While many students use laptops and tablets for class notes, an increasing number of teachers choose to ban the use of laptops in class or adopt complete this semester technology which also prohibit Tablets. Although each iteration is slightly different according to the teacher, the objective is often the same – increasing the commitment and performance of students in the class.
Many teachers have used non-technology policies for years, but recently, students have observed a significant increase in the number of classes that use these policies. In the summer of 2025, the university pilot A series of lessons without technology, called technological sabbatics. These courses destined To encourage the concentration of students and increase engagement, and students forced students to spend free time, outside the class, without technology. Since then, more teachers have been using policies without technology in their lessons.
At university, the use of technology in class depends on the discretion of each teacher as long as their rules autumn As part of the University’s IT guidelines on acceptable use, confidentiality and security. These non-technology policies vary according to the various courses, but many include the prohibition on the use of laptops for taking up notes and extending policy to all technologies, including tablets. Professors with policies without technology say they have felt the need to change stricter technological expectations because they have noticed a lack of concentration and liveliness in the class.
Sylvia Chong, an associate professor of English and American studies, is generally a pro-Technology professor, because she uses various aspects of technology for activities in her smaller and classy classes. However, she recently made a change in her technological policy in her larger AMST 3180 class, “Introduction to American Asian studies”. She noticed that students were not careful, which made education difficult.
“Many students shamelessly have their computer open and never even looked up, never even tried to establish visual contact and ask a question. I would stay next to them and they would refuse to look up, “said Chong.
It is the first and the only class so far that it has prohibited laptop computers due to the lack of commitment. Although she does not know how successful politics will be, she hopes that this will increase the commitment and the quality of learning in class.
“Studies have shown that taking notes by hand is better than taking notes on a computer in general, because when you type, you literally write everything that is said,” said Chong. “By hand, you have to think more about what you write. You have to be careful.
Other teachers have used policies without technology long before this semester. ASST. Public policy professor Peter Johannessen began to enforce a rule of portable non-computer in his class almost two and a half years ago. Although Johannesen does not allow mobile phones or computers, it allows tablets to write notes in its classes because he thinks that laptops are more distracting in the major classes based on conferences.
Two things motivated her to change – a personal research project and an awareness that students did not stay in task after seeing photos taken from his class.
Johannessen led his research project to assess the way students estimated that they were appreciated in larger conference courses at university. Part of the project consisted in interviewing teachers who have positive course assessments – which students fulfill at the end of each semester. Johannessen specifically focused on teachers who have been highly evaluated on a question on the ability to create a feeling of belonging to their courses. He noted that almost all these teachers to whom he spoke had banned laptops in their classrooms.
“One thing that continued to get through the interviews, which honestly surprised me, was that these teachers kept saying:” Oh yes, and I would prohibit laptops “,” said Johannessen. “I didn’t really think about it, but the teachers were quite convinced that it was the key to the success of their lessons.”
Even after interviewing the teachers, Johannessen said he was not completely sure that he would try to implement politics in his own class. It was until a photographer came to one of his biggest conferences after winning a teaching price, and he noticed, while looking at the photos, the amount of open laptops that Were not focused on the equipment in class.
“There was a kind of disengagement from people behind screens, looking at the screens, rather than each other or at the front of the room,” said Johannesen.
At the start of each quarter, Johannessen tends to face certain challenges because a class without technology is not something that all students know – initially students tend to resist these policies because they are used to using computers laptops for notes.
Johannessen also said that he thought that the level of engagement and conversation that students have with each other is much higher than his courses in previous years. He noted that his course assessments reflect this feeling because in the last half of them, they were the most positive they have ever been.
The first year student, Megan Catlander, is currently in the LPPP 2200 class in Johannesen, “Introduction to Public Policy”. She said it was the first non-technology course she has ever followed at university. Although she is not a fan of politics at the start, she quickly found the transformative experience and after a few lessons without technology, she now plans to start doing free technology in her own will on her own will .
“I found that it was much more collaborative … And we do many more conversations face to face in which I learn the best,” said Catlander. “I think everyone should follow a free class on technology.”
However, the format without technology may not be applicable or effective in all subjects.
The first -year student, Claire Clark, had a more negative experience in an art history course without technology, Arth 2451, “History of modern art”. This class was different from that of Johannesen, because students were not allowed to use a type of technology, including tablets. Clark was frustrated, characterizing the history of art as a visual course, and often students like to take notes with a photo on a tablet or laptop.
“It is difficult to do all the writing by hand when people need to have a visual comparison for reference,” said Clark.
While some students find policies without technology difficult for certain classes, several teachers, even those in areas where technology is used more often, always believe that these policies have been beneficial for their students. ASST. Media studies, Professor Anna Clay, continue to have a positive experience with a computer -free class – even in a more -based subject -based subject such as media studies.
Clay began a portable non-computer policy in his classes almost two years ago. She teaches three to four classes each semester, with 20 to 30 students. According to Clay, her courses are mainly based on discussions, and she noticed that laptops were a practical means for students to distract themselves and not be present in class.
Similar to Johannessen, certain reactions were not initially positive. According to Clay, the first semester established politics, she had about six people who dropped her MDST 2690 class, “sports journalism”, who was higher than typical students who drop the class, according to Clay.
Clay knows that students are already using technology frequently outside the class. She thinks that being in a school of liberal arts is an excellent opportunity to learn and absorb information without technology. Clay said that she considered her class as an opportunity where students can be distracted for 75 minutes.
“It is not that I do not think that students are able to learn. I just want to help them in learning, discussion and treatment, ”said Clay. “A part of helping us all to learn and grow is to eliminate part of this distraction.”
The auxiliary policy, Professor Mary Kate Cary, was also an supporter of non-technology courses in her two small seminars of writing speeches and more important conference courses since she started teaching at university he Five years ago. She believes that laptops allow students to avoid human engagement and class interaction.
Although she is opposed to laptops in class, she thinks that students should be able to use tablets to write because it has the same effect as writing on paper. According to Cary, when writing notes rather than dactylography, students are better treated what they write, which engaged The brain.
Cary explained that writing speeches is a collaborative and interactive class, saying that she does not want her students to try to avoid being between them using technology.
“I had to continue to tell students that you cannot bring a laptop on the podium to make a speech, because then you put a shield where the screen is between you and the public,” said Cary.
To tackle concern That some disabled students can find it difficult to follow the note without technology, Johannesen allows adaptation through the Student Disability Access Center, which promotes access to disabled students. According to Johannessen, some students with accommodation cannot record information in class in hand as quickly as they can on their computer. Students who have these dwellings can use their computers in class but in areas back of the conference room which does not distract other students. SDAC also coordinates a program by which students can download their notes for the class so that students with accommodation can access it.
Despite the objections of certain students to non-technology policies, many have had positive experiences to move to handwritten notes. Catlander shared that she had quickly adapted to her teacher’s non-technology policy and now appreciates putting her laptop and phone during lessons.
“I was first very surprised, and I didn’t want to do it, because I was very used to taking notes on my computer,” said Catlander. “But after the first class, it is actually so much better. It has become my favorite class here at U.VA., and I pay much attention … so I like it very much. “”