Every time I see a story like this one I cringe.
Inside Higher Ed :: Laptops’ Educational Value Questioned
A study at Carnegie Mellon University of sophomore classes in its School of Design has found that using laptops changes the way students work — but not all of those changes are positive. Among the positive findings: Students spent more time on assignment.
By this point, everybody in the class should see the flaw here. Without seeing the entire study, I may be over-reacting, but this study appears badly flawed because it’s drawing conclusions about the efficacy of technology based on how students are using it. There is no mention of how it has been implemented! If the students are required to have a laptop, but the coursework has not been designed in a way that having and using a laptop enhances the course, then the study is really meaningless.
Substitute the word “textbook” for “laptop” and consider if we were in the process of implementing textbooks into the classroom. Now read the last sentence …
Among other findings, however, were that the longer hours spent working didn’t translate into better quality of work, and that students were more likely to be isolated and working alone.
If we were doing the same things with texts — asking students to buy them and have them but not actually implementing their use in class — then that sentence might well apply to textbooks as well.
Socrates is alive and well in the Academy.