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WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015
TEXT
FREE FOR ALL
I wish people would randomly break out in song and dance like they do in musicals.
FFA OF THE DAY Remember when we used to think high school finals were hard?
Loving the weather we've been having! Keep it coming :)
Text your FFA submissions to (785)289-8351 or at kansan.com
Boo, the 4th! May the SIXTH be with you!
Looking at these Met Gala snaps makes me wish I were a celebrity and had millions of dollars. I mean, who doesnt?
Who dat, who dat? I-g-g-y
"I'll just quickly jump in the shower, and then leave" said no curly-haired person, ever.
Props to the girl cruising down Jayhawk Boulevard on a razor scooter.
I had no idea there were this many people in my ethics class.
testday
Self-esteem restored! Thanks
WTNV fans who loved my
costume!
Ha! My bf is a doctor. I will be stealing your "just what the doctor ordered" material!
Justin Timberlake as a lime,
funniest thing I've seen all day
sauza
I got a good heart but my attitude is another story.
Can I be toned, tanned and exam-free? Plz.
Stepped in dog poop today. That sums up my life right about there.
Last week of classes!
Celebrating with a drink every day until finals week.
So much for going to the gym this year.
Oreo ice cream bars?? WHAT!!
I didn't sign up for this group chat.
The only crappy thing about spring is all the bees trying to invade my space. #getoutofhere
does anyone actually use their hand to flush the toilets at school? Feet club all the way.
I wish it were socially acceptable to jump in ball pits at my age.
Bikini season is around the corner but I'm not stressin...#JK #YESIAM #AH #HELP
LAPTOPS IN CLASS
PRO CON
Classroom laptop use benefits learning
T the collegiate classroom environment is evolving. With new advances in
technology, the learning experience has become digital, and the breadth of available information is growing. Students who went to college a decade ago are probably jarred by what's available now; just as 10 years from now our educational experience will seem outdated. With these developments, it's ridiculous that laptop usage in classrooms is still viewed as problematic by some.
Using laptops in a classroom setting is simply the next wave in a technological education. Being able to connect to the Internet or access documents for note-taking should be viewed as supplemental to learning, and not as a hindrance.
When it comes to taking notes, having a laptop in class is clearly a benefit. According to findings reported by the Houston Chronicle, the average typing speed is around 40 words per minute. Compared with the average writing speed of 22 words per minute while copying text, according to the book Human-computer Interface Design Guidelines, using a laptop ensures students can record all of the necessary information, which is particularly important in large lecture halls where it's easy to fall behind.
It's not all just about note-taking. Having a laptop in class allows students access to the Internet and the wealth of information it provides. If a professor mentions a supplementary article or topic during a lecture, it's easy to find the additional material online so you can further understand the lecture's content.
It's also detrimental to assume information presented by a professor is the absolute truth. Many disciplines have a wide array of perspectives and interpretations on certain subjects, and your professor may only present one argument. Having access to the Internet and databases of scholarly journals can provide you with other views, further increasing your knowledge of a subject if used effectively.
Laptops can even be beneficial in small classroom settings. Readings and notes required for smaller classes can be accessed online, reducing the amount of material students would otherwise need to print out.
According to research by University of Michigan professor Perry Samson, laptops can increase student productivity and engagement if the professor sets the right atmosphere. Granted, there is the possibility that having laptops in class can lead to distraction, but this is an issue with individual students. If used responsibly, laptops can enhance an increasingly technological education. Students and professors alike should embrace the benefits provided by laptops and the Internet.
Laptop use in class hinders performance
Matthew Clough is a sophomore from Wichita studying journalism and English
Almost every class I've taken at the University allows laptops and tablets to be
laptops and tablets to be used for note-taking. I'm sure it's rare to come across a class that bans them completely. It's the 21st century and technology is a part of our daily lives, so naturally it makes sense that our classrooms join the movement as well. However, at a certain point we have to draw the line and realize that bringing our devices to class is too distracting, not just to you, but to others around you as well. Typing is also less effective for retaining conceptual information than writing with a pen or pencil.
The majority of my fellow students use laptops during class, and as one would expect, they are not only being used for note-taking. I sit in the back of one of my classes and can see everything that everyone is doing on their computer, whether I want to or not. iMessage, Facebook and Twitter are the three most common things I see on peoples' screens. It's difficult not to notice what people are doing on their computers, especially when they are constantly moving from page to page, or typing furiously to their friends on Mac's messaging system. Is it really that difficult to stay off of your social media accounts for a
few hours out of the day? When you think about it, students are choosing to pay hundreds of dollars to sit in a classroom and use their computer for social media. Put in that context, does that not sound absolutely ridiculous?
in addition, physically writing your notes can be better for one's academic performance. The Association for Psychological Science found "...taking notes by hand is better than taking notes on a laptop for remembering conceptual information over the long term." Results from APS' study stated that both types of note-takers did "equally well on questions that involved recalling facts" but those who choose to take notes on their computer performed much worse on conceptual questions.
