Computers in the classroom - good or bad?

Star's picture

I was quite excited to discover a few weeks ago that WIFI is available in all of my classrooms. This was really good news because it has allowed me to show this website in class as well as spice up my history lessons with online videos. My excitement, however, has begun to wane as I see more and more laptops popping up on desks in my classrooms. The internet, it would seem, is available to anyone and students are just now starting to figure this out. I'm not sure how to feel about this.

On one hand, I am hesitant to complain too much about the use of laptops in my classrooms. After all, wasn't it just 4 years ago that I was making $8/hr building websites while sitting in anthropology class? And what about the students who are actually using their laptops for a legitimate class purpose? Like taking notes looking up a word in the dictionary, for example? Can I really condemn them for this behavior?

This morning, my freshmen students had to do an activity and nearly all of the groups used a computer to show PowerPoint presentations. If I banned computers from the classroom, I guess they'd just have to talk. Hmm...it is an oral English class...maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing.

I really don't want students using their computers in my class. But I also want to give them the benefit of the doubt. I haven't caught any students playing video games or chatting on QQ. Not yet, at least. They may very well be taking notes.

So what do you think about this issue? Should YOU (as a student) be allowed to use a computer in class? And if you're a  teacher, will you this?

 

shadow

Comments

liyang's picture

We all kown that with a computer we search a lot of things we want find,however if we use it in our class.Teachers may worry about the students will not pay much attention to what they learn,so as a result teachers do not want them use a computer.But we all kown with a computer in hand it is more convinient to have the class,not only for the teachers but also for the students.I have think a good idea to solve this problem,that is use it in a linmited time.In this way we make the best use of it.

carol0108's picture

This was really good news ,use it properly

phyllis's picture

In my opinon ,it's wonderful to take the compute to the class.we can to surf the internet to find the information we need ,from that we can save much time and learn more kownledge.At the some time we can't ignor the problem that some students mill play games ,so we should have the disciplan to control ourselves .

dapangtui's picture

I think it depend on the student's self-restriction.However,if the student have this ability,the computer would be benifit for us!Regretly,we don't.

huina's picture

We can take computers to our claaroom , but we can't play it during the classes.It is impolite for teacher to play the coputers in class . In my opinion, if we can't help playing games or chatting with computers,we should not take our computers to the classroom!

Candies's picture

We should do a lot of homework and prepare the article everyday,so we should face a lot of problems too,for example,there are numerous new words and sentences with complex structure.If we want to clarify every word or sentence,it takes us all night by looking up the dictionary.So,we can use our telephone to surf the internet to find out the meaning of the words or sentences with wifi.

Vanessa's picture

Though computers can bring many benifits to us ,but as for me,I won't concentrate on the class with a computer on my desk.May be it is the same to many others.So,I don't think it is a good thing with computer in class.

Michelle --'s picture

It is just like a sword with two blades.
What matters is our self-control ability to use computer in class lest we go into the extreme side.

Sweet1's picture

In my opinin,teathers spend so many time to papare for our class,and if we want to seach so information from the internet,we can do it after class,why should we have to do it in the short cherish classtime?!!

mayanru's picture

I think ,it's good, computer convenient our life, in class,when We have trouble ,have problem, and so on , we can search online, it's very useful

Adrianna's picture

From my point of view ,taking computer to the classes is inconvienent for me because I need bring other things such a bottle and books and pens .

double's picture

Nowadays,we live in the information age .Thus we have many technical measures to fulfill our academic life and improve our oral English.Under the circumstances students use their laptops to get more useful study information instead of playing video games or chatting on qq,why not use the laptop in the classroom?

Agile feng's picture

we live in a world that most of us use computers,the computer and the internet change our life,and make our life more easily.but we waste too much time on them in our spare time,i hardly see somebody using computers to study no mater in the classroom or in the students' hostel.i do not like the computer in the classroom.

heather's picture

When I go back home,I will bring my computer back home too.Then I will take it to the classroom so that I can play the computer with a high web speed.What a great thing!

Tracy Lee's picture

That's great!I am glad to see that WIFI in our class.The web speed is faster than that in the dormitory.But students can play the computer in class when class is over.

