Like I said above, what students do to themselves is regrettable, but their choice. However, if they’re on their phones and or laptops going other places in my small discussion classes, that affects the class experience.
And surfing even in a lecture hall distracts other students, even if they don’t think it’s a problem…
Yes, but on another thread here on CC, posters ask why a professor would accept a test average of 50%. Because it is the professor’s fault. See, you can’t have it both ways. Maybe that professor had a lot of students who did not pay attention and looked at their electronics. And then he gets the blame because his class did poorly. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
^I’d like that ten times over if I could!
I wanted to ban electronics for years, but was hesitant for many of the reasons above. Then two things happened:
(1) I found out one of the faculty in the Executive MBA program banned electronics.
(2) During a high-level, week-long seminar for faculty, taught by brilliant scholars, attended by cutting edge minds, I found myself reconstructing the lost constitution of a professional organization.
If Executive MBAs and senior faculty can’t stay focused with a laptop in front of them, what do you think happens to undergraduates? I have rules against electronics on my syllabus.
way back in college days, i found it very distracting sitting next to a person with laptop clicking away while listening to micro biology lecture so i moved immediately the next day. No issues since there was open seat farther away.
As long as the instructor allows for accommodations that don’t force a student to stand out - one of my kids has severe dysgraphia and auditory processing disorder. Keeping him from using electronics would be disastrous. He needs a keyboard AND a smart pen. The keyboard for quick notes, the smart pen to record and use when a keyboard wont work (math, diagrams, etc.)
Debate of every college and high school student in the country, personally i dont understand what the big deal is. As a student you should understand what type or types of note taking strategies best work for you. Example anything in math or science i always take notes by hand and then retype them after into my laptop in order to help me process and better understand the class. Anything related to lets say politcal science, writing, english, i relied on taking notes on my laptop. I absolutely hate the fact some professor think they have a right on deciding if electronics are allowed. If i prefer laptop notes thats on me, if i pass that’s on me. One proffesor had the nerve to say we couldn’t use E-book on a $200 book that could be found for like $60 online. I hear all the time about studies this studies that, understand every type of study has exceptions.
It would be nice to use a digital pen to write on a thin tablet then let the software converts to print characters or just leave the image in the original writing.
At my school, you actually need a documented disability to be allowed to have a computer in class. It does seem to work for people who take notes, and sometimes when professors post PowerPoint slides online, students will have the slides open on their computer so they can follow along.
But to be brutally honest, I have seen the vast majority of students who use a computer in class use them for time-wasting purposes (intermittently, i.e., they’ll go back to the appropriate tab when there’s something important to write down or we’re moving to the next slide). I’ve never seen anyone completely use their computer to waste time, but people do it often enough that it’s distracting.
I understand your point I see It all the time, don’t understand how you can get distracted by other people since 10/10 times there is no sound so as long as you can focus you should be fine. My point in this is how the professors get to decide, you know.
@raulhumber2 Meh, I guess that’s ADD for you. Especially if they’re playing a game or something I can easily lose focus by watching them. But I suppose that’s my own problem.
Porn doesn’t need sound, lol.
lmfaoo ^ @sylvan8798 you had to go there lols, well played.
Oh no. Don’t tell me people actually do that in class… that’s just… no, please no.
I know there were people who used to use bandwidth for that at my HS when they got the password.
Thankfully Netflix was the more common problem.
@kiddie I have to chuckle at “and it was a huge class with like 100 students.” Not a SUNY Center I am guessing.
You can get distracted in any way and by any means. Before they were just sleeping, pretending they are looking into a book.
University is the place were we get prepared for life. In life you get tones of distractions, like while doing research for work getting stuck on a forum 
or in facebook. Another precious lesson to learn!
I vote for computers in school - great learning process enhancement!
What do you mean high school classes aren’t free? Public high school is the last free education offered to everyone in the US. @sylvan8798
I think sylvan was trying to make a statement about taxes etc.
If it is an accommodation, the student might stand out. If only students with accommodations are allowed to use computers or other equipment, the student who uses the computer is going to noticeably be receiving an accommodation.