U of T Law School to Implement Selective Laptop Bans
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
Faculty leaders argue handwriting fosters deeper thinking, while students question the removal of autonomy in professional education.
Some professors at the University of Toronto’s Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law will ban laptops from their classrooms starting this fall, according to reporting from CityNews Toronto.
Associate Dean Richard Stacey informed students via email that the move is not a blanket ban, as faculty members maintain different teaching styles. Stacey stated that the primary concern is not technology-driven distraction, but rather that type-writing comprehensive notes prevents students from engaging in discussion and thinking deeply about material. Dean Christopher Essert told CityNews Toronto that faculty are increasingly concerned about the use of technology and sophisticated AI tools during lectures, noting the school's mission is to help students learn to reason carefully and "think like lawyers."
However, the Students' Law Society (SLS) reports significant pushback. In a survey conducted by the SLS, 163 out of 208 respondents disagreed that the policy would benefit their legal education. The SLS told CityNews Toronto that students, as adults in a professional degree, are frustrated that the decision is being made for them rather than allowing them to utilize their own established learning styles. Additionally, the SLS cited accessibility as a major concern.
Students will learn which specific courses are laptop-free when course outlines are released next month.