Laptops in Classrooms as a Means of Learning Hindrance and Distraction

1628 Words4 Pages

During the last decades, laptops have become standard learning tools in university and college classrooms. Since today’s students’ are high-technology demanding and tech savvy, laptops manufacturers and engineers are constantly thinking of unique ways to design their products. With advanced functions and specifications, laptops can do various activities and educational tasks for students. Also, as technology advances, yesterday’s laptops are less expensive compared to today’s and tomorrow’s which allows every student to afford a laptop. However, educational institutions are concern about whether laptops in class hinder or facilitate students’ learning. Overtime, new technology and devices have been noticed to weaken student performance in class, especially laptops. Laptops have posed problems to student learning by offering opportunities to do non-course-related activities in class and causes inefficient note-taking with health risks and teachers are misguided on how to effectively equip them in lectures. As laptops are increasingly used, student learning regresses in classrooms. This inverse relationship has caused educational institutes to support banning laptops from the classroom so that they can have a better approach in assisting students learning.

Technology is always increasing to make devices more automated, optimized and distributed. This means that technology advancing towards easier, faster and widely available devices for people. Laptops can perform some educational tasks; however, advances to technology have prevented students to use laptops as an effective learning tool in class. One advancement that hinders learning would be Wi-Fi networks that provide internet access in classrooms. The University of Western ...

... middle of paper ...

... March 2011.

http://www.mcla.edu/Academics/uploads/textWidget/3424.00018/documents/laptop_use_in_the_classroom.pdf

Kransic, Toni, “Pen and Paper Note Taking in Classrooms has Outlived its Usefulness.” PRWeb:

Online Visibility from Vocus [Alexandria/Virginia]. 15 September 2010. Web. 28 March 2011. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/09/prweb4494944.htm

Laptop. Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation. 3 Apr. 2011. Web. 1 Apr. 2011.

Raulston, Cathering G, and Vivian H. Wright. “Teachers’ Perceptions and Attitudes of One

Teacher Laptop initiative: Connections Towards 21st Century Learning.” Meridan Middle School Computer Technologies Journal. 13.1 (2010). Web. 27 March 2011.

http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/review/winter2010/raulston/print.html

Warschauer, Mark. Laptops and Literacy: Learning in the Wireless Classroom. New York:

Teachers College Press, 2007. Print.

Open Document