Wired

When one thinks of a classroom, he imagines any number of students sitting at desks, rigorously writing, copying notes from the board in the front of the room. Or at least that's the way it used to be. Now, students are equipped with their own laptops which allow them to take notes with a few simple taps at the keyboard. In his essay, “Computers and Technology,” Richard Ohmann issues a caution to schools and universities interested in investing in new technology. Computers provide a communication tool for students to contact their professors for assignments and projects, but it can also hinder verbal communication. Also, computers provide easier ways for students to plagarize others' work. This article proves that there are both pros and cons to using computers in the classroom.

I agree with Ohmann's writing. It is very easy for me to relate to this article because my junior year I transferred to a school that was beginning its second year as an "All Laptop High School", as they liked to be called. I will agree that it made contacting my teachers very easy and research even easier, but it wasn't all good. My school would block sites, such as Facebook, Myspace, and the different messengers, but we always found ways around them. A single scrap of paper could make its way around an entire class with a series of numbers guaranteed to get you on Meebo, a site that allows you to get on every type of messenger possible. Also, sites like Ebay and other stores were not blocked so online shopping was always a possibility. It wasn't all bad either, though.My history book was installed on my computer so that was one less book I had to carry. I took notes on my laptop, which made going back a locating notes very easy, because I could save them in their own folders. When it comes down to it, I feel that computers in the classroom are, overall, a good idea.