As noted here from time to time, some colleges and universities require students to possess personal laptops when they enroll. Some schools even provide them for all entering freshmen. Most recently, Apple's new iPad is also attracting attention, since such a device could be practical as a replacement for traditional textbooks.
Increasingly, however, professors are banning laptop use in the classroom. The instructors simply don't want to compete with Internet browsing, shopping, checking e-mail, Instant Messaging, Twittering, and Facebook. Especially Facebook.
Some schools are finding ways to choke off the Internet in classrooms, but students are reportedly devising ways to circumvent whatever firewalls the various IT departments have erected. Some students believe it is a violation of their rights to ban laptops, and simply say that teachers should be more interesting if they are losing the competition for attention.
A recent segment on National Public Radio explores the issue. Here's the link.
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