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Reposted to clarify on several things.

finchbird
2010-01-17 09:32 pm UTC (link)

I go to UofM Ann Arbor, and I think it just started the optional rule of professors not allowing their students to use their laptops while in class. I have an acquaintance who complained about it because she wants to go on Facebook whenever she gets bored in class. *rolls eyes* Another girl was complaining because she records lectures on her laptop. I see the legit complaint about the latter because I use my voice recorder whenever I can't keep up when I'm writing notes down. I would type my notes in class, but I'm not that quick of a typist either.

But complaining about texting? Fuck you, you entitled asshat.

I can't wait to be a professor in part because I'm very tempted to have the policy of reading a student's text if I see him/her texting while I'm lecturing. Of course, I will warn the students not to do this on the first day or two of class. The same would apply to Twitter, Facebook, or whatever social network will be popular.

I just wouldn't completely ban laptops because a lot of people are faster at typing than writing down their notes on paper

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Re: Reposted to clarify on several things.

sequinedlizard
2010-01-17 11:26 pm UTC (link)

I'd think banning laptops could get into accessibility issues. I'd be surprised if they kept that policy standing, or at least didn't have to modify it heavily. It is distracting when students are on Facebook/Twitter/Myspace/non class thing on their laptop, because inevitably nearby students are going to start watching their laptop instead of taking their own notes.

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	Re: Reposted to clarify on several things. finchbird 2010-01-18 05:02 am UTC (link)
	I don't know the fine print of the policy, but I'm sure most of the professors wouldn't do it because laptops are vital for a lot of students. (Reply to this)(Parent)

Re: Reposted to clarify on several things.

waitwut
2010-01-17 11:57 pm UTC (link)

Wow, they're doing that? I had no idea. (I am so far outside the realm of student-related issues these days)

I think a better answer would be to allow professors, lecturers and GSI's to not allow internet access. Sure, there's always ways around the system, but it would slow down the Facebook use!

But students are always creative at screwing off in class and always have been!

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Re: Reposted to clarify on several things.

sandglass
2010-01-18 01:59 am UTC (link)

I wish my classes were more laptop friendly (tiny desks+lots of book checking=bad for laptop), because it really frustrates me how I can't get my paper notes as well organized as my typed ones.

I did have one class freshman year where using AIM in class was the only thing that kept me from murdering a neocon classmate who, among other bullshit, suggested that all Arabs and Muslims literally hated freedom and everyone who disagreed didn't understand because they hadn't been to the Middle East like him.

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	Re: Reposted to clarify on several things. sarracenia 2010-01-18 04:10 am UTC (link)
	Yeah, I have to admit that I never actually used my class notes to study before I started taking my notes on a laptop, because they were illegible, poorly organized, and filled with doodles, while my notes on the laptop were both organized and searchable, and I kept my doodles on a separate program. Not allowing laptops after I got used to that would drive me nuts. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Reposted to clarify on several things. sandglass 2010-01-18 04:26 am UTC (link)
	I occasionally get all ragey about it in class, so I'd be pretty upset if I wasn't allowed to do it based on policy. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	Re: Reposted to clarify on several things. snarkhunter 2010-01-20 01:23 am UTC (link)
	Some professors prefer not to be recorded, unless it's for accessibility reasons, because it gets into intellectual property and other similar issues. It just creeps me out, personally. But I don't do big lecture classes, so. And if I did do big lectures, I'd probably go quite slowly so that my students could stay caught up. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	Re: Reposted to clarify on several things. finchbird 2010-01-20 06:52 pm UTC (link)
	Ahh, I totally forgot about that. A very legitimate reason. I think as long as my students don't play back my lectures to me (I hate hearing my voice recorded), I'd be fine about it. (Reply to this)(Parent)

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