Apr 12, 2008 12:04 pm US/Central
U Of C Law School Blocks Web Access In Classrooms
Goal Is To Keep Students Focused On Class
CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) ―
"In order to ensure the value of the classroom experience," the University of Chicago Law School has removed Internet access in most classrooms, the school announced Friday.
School officials say the move was made in order to keep students focused on classroom discussions. The university says "many" students support the decision.
"With the implementation of wireless Internet access in Law School classrooms came better opportunities for students, who typically carry laptop computers, to be online during class—a common practice at institutions across the country," Saul Levmore, Dean of the Law School, said.
"As soon as we discovered that we had the capacity to turn off Internet access during class time, we felt that we ought to move in that direction. Our goal is to provide the best legal educational experience in the country, with students and faculty focused on the exchange of ideas in a thorough, engaging manner," Levmore said. He noted that many students have expressed support of the decision to remove wireless access in classrooms, according to a release from the university.
Levmore noted that students may overestimate their ability to multi-task during class and that some students have expressed distraction due to their peers' use of computers during class time.
"When a student visits my office, neither the student nor I would dream of surfing the web or e-mailing while communicating with one another," Levmore said. "That is the level of attention and engagement we should expect in the classroom. Our overarching goal is to have a terrific and interesting classroom experience—that is too important to allow diversions."
Some professors have already established no-computer rules during class, but since many students prefer to use laptops for note-taking, Levmore did not want to ban computers altogether, according to the release.
In a recent letter to Law School alumni, Levmore wrote, "We need to think of Internet business as inappropriate in the classroom, much as everyone recognizes the need to shut off cell phones and to refrain from ostentanious newspaper reading in class or at business meetings or at Thanksgiving dinner."
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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