2008 Woodie Awards
Laptops: friend or foe?
Katie Carroll
Issue date: 2/22/07 Section: Perspectives
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When students are preparing to go off to college they might have numerous items on their to buy list such as pens, notebooks, bed comforters and desk lamps.
One key item on everyone's list is a desktop or laptop. Fortunately, for SHU students they don't have to worry about going out and buying one.
Sacred Heart University offers the mobile computer program, which provides you with a laptop when you are a freshman and a new laptop when you return for your junior year.
This program, which is included in the SHU tuition, has its perks. For example, if you're having a problem with your computer you can bring it to Info Tech where trained students and computer technicians are there to repair the problems.
In the past, most professors allowed students to use laptops in class for note taking and hands on activities in the classrooms. However recently, some professors at the university are putting a stop to the use of laptops due to all the distractions available on our computers.
"Although I allow the laptops for note taking, the challenge of remaining completely focused and attentive is very clear. The temptation while in class to quickly instant message a friend is always there. Much is often lost in terms of class discussion when students are not completely paying attention, which is one reason many professors do not choose to allow for laptop use in class," said American Government Professor, Kate O'Gara, Fairfield.
"I feel that if you can manage talking on AIM in class and getting good grades, the professor shouldn't tell you not to use it. We are in college, we pay to go here, the professors should not be the ones to make our decisions for us," said info tech worker Tom Bathe, senior, White Plains, NY.
Another laptop issue is with the Mac computers, which is mandatory for media studies, art and communication technology majors. The problem is that Apple laptops do not provide the option of exchanging batteries like the rest of the majors who have the IBM computers. Some SHU students are not aware that the Mac doesn't offer the exchange battery program.
One key item on everyone's list is a desktop or laptop. Fortunately, for SHU students they don't have to worry about going out and buying one.
Sacred Heart University offers the mobile computer program, which provides you with a laptop when you are a freshman and a new laptop when you return for your junior year.
This program, which is included in the SHU tuition, has its perks. For example, if you're having a problem with your computer you can bring it to Info Tech where trained students and computer technicians are there to repair the problems.
In the past, most professors allowed students to use laptops in class for note taking and hands on activities in the classrooms. However recently, some professors at the university are putting a stop to the use of laptops due to all the distractions available on our computers.
"Although I allow the laptops for note taking, the challenge of remaining completely focused and attentive is very clear. The temptation while in class to quickly instant message a friend is always there. Much is often lost in terms of class discussion when students are not completely paying attention, which is one reason many professors do not choose to allow for laptop use in class," said American Government Professor, Kate O'Gara, Fairfield.
"I feel that if you can manage talking on AIM in class and getting good grades, the professor shouldn't tell you not to use it. We are in college, we pay to go here, the professors should not be the ones to make our decisions for us," said info tech worker Tom Bathe, senior, White Plains, NY.
Another laptop issue is with the Mac computers, which is mandatory for media studies, art and communication technology majors. The problem is that Apple laptops do not provide the option of exchanging batteries like the rest of the majors who have the IBM computers. Some SHU students are not aware that the Mac doesn't offer the exchange battery program.
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