top the lap ban

... a law professor in the US who has instituted a 'lap top ban' for her classes, in the belief that they detract from the learning/pedagogical experience. Kerr has a full explanation from the Law Prof of the policy, and a long, interesting comment thread with some academics but many, many students chiming in on their views of the policy and the role of laptops in law school classroom.

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I've often wondered about the possibility of taking 'moments' in class - where you want the students to focus on solving a particular problem, or to think about the application - of asking students to put their screens down for some limited period. In the right circumstances, it could work. But I've not tried it yet.

-- Banning Laptops from Law School classrooms via Weatherall's Law

Weird. I always felt like a total fucking tool when I used my laptop in my law classes... even when I was external and thus surrounded by mature, working students. I would be the only student in a class of 30 with a laptop. This was 2003-2004. How things have changed, eh?

Personally, I like Kim's idea but think it should be just a 'drop pens' rule. "We are going to drop pens, not take any notes, and just talk, ok?"

Anywho. Back to scheduling. Hmm. Work on a Sunday afternoon.