HP Laptop commercial

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 19 Jul 2005 12:42 pm

Is anyone else mildly annoyed by the tacit message implied in the latest HP laptop commercial where the college kids, in the amphitheater, are using their laptops, while the prof is droning on about nuclear decay? Seems to give approval to watching movies, listening to music, or enjoying non-classroom material (i.e. games) on the laptop whilst the prof is teaching.
What ever happened to "paying attention"?
It ain't possible to concentrate on two things at the same time. My B&C pedal prove it.

Will Holtz · Post by **Will Holtz** » 19 Jul 2005 12:46 pm

I haven't seen the commercial, but that behavior is quickly becoming the norm on college campus, especially the more high-tech ones. It gets really bad when the students have access to a WiFi network in the lecture hall. They then often end up online chatting with friends during the lecture. Granted there are some educational benefits from having these systems in place, but generally I think the students end up learning less because of them.

Bob Martin · Post by **Bob Martin** » 19 Jul 2005 3:10 pm

Yeah that bothers me as well. I have a nephew enrolled in a major college in the midwest and he has a laptop and does the same thing.

If you wonder how they pass the courses well he has a camera in the lid of his laptop and he records audio and video and if needed he referrs to it later while doing his assignments.

While I don't endorse this method of learning my nephew is graduating this fall with a 4.0 grade average so I know he is learning some way.

I know recorders have been common since the 70's in colleges but I'm kind of like you guys it somehow seems a little unusal.

Just my 2 cents

Ken Lang · Post by **Ken Lang** » 19 Jul 2005 4:44 pm

Things sure have changed from my days in the lecture hall. Whatever happened to being half in the bag and peepin down all the coeds?

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 20 Jul 2005 5:35 am

I always thought it was a mistake to allow students to use calculators to learn math, instead of doing it longhand. Obviously, they make it a lot easier, but they also leave most people clueless about why the result is what it is.

erik · Post by **erik** » 20 Jul 2005 9:27 am

Big Bob wrote:

<SMALL>If you wonder how they pass the courses well he has a camera in the lid of his laptop and he records audio and video and if needed he referrs to it later while doing his assignments</SMALL>

IMO, if that all it takes, then do whatever works best for you. It certainly is rude to carry on while another is teaching but if any person is like me and has any form of ADD they can only give about 1/2 hr attention and the rest becomes a lecture into oblivion. I would only be able to study while being alone. Hey, I can't even read to myself in public.

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-johnson

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 20 Jul 2005 2:40 pm

The irony is that the kids who actually do that, don't watch TV commercials.