Faculty in Focus

Faculty reflect on a new device-free policy, its benefits, its unintended consequences, as well as technology issues to resolve that will make the policy more effective moving forward.

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I have seen great benefits from the device-free policy in terms of building community. Group feels like it used to before anyone had a laptop or tablet; we’re playing games, talking together more and just wasting time together like Fr. Mark Payne intended. My office has seen the return of students looking to hang out and spend time together, as well. 

My class policy is note-taking by hand (research confirms the many benefits of this practice). In my classes, device use is limited to specific learning tasks. We used to use devices on the fly to have students do research or check data, and that has unfortunately stopped. We are still able to sign out devices to keep elements of technology use relevant to our curricula in our courses. However, as technology continues to grow in ways we couldn’t have imagined 10 years ago, we will need to address device use in a more systematic way.

Michelle Tuorto H’16
Associate Headmaster for Academics

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The device-free policy has really caused students to rethink how they work and acquire information. I like that dictionaries are relevant again. There are benefits to using electronics, but the students are clearly more organized and methodical in their work. They are learning from teachers rather than their computer screens.

The laptops encouraged students to be more dismissive of teachers, but nowadays, students are taking more notes and being more careful with resources. We are able to teach dictionary skills without having students automatically go online. Students are clearly improving in spelling and vocabulary.

LeNard Higgins 
English Teacher, Boys Prep Division

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Since my classroom has been device-free for the past 14 years, the new policy hasn’t directly changed my teaching practices. However, shifting to an all-day, school-wide device-free policy may have indirect effects on the students — both positive and negative. I have observed more students engaging in conversations than in years past. Also, while the policy potentially may help reading stamina over time, the benefit in the classrooms remains to be seen. 

Students who typically use their idle time in school to get started with digitally-based homework while waiting for their activity to begin can’t access it until they get home. So, that’s a challenge. While I support the school-wide policy for the purpose of building lost habits, there are practical implications that we must continue to consider.

Grace Lenahan H’23
Religion Teacher, Boys Prep Division