Winchester College Bans Laptops in Bid to Improve Student Learning
The prestigious boarding school is returning to pen and paper for most assignments, citing concerns over digital distraction.
Winchester College, a historic boarding school in Hampshire, England, has implemented a policy requiring students to use pen and paper for most classwork and homework, aiming to counteract the pervasive distractions of digital devices.
Headteacher Elizabeth Stone stated that allowing laptops created a situation where students could easily shift the same distracting behaviors observed on phones to their computers. She noted a significant increase in internet use during the initial minutes of lessons, suggesting students were immediately checking emails. This practice, she argued, contributes to a "fragmented attention switching" rather than effective learning.
The school has mandated that homework for younger students, those in Years 9 and 10, must be completed manually. Older students will only be permitted to use laptops when their use is deemed "substantially" beneficial to the educational objective. "We made it clear to teachers we do not want the laptop to be the default way of working. If it can be done in another way without the technology, you should," Stone told The Sunday Times.
This move by Winchester College contrasts with broader trends in education that encourage the integration of screens and technology, including artificial intelligence, into classrooms. In April, the UK's Labour party announced a £23 million initiative to expand AI use in schools. However, concerns persist among parents and educators about screen addiction and its negative impact on children's learning and development.
According to Stone, the shift away from excessive technology use has already led to improved concentration and engagement among students. She highlighted the absence of simultaneous online chatting, instant messaging, YouTube viewing, or football reel watching during lessons as positive outcomes.
