SUMMARY
The
article of Dustin L. Annan-Coutlas, 2012, states for six years, a college of
health professions at a southern medical university has made students computing
an integral component of its academic environment by requiring all residential
students to own laptops. The faculty members had acknowledged that access to a
computer is necessary for most students to complete coursework, both faculty
members and students have commented that a laptop requirement has its
drawbacks. Focus groups, survey, and classroom observation were conducted
involving students to examine how laptops have been employed as instructional
tools. Students reported that they frequently used laptops for communicating,
note-taking, accessing course files in the learning management system, looking
up course concepts, and off-task purposes. Students commented that they “e-mail
all the time” other students, professors, staff members, or other people around
the university about academic-related issues (p. 37). However, the most
commonly cited benefits of having laptops were improved communications, access
to course materials, improved note-taking, access to course recordings, and the
enable instructional learning styles and to enable instructional flexibility
(p.38). The most commonly cited detriments were distraction, the fact
that faculty did not become more innovative, and technical issues. The
student’s perceptions of improvement suggested a number of improvements to
using laptops for teaching and learning. The most common only cited improvement
had to do with addressing distraction and platform compatibility issues.
Recommendations for improving student’s laptop program based on this research
center on support for faculty, technology decision-making, and preparation for
technological changes. The greatest benefits of student laptop ownership is the
access provided to unlimited learning resources, and faculty members should be
supported in identifying and trying out enriching activities that make use of a
variety of web-based resources.
The
personal experience I have encounter with laptops are all so familiar with many
of the concerns that is mention in the article. I must say this has
shaded some light on many of the issues the students were at loose ends
about. In my classroom setting, I have encouraged my students to work on
the laptops and computers because; they are a great access to the learning
environment. We have student with different levels of learning and learning
styles. The laptop or computer has a variety of ways to gain resources for
assignments. They have ways of motivating students due to sounds, animations,
games, videos which grabs the students attention and keeps they interested in
the learning environment. I have used videos/games for many of my ADHD and LD
students to aid them in the learning environment. Those students became my best
test taker with high scores. They were not as bored or inattentive with the
learning environment.
REFERENCE
Annan-Coultas,
D. (2012). Laptops as Instructional Tools: Student Perceptions. Techtrends:
Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 56(5), 34-41.
doi:10.1007/s11528-012-0596-y
