UvA programme bans laptops and phones in lectures

Students on the interdisciplinary social sciences programme at the University of Amsterdam (UvA) may no longer use laptops, phones or tablets during lectures. The programme brought in the ban this academic year to help students concentrate and give lectures their full attention.

They can take notes on paper instead.

“60 to 80% of students are doing other things on their digital devices during lectures instead of listening,” said Cyrilein Evertsen, an associate professor on the programme. “Whether that is online shopping or sending each other things on Instagram.

They were not mentally present at that lecture or with the material.”

Mixed evidence and mixed reactions

Programme director Michaela Hordijk said the research on handwritten notes is not settled. “There are scientific studies that say you remember better what you have written down.

Other studies say: ‘Well, it’s not that big a difference.'”

Students are divided. One who had just attended a lecture without a laptop or phone was positive.

“It works for me,” she said. Another student disagreed.

“The responsibility for preparing for the exam lies with us,” he said. “I think that within that preparation we should have a certain freedom to choose how we do it.”

A similar rule in Utrecht

Paul Kirschner, emeritus professor of educational psychology, said handwritten notes matter mainly because they make students work actively with the information. A similar rule applied in his own lectures at Utrecht University in the past.

“Turn off all electronic devices, because they are a weapon of mass distraction,” was his instruction. Students who used their devices anyway could be asked to leave, although attendance was not compulsory.

“If you see an email, you are not focused on the lecture for a moment. You might think that’s no big deal.

But research shows that the people to your left and right are also distracted and do significantly worse as a result.”

Typing versus writing by hand

Kirschner said the way students take notes also matters. “With a laptop, students can type as fast as a lecturer can talk,” he said.

That lets them record what is said almost word for word, without actually processing it.

“Writing is slower. That means people have to summarise and paraphrase what I have said.

Then you are processing the information. And learning is processing information.”

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Source: NOS