And school has never been better

LILY ANDERSON / ASST. OPINION EDITOR

In a world where technology is involved in nearly every aspect of our lives, it   makes   sense that it would dominate classrooms as well. As early as fourth grade, my school   required that we use ThinkPad   computers for our notetaking and class work. In high school, iPads were similarly required. When COVID-19 hit, every student spent their school day in front of a screen for months, in some cases, even years. Integrating technology into classrooms appears to be a no-brainer. Laptops make taking notes fast and organized, and many textbooks are provided virtually. Sites like “Quizlet” and “Kahoot!” turn learning into an interactive game and PowerPoint allows teachers to plan their lectures. 

At first glance, including technology in education appears to be the most beneficial  option. However, I question if that is really true. While  technology may make learning easier in some cases, it ultimately takes away from learning because it draws the students out of the classroom and into their own little bubble. 

Technology  is  a distraction  for    both   yourself and for those  around    you. I   often  catch my classmates  scrolling through Pinterest or shopping  sites and end up quickly  closing out my notes   to  follow  suit. If  I   manage   to avoid   going  down the  rabbit  hole of outfit inspiration, I’ll spend the whole   55   minutes    texting my mom and doing homework for other classes instead. 

According to an article published by Baylor University titled “Teaching Without Technology,” “even when students know they are being monitored, they use the internet for non-learning-related activities.” Technology appears   to   be  an unavoidable  distraction, and  as  much as I love scrolling through the web during a tedious lecture, this is not a strong academic choice or a good way to spend my time. 

However, things have taken an unexpected turn this semester. Three of my professors do not allow laptops in class and two of them avoid PowerPoint entirely. Instead, they just use the whiteboard to highlight any key points. 

At first, I was a little upset  by  this news. I am very accustomed to taking notes on my laptop. I appreciate that   I can  write  quicker, use  spell check and stay very organized. Sometimes, I feel like my handwritten notes are   chaotic  and   hard   to look  back on. I was also upset that  I simply could not  use my technology. After spending  a lot of money on a computer, I would like to be able to use it. Lastly, I was also concerned about the lack of PowerPoint. Being able to access class slides makes it much easier to review information or get caught up if you happen to miss a day of class. 

Despite this wariness, I decided to accept my new tech-free classrooms. I went to  Target, bought some notebooks  and nice pens, and    left  all of  my   technology tucked away.  To my surprise, I quickly adapted to  these  changes, and   have  grown to  absolutely love them. Now, I dread the moments that I have to pull out my computer to look something up or do research because I can instantly feel myself becoming less focused or engaged. 

These tech-free classes are some of the most outgoing and energetic classes I have ever attended. I am friends with those who sit around me, engage in conversation with my peers and participate in class discussions. I find myself  becoming  excited for classes and lectures, which is not  how I have always felt. Since I am looking at my professors and those around me instead of at a screen for the entirety of the class, I feel as though I am more connected to everyone, and that people care about what I have to say. 

Research has also shown that PowerPoint is not as helpful to students as it may seem. As explained in “Teaching Without Technology,”  “PowerPoint can put the students in a ‘passive’ posture, reducing their investment in active learning and meaningful engagement with the material.” So, while I was under the impression that PowerPoint was a beneficial tool, it may have actually been harming my education and allowing me to remain checked out. 

As further discovered in “Teaching Without Technology,” “paradoxically, students find PowerPoint both boring, yet also expected.” A change of pace away from PowerPoint in the classroom can help students reengage with new material and   further    their    education.

While it is still early in the semester, I was recently talking to my roommates about  how   my    recognition and recall have seemed to drastically increase this semester. For the first time, I can pinpoint the different ways that all my classes connect and remember class discussions, without having to refer back to my notes. I strongly believe that this is due to the lack of technology and PowerPoint. 

While many of us are familiar  with the notion     that   handwritten notes are more beneficial than typed notes, two researchers, Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer, were able to solidify this theory. 

“In three studies, we found that students who took notes on laptops performed worse on conceptual questions than students who took notes longhand,” Mueller and Oppenheimer noted. 

Not only is the information easier to remember when written longhand, but it also leads to better performance on questions. Even   though some   people, like myself, may find long hand notes more   tedious,   it   is  impossible to deny the benefits. 

After my experience in tech-free classes over the first   couple weeks of school, I am a major fan of this teaching style. I  would prefer if all  of  my classes were   laptop  and  PowerPoint-free. As someone who has grown up with an education run by screens, I never thought I would  appreciate  its absence. 

Not only do tech-free classes foster more energy and participation, but they are also more beneficial for learning. While  this  is  not   possible for every class (i.e. computer science), professors could still find ways to adapt their classrooms to be less tech-oriented. In a society  that is so    used   to    the     constant prevalence of technology, removing it is a refreshing and   welcome  change. Even if   your  class is   tech-friendly, I  encourage   you   to    ditch your  laptop  for a notebook and a  pen. I can  assure you that you will not regret it.