Response

“Rogerian Response: The Laptop Ate My Attention Span”

In this essay the author expresses how allowing students to the use of laptops in class can be a distraction to the student and classmates. The students that the author describes are graduate students and are old enough to know the unwritten rules of using the internet during class. Many students take advantage of being able to use a laptop in class by sending instant messages, being on social networks, and just doing everything but their school work that particularly retains to that class. Some students become annoyed because of the commotion and distractions caused from the wrong use of the internet by their classmates. In order to control students web-surfing the school installed a switch in every classroom. The switch gives the professor the ability to shut down students web-surfing at any time.

I believe that students should be able to use their laptops in class. Internet should not be restricted because they are adults and pay to be in school. They should know right from wrong and basic classroom rules since they are adults. A few people actions should not lead to everyone being restricted to the internet. The professor should not be able to interrupt a student’s web surfing either. Instead the professor should be focused on teaching the class. Whoever is not paying attention is not his concern, his main concern should be teaching, and helping out those that are paying attention.

A way to help resolve the issue is to separate the students. Have the one who use a laptop during class sit in the back and the ones who don’t use a laptop sit in the front of the class. This way someone who does not use a laptop will not be sitting by someone who uses a laptop and also will not be distracted by that person web-surfing.

To reconcile the students should be separated. If the professor feels the students should not be web-surfing at all, he should make an announcement at the beginning of class. If after...