Laptop v. Learning

Professor Cole of Georgetown law raised some interesting questions when he banned the use of laptops from his classroom. At first, I did not agree with his decision. Although Cole argues that note-taking via the computer asks the student to be more of a stenographer than a note-taker, I find that this may be a generational gap. As a student who grew up with word processors, I find that I can take notes on the computer, and still manage to prioritize and process the information.

While I did disagree with Cole's assessment concerning note taking, I do agree that the availability of internet in the classroom can be detrimental. Cole found through a survey that 95% of his students used their laptops for purposes other than note taking. So far in this class, I have felt the temptation of Internet use, and can understand the decision that Cole made.