After a decade of adding technology to the classroom, students asking for a laptop ban sent me on a journey of discovery. After a literature review of existing research and a semester of a no-tech policy, I found less tech, not more increases student engagement and learning. Despite more than a dozen studies over the last decade detailing the negative learning effects of laptops in the classroom, the majority of faculty believe that laptop use in class increases learning. I highlight the research findings, explain my experience with the new policy, and provide suggestions on how to attempt your own.
AagaardJ. (2015). Drawn to distraction: A qualitative study of off-task use of educational technology. Computers & Education, 87, 90–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.03.010
DemirbilekM.TalanT. (2018). The effect of social media multitasking on classroom performance. Active Learning in Higher Education, 19(2), 117–129. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787417721382
GuptaN.IrwinJ. D. (2016). In-class distractions: The role of Facebook and the primary learning task. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 1165–1178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.10.022
7.
HallA. C. G.LineweaverT. T.HoganE. E.O’BrienS. W. (2020). On or off-task: The negative influence of laptops on neighboring students’ learning depends on how they are used. Computers & Education, 153, 103901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103901
8.
HernandezD.KushlevK. (2019, May20). How smartphones sabotage your brain’s ability to focus. Wall Street Journal. YouTube.com. https://youtu.be/Ig6I3prnlnE
JametE.GonthierC.CojeanS.ColliotT.ErhelS. (2020). Does multitasking in the classroom affect learning outcomes? A naturalistic study. Computers in Human Behavior, 106, 106264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2020.106264
11.
KraushaarJ. M.NovakD. C. (2010). Examining the effects of student multitasking with laptops during the lecture. Journal of Information Systems Education, 21(2), 241–251.
MuellerP. A.OppenheimerD. M. (2014). The pen is mightier than the keyboard: Advantages of longhand over laptop note taking. Psychological Science, 25(6), 1159–1168. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797614524581
14.
PattersonR. W.PattersonR. M. (2017). Computers and productivity: Evidence from laptop use in the college classroom. Economics of Education Review, 57, 66–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econedurev.2017.02.004
15.
SanaF.WestonT.CepedaN. J. (2013). Laptop multitasking hinders classroom learning for both users and nearby peers. Computers & Education, 62, 24–31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.10.003
16.
WammesJ. D.RalphB. C. W.MillsC.BoschN.DuncanT. L.SmilekD. (2019). Disengagement during lectures: Media multitasking and mind wandering in university classrooms. Computers & Education, 132, 76–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.12.007
17.
WurstC.SmarkolaC.GaffneyM. A. (2008). Ubiquitous laptop usage in higher education: Effects on student achievement, student satisfaction, and constructivist measures in honors and traditional classrooms. Computers & Education, 51(4), 1766–1783. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2008.05.006