Devil may cry's picture

Opinions still differ among others.This is a really problem to discuss.
At the present,we can't live without computers.Because it helps us a lot.As what you said,we need it in the classroom to show the PPT and so on.
However,I am afraid that students who have computers in class may focus on chatting on line or other else but not your show.And in my dorm,my dormmates play computers game when they come back.Still the night come.I don't think it is a good idea about it.
Nowadays,Chinese people have no willpower to control themselves.But we will hold it gradually.
Thank you.

angel's picture

I agree with you,I don't want students using their computers in the class,because this can distact them from the class.They will focus on the computer and not pay attention to listen what their teacher said.If I were a teacher,I never allow my students to bring their computer to class.

majingbo's picture

Two years ago,when I went to Tsinghua univercity,I found a lot of students were using their laptops in the class,then,I didn't understand what did they do with the laptops,were they taking notes?But why didn't they take notes with papers?Maybe their class was about how to use a software or calculating something.So the students needed to work with their laptops.However,except that,I quite didn't know what other classes require the students to take their laptops into the class.The english class?the history class? I don't know.So I think it's not a necessity.

Channa's picture

As an adult ,most of us are mature enough to separate out what is ture and false .Moreover,it is important to add up the pluses and minuses of using computer in the classroom.In short,it depends on how you use your computer~

Channa's picture

As an adult ,most of us are mature enough to separate out what is ture and false .Moreover,it is important to add up the pluses and minuses of using computer in the classroom.In short,it depends on how you use your computer~

09100523's picture

As i a student ,i am not willing to use computer in class , because i can not control myself not to play computer games or do something else beside study. I cann't imagine that if every student has a laptop on their shooldesk , how can that a phenomenon be ?

Vivi.He's picture

accoding to my experience in this term,having computer in the dormitory is not a good idea,not to say the classroom.sometimes I think it's wasting time.

Yuki yi's picture

Every coin has two sides.Having WIFI,teachers can use it during classes,which can make our classes more active.But some students will use it surf the Internet during classes so that they can't listen to the teacher intently.
No matter I am a student or a teacher,I don't think it is beneficial to students to use computers during class.

Cecilia.'s picture

With computers in the classroom,students will hard to concentrate in study.Like using the computers in the dormitory,students used them to play other than to study most of the time.

Joanne's picture

In the classroom get to the Internet, will affect others study, also would violate the provisions of the school the concerned. The more serious is, go against their learning, the influence of the English professional band 4 examination review

no5elise's picture

every coins has two sides . in one hand , we have computer in our class will help us know ahout the knowledge that our teacher didn't mention ,and we aslo can espand our konwledge when we are discussing a topic . however , in the another hand , some student did not self-disciplined and they will play computer games and chat with other people . to me , i think it's alright .

Mickey's picture

I think every coin has two sides. There is no dout that WIFI is available for the students to search for the information. But I usually find that many students take their laptop to classroom for seeing the films or chating on QQ. Some of those even if surf the internet in the selfstudy class.

Cecilia's picture

In my opinion, computer is a good tool to our study. But if I take my laplop to the classroom, I cannot help playing games or chatting with my friend. And I can't focus on the lesson. Some students maybe think they can use the laptop to take notes or look up the words, but we can take notes with hand-writing and look up the words with our dictionary. If you can't take all notes, you can download the ppt. However, some students do a presentation with powerpoint, which I think it's reasonable.

Lacrimosa's picture

It's quite difficult to give out my point that I suggest we need another long month to test it.
The WIFI to us is what knife to people.
We take advantage of the WIFI so that we can learn in an effective and high-tech way.
However, lacking self-restraint, U are destined to fail for surfing online all day instead of studying hard.
Heaven or hell?It only need a nod.

Janny 0323's picture

I think computers in the classroom is bad. It can disperse our attention in class.

Faye's picture

I dont think computers in the classroom is good for us.As a student,i know it's very hard to control not playing games or doing other stuff when wifi is avaliable.
u can tell ur students that u dont like them using computers in class.Just tell them ur feeling. I believe most of the students wont use computers in class next time.

Irene2010's picture

I don't think it is a good idea to bring the computer to our classroom, even though computer is quite useful.We can use it in our dorm but not in our classroom. If we can use computer in the classroom, maybe we will want to play it rather than studying. As a result, we may fail to concentrate on the class.

chancy's picture

Students can use the computers to do their powerpoint, but it is better not to bring it to the classroom. Most of us have USB flash disk, we can use it to copy our powerpoint without any difficulty. Is it a bit inconvenient to bring a laptop to the class?

Hester2's picture

In my mind,every coin has two sides.On one hand,it is more convenient for us to find useful information than before.For instance,when we do not understand a new word or a sentance,an efficient way is to get it on internet.This is absolutely good.However,on the other hand,if one is addicted to computer,it is impossible for him to pay all his attention to his studies even abandon his studies.In terms of that,hardly do i support taking computer to classroom.
In a word,whether it is good or not depends on yourself,not others.

