Shut off the internet

Laptops in class can be really annoying.

Let’s face it: No matter how hard you’re trying to pay attention to the professor, if the person in front of you is on Facebook or Popeater or Tetris, your attention is going to be drawn to whatever he or she is doing.

Quite frankly, it’s rude. If you’re not interested in paying attention during class, don’t come. You’re a distraction for the rest of us, and you’re probably annoying the professor.

During the last few years, professors across campus have taken steps to control this problem by banning laptops in class altogether.

That’s not the right way to go about it.

Those of us who don’t use computers in class anyway might breathe a sigh of relief because that particular distraction will be taken away, but for some, it screws up their studying style.

I’ve always been faster at scribbling notes by hand, but many people prefer — and are better at — typing notes instead. Some people have the lecture up on their laptops as well, so when the professor goes too fast, they can still have time to get everything down and spell strange names reasonably well. Some have copies of the reading pulled up, so they don’t have to print out a hundred pages every week just to have it handy in class.

There are completely valid, non-Internet reasons to have laptops in class.

A couple of my professors who have banned laptops have explicitly stated that they don’t want people on Facebook, but if anyone has a way to prevent this but still allow computers, they would be open to it.

The University of Chicago Law School has the solution: Switch off the Internet during class time.

In 2008, Dean Saul Levmore ordered that the Internet be switched off during class time after several professors banned laptops from class to prevent students from goofing off.

It was an unpopular decision with some students, but those who were constantly distracted by their neighbors’ visits to Perez applauded the decision.

I think IU should take this up.

Obviously, it’s not a good idea for all classes — some professors actively make use of the Internet as part of the lesson throughout class. And it won’t stop the goofing off entirely — you don’t need Internet access to play solitaire.

IU should at least look into taking this measure. Talk to professors; talk to UITS. How much would it cost? Can it be done at the individual classroom level so each professor can choose whether to have it or not? Would it really benefit the overall classroom experience?

I believe the answer to the last question is yes. Is it the biggest deal in the world to drag your attention away from the guy in front of you on Facebook? No, but as more and more professors are banning laptops in class because of the distractions to other students, it’s worth looking into. This is the technology age, and students should be allowed to use their computers in class to facilitate the learning experience.

I sympathize with the professors who decide they have no choice but to ban computers completely, but there has got to be a better way. Students should be able to use their computers in class. Not for Facebook, not for Tetris, but for learning.

Of course, the problem would be solved entirely if people could tear themselves away from Internet surfing for 75 minutes. Some people can check their e-mail in class and get good grades. Some who are not so talented are going to have trouble during midterms. With more and more professors making attendance an important part of the grade, it is unlikely that students who are bored in lectures are going to just stay home.

It’s even less likely that the majority of people surfing the web during class will decide to stop.

If there is to be a solution, it has to come from the top. At least looking into the situation could benefit classrooms immensely.


E-mail: hanns@indaina.edu