For most students, internet access is available with a few clicks on their laptops’ touchpads. Although this offers many benefits for students outside of the classroom, it creates more distractions inside the classroom, senior lecturer Steve Krahnke said.
“Doing stuff on your computer other than coursework is just being a jerk,” he said.
Krahnke said he implements a policy that keeps students from using their computers for anything other than taking notes. If students are seen using the internet, they will be marked absent, he said.
Krahnke said he recognizes some students prefer taking notes on their computers, so he allows them to make that choice. However, he said he encourages students to write their notes by hand because of the temptation social media causes.
“I’m not anti-technology. I just think there are consequences,” he said. “I do think there are very strong negatives and fewer positives.”
The policy in Krahnke’s courses are implemented to limit distractions for students using their computers and students sitting around them. If a student is willing to risk being marked absent to use the internet, that is their choice, but potentially distracting other students is not a choice he allows them to make, he said.
Although Krahnke said he understands students think multitasking is not going to harm their comprehension of course material because it doesn’t affect them immediately, he said it typically backfires on them later.
“Although it can be more efficient to type, I actually find that when I’m in meetings and things now, I still use paper and pencil,” associate professor Andrew Weaver said. “I can sketch things out, I can draw connections and think visually much more effectively on paper.”
Weaver said if he were a student today, he would use pencil and paper. However, he does not have a policy against students using computers or the internet in his courses because he said he thinks it can be useful for students to have web access.
“If we’re talking about a particular issue, then students can find background information on that issue or find examples online and bring those up and talk about them,” he said.
Weaver said allowing students to access the internet can present problems because it is so easy for students to get distracted. When Weaver has had guest lecturers, he said he will sit in the back and see students on social media, shopping or even playing video games.
“My personal sort of philosophy is that it’s up to the individual student what they want to do with their time,” he said.
Senior Valerie Friberg said she doesn’t mind when professors have a policy against students using their computers because it allows her to focus on the course material and not be distracted by other students.
“I look at other people’s computers a lot to see what they’re doing,” senior Valerie Friberg said. “It’s for sure distracting if they’re not taking notes and are on Facebook or something.”
