By The Editorial Board
In classrooms across Baylor, an epidemic has gone silently unnoticed: a lack of motivation to learn. While this seems to be addressed in the conversation about literacy rates and artificial intelligence, it has yet to be discussed that students would rather do homework or respond to emails than sit attentively in class.
While multitasking has become a pastime for Generation Z, the honest truth is that it’s harder to learn when you are distracted. We are paying up to $67,756 for undergraduate tuition and fees, which seems difficult to justify if we spend class time distracted on our laptops.
Yes, doing homework in class is productive in a sense. However, it creates more work for us later when we need to apply the skills from class on exams or projects.
According to a 2021 research project published by the National Library of Medicine, the average duration a student spends doing other tasks on their computer during class directly correlates to a lower exam score.
“Students spent 28% of class time using their laptops for tasks that were unrelated to the class and, as expected, off-task computer use was negatively related to course performance,” the authors wrote in the study.
As Baylor students, we should hold ourselves accountable during class time; however, it’s important to acknowledge the reason why students spend so much time on their laptops.
We can all be honest: anxiety is at an all-time high for college students, and it often feels like class is the only time we have to do homework, respond to emails or plan our week. On top of managing classes, we also feel consistent pressure to find internships, manage relationships and perform well in our classes.
Needless to say, staying off our laptops during class can seem like a tall order for maintaining productivity. But we challenge you to prioritize being present; staying off technology during class ultimately results in a deeper understanding of the materials, higher grades and even has neuroplasticity benefits.
According to a 2022 study by the National Library of Medicine, “During the first two and a half decades of life, the human brain is a construction site, and learning processes direct its shaping through experience-dependent neuroplasticity. … Since experience-dependent neuroplasticity is at full force during school years, it holds a tremendous educational opportunity.”
Not being present in class is detrimental to our ability to learn material and retain information. It also comes across as unprofessional and communicates that class is not a priority.
Harvard found that, “actively engaging in behaviors that support neuroplasticity, can strengthen cognitive function and potentially reduce the risk of age-related decline.”
The article continues to emphasize that “Cognitive fitness – the ability to think, learn, and remember effectively – depends on a healthy and adaptable brain.”
On the other side of the active-learning formula is a shift in how college classes are structured. While lecture-heavy learning might have worked well prior to the digital frontier, it unfortunately does not mesh well with this generation’s desire for human connection and engagement.
Tainted attention spans stem from the media fluency that runs throughout this generation’s roots, but college classrooms have yet to adapt to this trend.
“It is quite clear that using old teaching methods is not effective for the new generation of students,” according to a 2025 article from the National Library of Medicine. “Theoretical approaches that are more textbook-based are boring for these students. On the other hand, the quality of learning increases with the self-learning activities of students. Therefore, teachers should encourage students to use appropriate and high-quality learning methods.”
The article continues to emphasize the learning style of Gen Z, describing our brains as “intricately wired.” It goes on to say that interactive games, group projects and technology-forward work are key to an effective classroom.
“100% of students said that they felt they learned more from technology rather than lectures,” the article states.
Gen Z is an intelligent generation — we need to reflect that in the classroom as well. We challenge you to stay off your computers, focus on being present and push yourself to learn.
Scrolling does not serve you in the long run, and it’s important to be educated, especially when you consider the cost of tuition. So next time you’re in class, challenge yourself to shut your laptop and be present.
Being present means being educated and higher education means access to better jobs, longer life expectancy and availability for better healthcare. Learning is a privilege, being in classrooms is a privilege. Don’t take that for granted.
