since childhood. If this is their primary tool for study, banning it is just being in denial. It’s silly and vain. Law faculty need to learn to manage their classes, instead of trying to put artificial impediments in place. If a standard of behavior is demanded in the classroom, it will be met. And as far as the picket fence thing goes—stand on a box!
— HJA Mar 23, 01:24 AM #
I think the problem is not the computers, but the idea of lecture as the best way to effect student learning. One day the lecture will be pried from the cold, dying hands of tradition-minded faculty, but it will take a while. Right now, higher ed is dominated by faculty who do not read and understand decades of research on human learning.
By the way, I am a professor (teaching biology), I love to lecture, and I care deeply about my students. But lecture ain’t the best way to facilitate their learning. Computers do offer a highly-effective alternative.
— BF Mar 23, 10:06 AM #
I would love to have my students use the technologies to their advantage. And there is much benefit to bringing technology to the classroom setting. But, as with any new technology, every silver lining has a dark cloud.
Yes, a computer is the pen-and-ink of the current generation—but, it is also their main personal communication and entertainment device. If there were only some way to turn OFF the Internet, or disable those aspects of its use, then they could use it for learning. Instead, as has been noted elsewhere, it is devilishly hard to compete, even in the most interesting and interactive of classes, with IMs, music downloads, blogs, email, and online gambling. In my classes I reluctantly have had to adopt a strict policy: “No electronic devices. Period.”
— BK Mar 24, 10:30 AM #
I can’t possibly imagine a class where my students don’t use the computer. I divide them in teams, assign them a task, and give them 30 minutes to analyze a problem and prepare a presentation. With the aid of a laptop per team, they can all do a highly professional job in no time, and concentrate in their learning process instead. I also allow my students to use their laptops during lecture. They need to be prepared for the job market when they go out. I keep my lectures interesting and the students respond by paying attention and participating actively. Don’t be threatened by their use of technology. Adapt as fast as you can instead.
— MR Mar 29, 10:34 PM #
The clicking alone will drive you crazy. I agree with and support professor Entman.
— charles myers Mar 30, 08:51 AM #
There is also the problem that students have been known to use the computers for email, web surfing, etc., instead of taking notes. Granted than you can day-dream or doodle your way through a class without using technology, I think Prof. Entman has a legitimate point in trying to make sure students are focused on her classroom.
— Edward Hynes Mar 30, 11:41 AM #
When i was a doc student, i had to work 40 plus hours a week, so i stopped talking notes in class because i had no time to study them and focused on learning the material right on the spot rather than POSTPONING MY LEARNING TILL LATER. All of my grad shot up to A+ and i became a really good student. now as i learning theorist, I agree with the person who commented that faculty know little about learning theory and particularly those who are techno-geeks. You will never replace the lecture, particularly the interactive socratic lecture, particularly for adult learners whose thinking needs to be shaped through cogntive apprenticeship. All of the nonsense about lectures by the techo crowd really needs to cease: focus on the learning variables not empty descriptors that mean little. Those describing their classes with technology, in my humble opinion, are really describing “lab type” classes with “projects” ...nothing wrong with them but very little cognitive apprenticeship and observing a high quality model expert thinker in the subject tends to occur in these classes with little subsequent acquistions of what Rucker calls mind tools in a subject. Prof. Entman is trying to get her students and other faculty to focus on the learning issues rather than the gadetry which a great deal of this stuff is only. I would ban notetaking in class and in fact do in mine and make my students focus on learning intensely for the time that they are there with me and their peers.
Oh, did i mention they should have read everything assigned before hand or out the door they go??
— James Carifio Mar 30, 12:00 PM #
Have the students use the laptops at a more appropriate time. Utilize the class time to engage the students in the three most important outcomes of an education … cooperative thinking / exchange of ideas, independent conclusions and god ol’ teamwork! How ‘bout post-class groups with computer-generated information. Nothing in the classroom beats looking them in the eye, while standing by them and challenging them to produce!!
— Lawrence walker Mar 30, 03:41 PM #