With the growth of wireless Internet technology and laptop prices on the decline, laptop use in classrooms is increasing.

Ben Epperson and Chris Williams, both first year law students, say in-class laptop users make up the majority of the students in the classes they attend in Swen Parson Hall.

Swen Parson Hall is known as a laptop-friendly academic building because of power outlets installed at desks in many of the “smart” classrooms, said Greg Anderson, director of career opportunities and development for the NIU College of Law.

Jeffrey Parness, a College of Law professor, said laptop use during class has been a growing trend since the introduction of mainstream laptops.

“The amount of students using laptops is growing every year, by slow increments,” Parness said.

Though the trend is on the rise, there are advantages and disadvantages to laptop use during class.

Advantages of laptop use

Using a laptop to take notes during class is easier, Williams said.

“I can type faster than I can write, so it makes sense to use a laptop,” he said.

Epperson agrees, and said using his laptop to take notes allows him to better organize them later.

Will Babor, a second year law student, said he became heavily dependent on his laptop at his job before he came to NIU. Due to this and his illegible handwriting, he wouldn’t want to imagine going to class without his laptop, he said.

The fact that notes are digital when students use laptops helps to facilitate student interaction with him, Parness said.

“Sometimes student e-mail me questions from their notes when they use their laptops,” he said. “Also, more and more materials are now available online for my students.”

This reduces the amount of books they need to bring to class, he said.

Disadvantages of laptop use

Though students are allowed to use their laptops freely during regular classes, the rules change for finals, Parness said. Students are prohibited from using their laptops for their final exam because of the availability of certain materials online and the ability to use e-mail during the tests.

Epperson said he is not fond of this rule.

He types much faster than he can write, so he would be able to do a more thorough job on a final with a laptop, he said.

Another disadvantage students face when using laptops is the temptation to play games and surf the Internet.

“I don’t think you should surf the net during lectures,” said Kenton Mustain, a first year law student. “But there’s always that temptation when you have your laptop.”

Parness said he sometimes has his doubts that students are only using their laptops for productive purposes during his classes. But he doesn’t differentiate laptops as a distraction from bringing a newspaper to class or looking outside through a window when they hear a noise.

Students need to check in with their individual teachers on what is and what is not deemed appropriate in a classroom setting for laptop use, a spokesperson for ITS said.

Laptops not preferred by some

Elena Patrick, a first year law student, said she does not use a laptop for her classes because she’s so used to writing notes by hand and because she feels she isn’t a proficient enough typist.

Benefits greater than risks

Though there are clear advantages and disadvantages to laptop use, Parness ultimately promotes laptop use in his classes.

“The benefits are far greater than the risks,” he said. “[But] students need to find a balance between technology and traditional methods of doing things.”

Also, some law colleges and even some undergraduate colleges now require students to use laptops, Parness said.

Students are encouraged to visit the ITS Web site at its.niu.edu for informaton on wireless Internet availability and to read the NIU acceptable use policy for technology and wireless Internet use.