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CultureQuiet 12d · day 13

Dutch schools nationwide scale back laptop use in classrooms

An RTL Nieuws survey finds schools from primary level to university across the Netherlands cutting laptop use to curb distraction, while one expert warns against over-correcting.

newest coverage 12d agosummary written 12d ago5 pieces RedditMastodon

What to know

  • RTL Nieuws survey finds schools from elementary through university level across the Netherlands reducing laptop use in class, citing distraction.
  • A pilot at Koning Willem I College and bans at University of Amsterdam, plus informal restrictions at Saxion, Utrecht University and Het Amsterdams Lyceum, show the shift spans institution types.
  • The move is disputed: a professor warns that cutting technology is not inherently better, and some question whether pen-and-paper note-taking actually improves learning over laptops.

Danny Thewissen Staff member, Koning Willem I CollegeEveline Aendekerk Educational publisherJessica Piotrowski Professor of communication in the digital society, University of AmsterdamEducation Inspectorate Government oversight bodyPO-Raad Advocacy group for primary education

Dutch schools nationwide scale back laptop use in classrooms
nltimes.nl

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump postscomments

Peak 3 pieces in 3h at Oct 31, 3 AM; 5 pieces over 13 days (4 posts · 1 comment) Oct 31, 3 AM — 3 pieces · 3 posts — Reddit 2, Mastodon 1Oct 31, 6 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Oct 31, 9 AM — quietOct 31, 12 PM — quietOct 31, 3 PM — quietOct 31, 6 PM — 1 piece · 1 comment — Reddit 1Oct 31, 9 PM — quietNov 1, 12 AM — quietNov 1, 2 AM — quietNov 1, 5 AM — quietNov 1, 8 AM — quietNov 1, 11 AM — quietNov 1, 2 PM — quietNov 1, 5 PM — quietNov 1, 8 PM — quietNov 1, 11 PM — quietNov 2, 2 AM — quietNov 2, 5 AM — quietNov 2, 8 AM — quietNov 2, 11 AM — quietNov 2, 2 PM — quietNov 2, 5 PM — quietNov 2, 8 PM — quietNov 2, 11 PM — quietNov 3, 2 AM — quietNov 3, 5 AM — quietNov 3, 8 AM — quietNov 3, 11 AM — quietNov 3, 2 PM — quietNov 3, 5 PM — quietNov 3, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 11 PM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 5 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 11 AM — quietNov 4, 2 PM — quietNov 4, 5 PM — quietNov 4, 8 PM — quietNov 4, 11 PM — quietNov 5, 2 AM — quietNov 5, 5 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 11 AM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 5 PM — quietNov 5, 8 PM — quietNov 5, 11 PM — quietNov 6, 2 AM — quietNov 6, 5 AM — quietNov 6, 8 AM — quietNov 6, 11 AM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 5 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietNov 6, 11 PM — quietNov 7, 2 AM — quietNov 7, 5 AM — quietNov 7, 8 AM — quietNov 7, 11 AM — quietNov 7, 2 PM — quietNov 7, 5 PM — quietNov 7, 8 PM — quietNov 7, 11 PM — quietNov 8, 2 AM — quietNov 8, 5 AM — quietNov 8, 8 AM — quietNov 8, 11 AM — quietNov 8, 2 PM — quietNov 8, 5 PM — quietNov 8, 8 PM — quietNov 8, 11 PM — quietNov 9, 2 AM — quietNov 9, 5 AM — quietNov 9, 8 AM — quietNov 9, 11 AM — quietNov 9, 2 PM — quietNov 9, 5 PM — quietNov 9, 8 PM — quietNov 9, 11 PM — quietNov 10, 2 AM — quietNov 10, 5 AM — quietNov 10, 8 AM — quietNov 10, 11 AM — quietNov 10, 2 PM — quietNov 10, 5 PM — quietNov 10, 8 PM — quietNov 10, 11 PM — quietNov 11, 2 AM — quietNov 11, 5 AM — quietNov 11, 8 AM — quietNov 11, 11 AM — quietNov 11, 2 PM — quietNov 11, 5 PM — quietNov 11, 8 PM — quietNov 11, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quiet 12
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  1. 2

    Commenter questions the appeal of handwriting over typing

    A Reddit commenter pushes back on the idea that crossing out mistakes by hand is preferable to backspacing on a laptop, questioning the stated benefits of the pen-and-paper approach.

    “its nicer to backspace than to have to cross out the words Why is that nicer? It's good to know what mistake you've made.”
    — Few_Place4447

    • its nicer to backspace than to have to cross out the words Why is that nicer? It's good to know what mistake you've made.

      Few_Place4447r/europe12d agoview on r/europe ↗
  2. 1

    Piotrowski cautions against over-relying on pen and paper

    University of Amsterdam professor Jessica Piotrowski notes that digital media is distracting even for adults, but warns that reducing technology is not automatically better for education.

    “Less technology is not better for education by definition, just as more technology is not.”
    — Jessica Piotrowski
  3. background

    RTL Nieuws survey documents nationwide laptop pullback — RTL Nieuws surveys schools, educational organizations and experts and finds schools from elementary through university level firmly reducing laptop use in lessons, citing distraction as the main concern, while some question whether pen and paper is actually more effective.

  4. background

    University of Amsterdam bars laptops from lectures — Laptops and phones have been barred since the start of this academic year during lectures in the Interdisciplinary Social Science program at the University of Amsterdam; other institutions including Het Amsterdams Lyceum, Saxion and Utrecht University report similar restrictions.

  5. background

    Koning Willem I College starts screen-free pilot — An ICT program pilot begins at the start of the academic year in which students complete part of their lessons without laptops or phones, taking notes by hand for later use in laptop-based assignments. The pilot is being observed by the Education Inspectorate and the PO-Raad.