WOODBURY- As the new school year unfolds at Nonnewaug, so do new policies and rules. The newest— and most challenging policy for students to adjust to– is the ban of personal devices for use in class.
For a stretch of time, a vast majority of students have been given school-issued Chromebooks for use in class, research, homework, and personal use. The computers have been able to be monitored by the school IT department and the only devices exempt from this are personally owned devices, such as Macbooks or other laptops, owned by a small percentage of students.
However, beginning this school year a new rule has been implemented that bans the use of personal computers in classes except for study hall and lunch. Administrators are cracking down on the supposed lack of engagement by students in class. However, will this directive actually improve the culture of classes at NHS?
Many learners are confused and agitated with the new rule. For the past three years, students have been able to use their own computers without an issue. Honor Fairbairn, a junior at NHS, owns a computer specifically for school.
“I had my computer all ready for school, and then I came in the first day and I was told I’m not allowed to use it anymore,” Fairbairn says. “It’s a huge inconvenience.”
While inconveniences are one issue, on the other hand, students feel as though their quality of work decreases using the school Chromebooks.
“My Chromebook dies faster, my internet barely works on it and I don’t want to do my schoolwork using this computer,” Brylee Fitzgerald, a junior at NHS who owns a personal device for school, says. “I really prefer to use my own computer to do schoolwork.”
Administrators believe this directive is going to improve students’ focus on schoolwork and schoolwide security. Declan Curtin, the assistant principal at NHS, says that students having their own computers was a concern in the classroom for many reasons.
“During testing, kids were able to use their own computer to open up browsers to get answers and do other things,” Curtin says. “But on the Chromebooks, we were able to block that access. Information can be saved from personal computers, and we have no control over that.”
Though many students at NHS disagree with it now, administrators say the rule is here to stay.
“It all has to do with safety and security,” Curtin said.
October will see students relying heavily on school-issued Chromebooks as seniors will begin NWEA ELA testing this week and all students will complete NWEA math and science tests next week. Additionally, students will need school-issued computers to complete the October 15th PSAT.
