Some professors give warnings or grade deductions to students who fail to adhere to classroom policies. Others send them away with shattered laptops.
When Kieran Mullen, OU physics professor, noticed that students’ laptop usage was a distraction during his lectures, he planned a scene to get students to pay attention. During a general physics for engineering majors class Monday, Mullen placed a student’s decoy, non-functioning laptop into a plastic container and poured liquid nitrogen on it.
“He said: ‘this is just liquid nitrogen, so it alone won’t hurt the computer. But this will’,” said Lindsey Brinkworth, University College freshman. “Then he threw it to the ground and told him to have IT fix it.”
Most students usually find Mullen to be considerate of students and attentive to their needs, said Jonathan Scranton, University College freshman.
“He is one of those quirky kind of professors but to actually break someone’s laptop seems a little harsh,” Scranton said.
While many students thought the scene was a genuine display, others suspected it was a hoax staged only to warn them.
“I was a little concerned at first, but I thought later that it was a little too convenient that he would have liquid nitrogen and a Styrofoam box in a back room like that,” said Brinkworth. “Either way, he got his point across.”
The professor performed a similar stunt five years ago when he found students using cell phones during class. Mullen said students who are using electronic devices during class are distracting themselves and other students.
“It’s silly and ostentatious, but it’s memorable,” Mullen said, referring to the stunt. “I just hope it drives the point home that if you’re in class, you really need to be here.”
Since the classroom display, various students have considered bringing their laptops to a lecture session as a group to see Mullen’s reaction, Brinkworth said.
“If I get an e-mail from the rest of class saying they’ll do it, then maybe I will,” Brinkworth said. “But my laptop was pretty expensive, so I’m not sure.”
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magnumfinger 2 years, 3 months ago
Oh well, this is not the way how to treat a laptop.. And another, 'laptop-brutality': http://bit.ly/macbook-gundown-israel-airport
studentatOU 2 years, 3 months ago
some kid in the class recorded it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5w-7IpI0fI
im4it 2 years, 3 months ago
Well anger and harsh lessons are a part of life that humans try to make laws against. This is bad b/c when you die and visit God I can assure you there will be no laws. Sad Hell must be so crowded.
Anyway kids can be very, very mischievous and as soon as they think that adults are castrated by political correctness they just make everyone pay!! Well, good job Professor.. you made that snot nosed brat kid pay and I just hope the school backs you and not the kid. If you have to pay for a new laptop.. just pay don't get into any trouble that will just make those imps happy. pay and give the kid an F after you pay. That way you win!
tennishawk07 2 years, 3 months ago
Seriously guy?! You're bringing Hell/God into this? The prof was just making a point and he did so pretty violently. And where do you get off saying that these "kids," legal adults I might add, are trying to be mischievous in class and try to "make everyone pay?" Please go troll a different sight and seek professional attention for your absurd delusions.
shoshanahg 2 years, 2 months ago
I am in college right now and am paying for all the cost myself. I wish they would do something in classes were other students are more interested in texting on their cells or laptops which is really frustrated for those of us that are there with a propose-like getting a degree. While the act was harsh it's something I've wanted to do to others who appear ignorant and care nothing about how they are affecting those around them. These folks need to grow up and have respect for others around them or get out.
AcaciaJules 2 years, 2 months ago
I use my laptop every day in class. For notes, which according to everyone who's ever needed a copy, are the best they've ever seen. So I really fail to see why laptops aren't allowed.
Artificer 2 years, 2 months ago
I use my laptop to take notes in class constantly, both because I have wrist problems and because it's just flat out convenient. Does that make me a bad person?
Students fail or succeed on their own merits. If they fail a class because they are not paying attention, they fail a class for not paying attention. It's not the professor's job to scare them into submission, nor is it a reflection on anyone else in the class if they are distracted.
Interesting story, but this was way over the top.