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Professor Bans Laptops from the Classroom
An anonymous reader writes "USAToday is reporting that students are up in arms over a University of Memphis Professor who has decided to ban laptops from her classroom. Earlier this month Professor Entman sent an email warning to her students to bring paper and pens to take notes and leave the laptops at home. From the article: '"My main concern was they were focusing on trying to transcribe every word that was I saying, rather than thinking and analyzing," Entman said Monday. "The computers interfere with making eye contact. You've got this picket fence between you and the students."'"
Requiring students to actually show up to class?
Innovation makes enemies of all those who prospered under the old regime... -- Machiavelli
Since Students were not making eye contact while taking notes, she emailed them again, stating pencils and pens are now banned also.
-- I Dont Deserve A Sig I Have Bad Karma
The professor announced that his next step was to ban all the paper and pencils in the class.
"My main concern was they were focusing on trying to transcribe every word that was I saying, rather than thinking and analyzing, The notebooks interfere with making eye contact. You've got this picket fence between you and the students. Even since paper and writing was invented teaching has been hindered. I propose that we abolish the alphabet once and for all"
I've had professors that don't like laptops, and probably a few that have stated no laptops in their syllabi. Why didn't they make the news? I'm in the middle of a class right now (although a 10 minute break), and I can say that this is more distracting then it is useful during a lecture. I typically only use it for notes (except for really boring classes), but I rarely see anyone just using a laptop for just notes, if at all..... If she was saying "blah blah, you can't come in the room with a laptop in your bag. if you do, you are not allowed in class" I could see why this is a story, but this is stupid. Teacher likes students paying attention. Now I will return to class due to the professors glare...
In undeveloped countries, the consumer controls the market. In capitalist America, the market controls you.
1. people spending time on slashdot and blogs instead of paying attention. ...
2. people spending time on email and IM instead of paying attention.
3.
4. profit!
Seriously, though, since most courses are podcast nowadays and have the slides presentation on the web, students having to not use their laptops is not a serious problem, especially since many classrooms at university/college are wired.
Well, at least they are here. We even use these clicker things where you answer multiple choice so the prof can see if the students grok what's being taught, or should spend more time on an area. Much more fun than a pop quiz.
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
Excellent point. Did they teach you false analogies at University or did you do outside research?
Many people don't realize how annoying it is for the teacher to keep on talking while you are trying to see the pron on the laptop two rows ahead.
You're wasting your time on
</reminder>
If you think imaginary property and real property are the same, when does your house become public domain?
remind them there's a actual world outside Cyberspace.
LIAR!
The daystar! It BURNS us!
sig?
I've got way better things to do with my time than pay somebody for the ability to grind. Except a good call girl of course!
"notegivingis the process of passing material from the professor's page to that of the students without passing through either brain."
if professors could just learn to hold classes in WoW.
How many of you are in a lecture hall or class right now?
THIS IS A BLOODY OUTRAGE!!!!! HOW DARE SHE?!!?!? How will the students access AIM and facebook during lecture without laptops? Laptops are a VITAL component of the college classroom experience. Good job, professor. Typing makes too much noise anyway