Laptops and Learning

I bet you're wondering where I'll go with this one. Truth is, that laptops run my life: I type on one so much, that I try to limit my usage to at home only-- seems weird since laptops are supposed to be known for their portability. But, the reality is that laptops really irritate me: I hate them. They distract me from my ever-growing pile of readings, which is the centre of my university life --not Facebook or Blogger.

As someone who has enough problems concentrating, Facebook is the worst thing ever to be able to cruise during class. This is one small reason why I no longer bring my laptop to classes. Although, let me make it clear that there are professors who ruin my life by having intense lectures during which I am scrambling to write down everything that exits their mouth. I find it difficult, yes, to keep up with some lectures without a laptop. But that's a minor inconvenience compared to not being able to pay attention.

I also find that by actually writing things down, I remember more. Some people may not experience this, but I can tell you now I've read a study here and there stating something about people not being able to retain as much information from computer screens: we're not quite adapted yet. here's a little bit of what I looked at over time.

But, simply put: it's not just about information, it's about experience. Learning is an engaged conversation with professors and other students: having a laptop in front of you creates a barrier behind which you can hide and creep people on Facebook. You're not nearly as attentive as you would be with a piece of paper in front of you, and when you're not copying a few things down, you're ready to take it all in.

So why ban laptops in classrooms? Clearly not having one of my own in the classroom has helped me a lot, but it is the impact of other laptops in my line of sight that is the nightmare. As I said before, I have a hard time concentrating as it is, and when I can see someone on Facebook or flipping back between MSN messenger and MS Word between major lecture points, my eyes glaze over and I'm lost.

I truly believe that laptops make lectures accessible to a lot of people who have mediocre or slow handwriting skills; but it is that impact that these devices have on others, as well as the silent effects the laptops have on their users (repetitive strain injuries, computer eyesight problems) which should be taken into consideration when discussing the pros and cons of a ban.

Some would argue that banning laptops would be a step backwards in terms of the technology era. Well, to that I would counter-argue this: when are we actually paying attention to what we're doing? We're constantly texting, writing, talking, listening, thinking about a whole plethora of things at once: we need our entire brain to comprehend what is going on in a lecture. We can't retain or actually educate ourselves when we're typing to our friend two rows back about how awkward the professor's shirt looks today.
The bankable model of education from Bell Hooks tells us that we simply absorb and regurgitate information in the usual model of education (which is why formal exams are useless) and it is the critical engagement that we experience in seminar and in experiential classes that actually allows us to learn. A laptop only stimulates this bankable model: we only pay attention to key points, or even type everything they say; we end up with all this information to sort through and memorize at a later date, to regurgitate in an exam at an even later date.

This, this is the fallout of education. Or lack thereof. Laptops don't make classrooms that much more accessible, they don't help you all that much in a lecture environment, and they certainly do not belong in a seminar. I fully advocate for Laurier to ban laptops from senior level classes to start. At least, at the bare minimum, let professors ban these devices at their discretion.