Laptops in the Classroom: Learning Tool or Time Waster?
One of the more popular questions on the various law school tours I attended while choosing a law school concerned the use of laptops in class. Whenever I had the good fortune to sit in on a class, the majority of the students in attendance were busily tapping away on their laptops, seemingly engrossed in every word spoken by the professor. Prior to law school, I had made the decision to go paperless (as much as possible) at work and in life, mostly because it’s much simpler to organize everything electronically but also as part of an attempt to be green. Consequently, the decision to maintain that philosophy during my law school career by using my laptop to take notes was a simple one.
While my year as a 1L labored on, I learned that not everyone was using their laptops as I had thought while on those admissions tours. Sitting in the back of my Contracts class (due to an unfortunate first day room reassignment), I found that many of my classmates were using their laptops for a myriad of other activities. By far the most common alternate use was e-mail and instant messaging. Now, don’t get me wrong – I’ve done my share of sneaking a quick look at my e-mail or IMing with classmates about in-class issues. However, I’ve found people playing games from solitaire to first-person shooters, browsing Facebook, and my favorite – shopping for clothes, shoes and lingerie.
I’ve found that organizing my outlines on my laptop using OneNote has made studying for exams significantly easier than re-organizing a ton of partially illegible handwritten notes. Some professors disagree. In fact, my Constitutional Law professor considered revoking our laptop privileges halfway through the semester as an experiment to determine if laptop non-use would generate an exam score bump. (I attribute the proposal to a fall classroom observer in the back of the room that was likely appalled with all the Victoria’s Secret research going on.) Luckily, we were able to convince her to burden her class of bright-eyed 1Ls rather than us oppressed 2Ls.
My advice to all the 0Ls trying to cut through the noise of their summer prep is to absolutely use a
laptop to organize your law school life. I truly believe that if done properly, it will give you an edge. On the other hand, with great power comes great responsibility – don’t be that guy (or girl) making trades in your fantasy football league: use your laptop to record class notes, review cases/annotations and perform short amounts of research relevant to your class discussion. If you have to do a quick e-mail check in between topics, so be it, but save your gaming and online shopping for later.
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i completely agree. laptops in the classroom are very powerful, but can be used for good and for bad.
i’ve had a couple professors who were so paranoid about laptop misuse that they were banned in class. what that experience taught me is that laptops don’t distract people; they give distracted people something to do. take the laptops away and the students doodle, pass notes, read newspapers, and good ol’ daydreaming.
attentive students are attentive with or without a laptop, and the same is true for students that don’t care. a good professor can make a big difference, but it’s impossible to keep everyone riveted. laptops are just a scapegoat.
don’t hate the player, hate the game.
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I agree with the above commenter. I’m an avid laptop user in class, but I use them much like you do — I organize my notes and take comfort that I will easily be able to keep up with the pace of class while synthesizing information without worrying that my notes will later be illegible.
However, the young woman sitting in front of me in Con Law this past semester never took a single note on hers. She was always shopping or IMing. I’m always shocked that people spend that much time not paying attention in a class they’re paying so much to attend.
I think using a laptop is just like everything else in law school — you get out what you put in.
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Jon Bartelson Reply:
July 8th, 2009 at 5:38 am
@Charles, @Erin: Absolutely. I suspect my ConLaw professor would have seen a small jump in the mean exam score at the end of the year, but probably nothing significant. I believe the benefits of free laptop use far outweigh the potential costs of distractions.
It’s really about what you make of the situation. Alternative uses are only distracting if you let them be :)
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My law school days are now behind me but I used my laptop nonstop during class. My eCasebriefs were on my laptop allowing me to access all cases from the semester and search them instantaneously. Obviously Google comes in handy when random stuff comes up. I would IM my clasmates to discuss finer points or seek clarification.
I don’t mean to sound holier than thou… I checked email, IMed about BS, and tracked the latest scores. I really feel like the pros GREATLY outweigh a few minor distractions though.
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Jon Bartelson Reply:
July 8th, 2009 at 5:42 am
@Phil: I realize my post may come off a little preachy (sorry) But, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t keep at least a loose handle on Red Sox games through the first half of the fall semester. :)
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I started using my laptop my second semester of my 1L year, and it really benefited me once I figured out I had onenote. It is an amazing program, nothing like being able to instantly outline your class as you close in on finals.
But on another note, there is nothing like being able to be passive-aggressive by constantly updating your ‘feed’ with your peers on facebook or twitter or a blog, some things should never be said about other students, orally.
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[...] Bartelson over at Legal Geekery has a great post up on an age-old law school problem: laptops. It’s a battle as old as, well, laptops. On the one side are students who believe technology [...]
[...] Bartelson over at Legal Geekery has a great post up on an age-old law school problem: laptops. It’s a battle as old as, well, laptops. On the one side are students who believe technology [...]
Oops, should have added great post! Waiting for the next one!
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Maybe I’m the only one willing to admit to my horrible laptop habits. I never used a laptop in school before law school began. As my attention drifted in class, so did my mouse. I always made sure to keep a window open for notes, but I often had my Google Reader open, not to mention an IM client.
Part of the way through the first semester of my second year, I gave the laptop up. With the exception of an advanced research class which required laptop use, I ditched it completely. My grades improved and so did my comprehension. However, this is more because of my personal inability to stay on task.
In my opinion, banning laptops is ludicrous. Law students aren’t five year olds. If we are going to make mistakes and do dumb stuff (such as, in my case, occasionally reading comics on my computer) then let us do dumb stuff. In most facets, the legal career and law school are survival of the fittest. The curve re-enforces that. So professors shouldn’t try to even the playing field by making easily-distracted people like myself stay on task.
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Jon Bartelson Reply:
August 6th, 2009 at 11:44 am
@Josh,
I agree 100%. I was pleased that my ConLaw professor was persuaded by our arguments to continue allowing laptop use in-class, despite the bit of misuse that was occurring.
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[...] Laptops in the Classroom: Learning Tool or Time Waster? Published August 19, 2009 Science & Technology , law school Leave a Comment Laptops in the Classroom: Learning Tool or Time Waster?. [...]
[...] Laptops in the Classroom: Learning Tool or Time Waster?: Many law school students bring their laptops to class. Find out whether they’ll be a good note-taking tool or just a distraction. [...]
I agree with you on using one note to take lecture notes and keep track. Professors seriously need to get with the present and future.
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