If someone wants to look up further information on what his or her professor is lecturing on, save it until you're out of the classroom. If you can't remember the discussion after your class ends, quit using your laptop in class and work on improving your memory by taking notes the old-fashioned way.
Just because technology is easily available doesn't mean we should just forget about "old school" methods. I choose to leave my laptop and tablet device at home when I'm going to class and actually enjoy writing my notes. We must remember that convenience isn't always the better option.
Cecilia Cho is a senior from Overland Park studying American studies
Shopping at co-ops supports local communities
Gabrielle Murnan
@GabrielleKansan
You open your fridge and all you see is a near-empty jug of
milk, some ketchup and two Bud Lights. Congratulations you are a stereotypical college student who needs to go to the grocery store.
Most college students might head straight to Walmart to go grocery shopping, but it certainly isn't the best decision for the local economy or the environment. Co-op grocery stores offer a unique opportunity for people to support local business while also supporting the environment.
A co-op is a business
owned and "democratically governed" by its members, customers or the employees, according to Neighboring Food Co-op Association. As a member of a food co-op, you have a level of power within the business.
When local people invest in a local business, money circulates through the economy. The co-op pays local farmers for products who then spend money regionally for operation and maintenance costs. Community members then spend their money buying groceries locally. When a person shops at Walmart or Dillons they place their money in the hands of an outside organization that supplies non-regional products. Coops are a smart investment in communities and local economies.
Food co-ops provide an opportunity for communities to support environmentally friendly agricultural practices. Co-ops typically supply regionally grown food, which means the distance its tomatoes travel from the farm to your table is much less than those from Walmart. The majority of the food sold at commercial grocery stores is transported about 1,500 and 2,500 miles before it arrives at the supermarket, according to the Worldwatch Institute. Shopping at co-ops can greatly reduce the carbon emissions associated with shipping food thousands of miles. Additionally, co-op suppliers typically use smaller-scale, organic farming practices. This is significantly better for the environment than large-scale, industrial agriculture, which diminishes and contaminates land.
Students at the University are lucky to live in a community with numerous types of co-ops, including housing and grocery co-ops. The University of Kansas Student
Housing Association (UK- SHA) offers four communal living spaces for students and Lawrence residents to live and learn together in a democratic environment. Students can take advantage of cooperative living environments as well as shop at The Community Mercantile, a staple of the Lawrence community since 1974
"THE MERC EXEMPLIFIES THE POWER OF PEOPLE WORKING FOR PEOPLE. WHEN WE VALUE THE CONSUMER AS A PERSON, NOT JUST AS A BUYER, COMMUNITIES AND BUSINESSES SUCCEED."
The Merc originated as an idea to increase community access to whole foods. Today, the food co-op has nearly 7,000 members and boasts annual sales of more than $11 million. The Merc exemplifies the power of people working
for people. When we value the consumer as a person, not just as a buyer, communities and businesses succeed.
The next time your refrigerator is empty, remember to support the economy and the environment. Customers can put their money where their priorities are by shopping at a co-op. If you value sustainable agriculture and an environmentally-minded business, choose co-ops when you shop.
Gabrielle Murnan is a junior from Pittsburgh studying environmental studies and political science
GREEN APPLES by Jeff Harris
HARRIS
HOW TO SUBMIT A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
send letters to opinion@sansan.com. Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the email subject line. Length: 300 words
Brian Hillix, editor-in-chief bhillix@kansan.com
the submission should include the author's name, grade and hometown. Find our full letter to the editor online policy on kansan.com/letters.
Paige Lytle, managing editor
plyte@kansan.com
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CONTACT US
Cocilia Chu, opinion editor
cchio@kansan.com
Cole Anneberg, art director
canneberg@kansan.com
Shariene Xu, advertising director
xsu@kansan.com
Kristen Hays digital media manager
khays@kansan.com
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Jon Schitt, sales and marketing adviser jschitt@kansan.com
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THE KANSAN EDITORIAL BOARD
Members of the Kansas
Editorial Board are Brian
Hillix, Paige Lytt, Cecilia
Cho, Stephanie Bickel and
Sharixe Huan.
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