Access Course - Laptops in lesson?

Hi,

I'll be doing an Access Course in September. I'm not exactly sure how lessons work. I'm considering buying a laptop to do my work on, and I'm wondering if I'd be able to use it in lessons instead of pen and paper? I really hate my handwriting.

If you're on an Access course, or have been on one - did you or anyone in the group have laptops out in lessons? Do you think having one with you would be beneficial?

Thanks.

Reply 1

Robbie_Tor

One person did in my class but she brought it twice and never again. A laptop tbh isn't really needed... just pen and paper :smile:

When you're in class most of the time you'll be brainstorming and doing workshops. When note-taking it'll be quite long-winded to use a laptop - that's my opinion though - it's quicker to write with a pen than type, especially if you work out your own shorthand-type system.

A breakdown of my time on access hours during college time are:

75% in the library reasearching.
25% in class doing workshops.

Reply 2

Dreamseeker

Thanks. I may not buy a laptop just yet then. Though I'll definitely need one for University, next year. If I can hold out until next year I'll be able to get a more powerful laptop for the same price...

However. There will be essays and assignments to do... a laptop might be beneficial for that. Although I have a good PC at home, it's in a very distracting place... Hmm. Another dilemma!

Reply 3

James77

This is a good thread, I was thinking about a laptop and if was needed too. Think will stick to pen and paper! :smile:

Reply 4

joeydeacon

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 5

ladyxbird

I really think it depends on where you go to be honest, I did my Access Course at the University and it was such a diverse course and loads and loads of people brought their laptops in and were on them throughout entire lessons, me included! It can be very helpful when trying to record information your tutor is saying to help you with writing an essay, I pumped out half a 2500 word essay once just by writing down everything my tutor was saying about the subject which I wouldn't have been able to do with just pen and paper!

Reply 6

sonnymuncher

I guess it also depends what Pathway you are going to be studying on. I'm doing Education and have found my laptop invaluable at times - I have taken it in every day and use it every day in college too. There have been lots of times when we have done research in lessons for which access to the internet is a godsend. I have also managed to do loads of work in any free study periods as well.

Reply 7

Summer241

A laptop would be very useful for typing up essays in your own time. It's not really needed in class. My college put up all the powerpoints and lesson notes on their website so I could download and print them off if I needed to - I often did that before classes so I could follow it as the teacher was explaining to save me writing it all out, I just highlighted the main points that I needed to remember.

If you have specific difficulties with writing I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem to bring a laptop, a netbook might be easier for carrying around though.

Reply 8

Zinfandel

I have to be honest here, two people brought laptops to lectures and the general concencus was "What dicks".

Might be different in uni, but I don't think access courses are the place.