This semester, two of my professors have instituted bans on using laptops or tablets to take notes. Binghamton University should ban this practice, as it results in an overreach of a professor’s authority over students, takes away agency from students to determine which note-taking style is best for them and disadvantages disabled students — even those who are able to get accommodations.
Professors generally have two main arguments to back up this draconian policy: computers are distracting, and students don’t remember typed notes as well as they remember handwritten notes. When using a computer for school, it’s tempting to open up social media or a video game when you’re supposed to be taking notes. This can cause a student to miss out on important information. However, if a student allows themselves to become distracted, it’s their own problem, not the professor’s. It’s not fair to ban all students from using computers just because a few are prone to distraction. Students who make the choice to use computers for non-school-related reasons while in the classroom will realize the results of their actions when it comes time to take an exam or submit a paper, and they do not need professors to tell them that they should be taking notes.
In addition to computers having the potential to distract the user, some professors believe that computers are distracting to the students around them. Personally, I don’t care if other students are distracted by my preferred method of note-taking. That’s not my problem. It should not be incumbent upon me to change my style of learning just because other students can’t stay focused.
The most common reason for computer bans is the argument that writing by hand is better for memorization. Since it’s more difficult to write down the lecture verbatim, students who take handwritten notes are forced to think about what the instructor says. Some professors who allow computers may still discourage them for this reason. A common piece of evidence that professors use to back up this claim is one study conducted in 2014 that other scholars have not been able to successfully replicate. The fact that the study cannot be replicated means that the results of the first study may not be statistically significant. Despite its lack of replicability, this study has garnered a considerable amount of popularity, inspiring numerous op-eds about how technology is a detriment to learning. The study has also been cited in academic literature over 1,200 times. The reason that so many professors cite this as a reason to ban technology is a classic case of confirmation bias. For years they have believed that technology is bad for learning, so when one small study came out to provide a bit of evidence, they acted as if it was a proven fact, ignoring basic scientific principles such as the importance of replicability. What message does it send to students about the importance of interpreting research correctly when education professionals are using a single, disreputable study as the basis for changing the entire classroom learning environment? Even if the original study’s findings were an undisputed fact, it doesn’t justify bans on a student using a tablet and smart pen, as that involves same mechanisms as writing by hand.
Bans on computer use disadvantage the majority of students who usually take notes on their computer, but they disadvantage students with disabilities who need to use computers the most. It’s possible for any student to obtain permission to use a computer if they have an academic accommodation. However, this means that in a classroom where the professor has instituted a ban, a student using a computer will be singled out, and their use of a computer lets everyone know that they have a disability. Having a disability is not something that students need to be ashamed of, but they deserve the right to keep that information private if they choose to do so. Even if a student does not have a disability that requires a laptop or tablet, if they believe a computer will help them, they should be able to use it. We are adults, and we know what works best for us and our own learning style. Allowing professors to dictate how students must learn undermines our agency and our status as adult learners, and creates an atmosphere where professors are able to overstep boundaries into a student’s personal learning strategy.
Deana Ridenhour is a sophomore double-majoring in history and philosophy, politics and law.