A bit of my thoughts on the matter.

By Hayden Peets, Staff Writer

Imagine yourself in your first class of the day.  The person sitting next to you is on his phone, browsing social media, and you are on your laptop, taking notes on Microsoft Word. The professor calls out the person sitting next to you, asking him to put his phone away. The professor then proceeds to call you out as well, asking you to put your laptop away even though you’re using it for class.

We all have probably found ourselves in similar situations throughout our years of education.  While it’s understandable that most professors ban the use of cellular devices during their classes, it’s also important to take into account the differences between using a phone and using a laptop and the benefits certain students can reap from using laptops in class.

First, it’s important to understand that not all professors ban the use of laptops during their classes. Some professors might always permit laptops. Others require that students request permission first.  

But not all professors permit the use of laptops in their classrooms, and to me that is unreasonable.  

Some students (like me) find themselves to be slow writers on paper and prefer to write notes down on a laptop because it’s quicker, which can help them to pay attention in class since they’re spending less time writing down information. Other students might prefer to use them to research information about a class topic or to look up the definition to a term that confused them. There are many other reasons why students prefer to use laptops in the classroom, but these examples showcase why laptops can be useful.

All devices are used for different purposes, and laptops are far more situated for the classroom than phones are. Laptops, especially among college students, are used more frequently for educational and professional purposes than phones are, which is why I think it’s important for professors, as well as students, to acknowledge these differences.

Laptops, just like any other technological device, should be viewed as a tool. They can be used for benefit or for disdain, and that principle is no different in the classroom. Students should be trusted to use their laptops in a way that benefits them and the rest of the class. They should at most be required to explain their purpose and intention of using a laptop in class to their professor.  

Rather than limit it, the gift of technology should be used to further our educational journeys and our future careers.