Fink III, J. (2010). Why We Banned Use of Laptops and "Scribe Notes" in Our Classroom. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 74(6), 1-2. Retrieved October 11, 2010, from Education Research Complete database.
This journal paper by Joseph Fink is actually a response to an article written by Professor Chanen Kibosh (2007) about how laptops are a distraction in lectures and classes. Fink agrees with Kibosh and has implemented for the last two years that the are banned in his pharmaceutical course. Fink in this article justifies this decision by stating that laptops are a distraction to his students as the temptation to multitask in the form of sending emails checking facebook etc is too great and that he expects his students to be giving their undivided attention in his classes. Fink argues that not to pay full attention is rude and unprofessional, and as he is training future medical professionals they will also be expected to give their undivided attention to their patients. As well as this Fink argues that laptops can interfere with the learning environment of other students much to the same way that cell phones do. He says that it is common policy to ask students to turn off their cell phones but to have students attention distracted and distracting those around them by their laptops seems to be a double standard. I think Fink makes some good points although he will probably be labelled a dinosaur for saying this, however I tend not to agree with him as students in university are adults and should be able to be responsible with this technology. I feel it is quite narrow minded for a university that should be promoting new ways and new technologies to ban something because their adult students can't be trusted. This is quite paternalistic, what next checking students in lecture theatres that they haven't nodded off! Although I don't agree with Fink he does raise some interesting points against laptops and goes to forming a balanced view on this issue.
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