A debate that has been going around in the educational community since WiFi became popular and students started showing up to class with their laptops is about their use of that access in the classroom.
The University of Chicago Law School has removed Internet access in most classrooms in order to ensure the value of the classroom experience.
And in related news, the school will be holding a book burning outside the Library this weekend.
I’m sad a classy school like UChi decided to go this route. It’s not the WiFi’s fault some students choose to distract themselves online. Without the Internet, those same people can still play solitaire. I doodled my way through some boring, non-WiFi-equipped classes.
We need to equip students to handle distractions. Those who can handle the Internet should be allowed access it. Perhaps a few students want to take collaborative notes online, they should not be punished for having advanced digital skills.
What truly surprises me is that we’re talking about law students at an elite university. If they can’t handle having Internet access, how were they sharp enough to get into school in the first place?
If I were a student who had my WiFi turned off, I’d be ticked. Or I’d just buy a EVDO card.