USMA Research Shows Pen & Paper Win

Researchers at the United States Military Academy at West Point wanted to better understand the impact of laptops and tablets in the classroom. In particular, they were interested in whether or not classroom computer use makes a difference to students' grades. How did they study the issue? They set up an experiment. They took an introductory economics course and split the students into three groups. One group was allowed to use a laptop or tablet in class to take notes or to use an electronic version of their textbook. The second group was allowed to use tablet computers, but only if the tablet remained flat on the desk, face-up during class. And the third group, the control group, was "technology-free": no laptops or tablets were allowed. The researchers found that "permitting computers negatively impacts scores." In other words, the students who were allowed to use computers in class did worse on the exam. Just how much worse depended on the type of question: whether it was a multiple-choice, short answer or essay question. Full Story»