-Joan-'s picture

Computers are essential in today's society.For the students,we can use computers to do the benefit things.Because of the WIFI,we can use computers in the class to do activities to interact with the teachers or to look up the words in the dictionary.So if the students use the computers to do something about study,it can be allowed.And I think maybe it is good.

zhangtianjiao's picture

Our classroom is a computer in the trend of the development of The Times, she will bring a lot of influence in our lives. We can easily use it to hang to find the required information.

Umbrella's picture

Our Sophomores may envy to see the freshmen using computers in classroom where WIFI is available. You know, we have no such good treatment when we are freshmen. Nevertheless,it's good for them to learn better if they use the computers in perspective.So, I think you have to do an another job. Don't let them do sth unconnected with the lesson when classes begin.

Ni Ai Jun's picture

I think it is a good thing to the teachers for Internet has the advantages of convenience, massive information and wide coverage,which can benefit the class teaching a lot.However,it may not be a good thing to the students because they may can not concentrate on the class.

Delia's picture

Computers in the classroom could make the class more vivid and convenient.For example,in our history class,the teacher would ues computer to show this website and many other videos to us .As a result,that make our class more efficiency.

christine-wong's picture

Now I am Sophomore,so we can surf on the Internet.I have enjoyed the Internet for few months and I find my self-control ability is poor.Whenever I have no class,I always open my computer,which has been my habit.Haha....However,when my sensible mind call me back,I will make a excuse foe myself.I always say to myself,"It is just Leisure entertainment."Therefore,For me,Ishould reduce chances that I touch the computer.Haha

RachelQiu's picture

To be my honest, we should make good use of the advanced and the convenient techonology to learn the latest knowledges .Hence ,it's ok to bring computer to classroom.

ziwei's picture

Computer in classroom is very useful
As we know,computer is more and more useful in our life.Computer makes our life more colorful.
We can use computer study,know a lot of things that we don't know.So you see ,if there are computers in our classroom ,we can improve ourselves by them.At class,if we don't know something we can surfing the Internet to finding the answer.We also can find the same kind of things we need,in this way we can compare them and better to remember them.However computer in classroom,we always can play it in class.So there are two sides of it.But in my opinion ,the advantage of having a computer in the classroom outweigh the disadvantage.

SHT's picture

Everything has two sides . Computer are good in the classroom in some
degree, computer make our life more convenient and it gives us the
access to the endless of online source.
On the other hand, many students waste a lot of time on computer.
what's worse many students lost themselves in online world.
So we must use computer in a right way .

WangQian's picture

As every coin has two sides,computers in the classroom alao has adventage and disadventage.In the one hand,if we take compuers with us,we can find some infomation quickly and easily.And that is good for our studies.In the other hand,some students will not focus on the class,they can do many other things.

cindyfour's picture

I will not bring my computer to classroom,so it does not take effect on me.However,I hope the students can pay more attention to the study in the classroom.

Annabelle's picture

I know most of students want to take computers to class room, but I don't approve of this ideas.Computers are good for our study,but some students don't use it to study,just games,so I think we shouldn't take it to class,classroom shouldn't have computers, It is not good for us to study when computers are coming.

zhanglulu's picture

I think it pretty good.computer can help us in many acepts.You can self-study.But,if you can't control yourself,It will encourage you to inert.You will be lazier.

Tommy's picture

Honestly,I am not totally accept that. As a junior student,I think using a laptop to taking notes may be convenient but it gradually wane our ability of handwriting both in writing speed and writing tidiness. You can just realize these drawbacks when you were taking an exam. Nearly all the exams are answered with our pen writing. Wifi in the classroom is really a good thing but meanwhile students also need to writing English in order to keep their ability in handwriting in case that they can at least finish the test paper and got a better score.
Nowadays, computer have already largely weaken our ablity of writing something, we shouldn't neglect this significant point.

Star's picture

Hey Tommy. Good to hear from you. Aren't a bit sad that you DIDN'T have wifi when you were here? :). Life isn't fair, is it? ;)

I agree with you about handwriting. I mean, have you seen mine?? It's horrible. I haven't handwritten a paper or a letter in years.

SO what do you think? If you had access to WIFI when you were here, would have brought your computer to class?

Tommy's picture

Certainly I also will bring my computer. But as I am not very self-restrained, so I may lose my mind in doing some other things with my laptop. That's a big temptation for me to resist. You know, some cell phones also can recieve WIFI as well, so that is a tough challenge for our student to fight with this lure.