194. Leave Laptops at the Door?

On multiple occasions I have cringed upon hearing frustrated faculty exclaim, "I am going to ban laptops from my classroom!" 

Then I read this article by Mark Edmundson:  Dwelling in Possibilities.  I'm rethinking things.  There might be a place for the laptop ban. 

If you are an educator you owe it to yourself to read this article.  This is the most insightful piece on today's college student that I have read to date. 

No, I don't think it would be wise for all college teachers to ban laptops in class.  And for those who do, it would be a mistake to "cop out" of an educator's responsibility to keep current with 21st century life, including the technologies that shape the young people we teach.

Comments

[Brian Wohlgemuth]

I understand trying to build a educational construct, but people learn differently. While I may have an IM session open in class, I probably have a text window open taking notes, and a browser googling what you (as a prof) are talking about.

[Chalupa]

I think the author of the article has a lot of good things to say. I almost foresee other professors reading this to just want to get rid of laptops because the author is, as you said Gary. I think computers are another tool in the classroom that can be properly and improperly used - just like PowerPoint, TurningPoint, overhead transparencies and even the chalkboard.

[Andy Rowell]

Outstanding article. I blogged about it at:

Should you use technology to reach young adults or offer them something wholly different?

http://www.andyrowell.net/andy_rowell/2008/03/should-you-use.html

[Shawn Denny]

This was a fascinating article, but I found his observations about the current generation being "possibility junkies" was far more interesting than any other aspect. It really changes the way you would think about your students and their goals in college.

[Palmer Muntz]

I agreed with Andy that the "possibility" angle here rang very true. Today's high school and college students hate to commit to anything . . . something better might come along so you better keep your options open.