As technology continues to improve, more students are trying to include it in their education. After all, the internet is a great resource of information. But is a laptop better than traditional pen and paper? Will you be at a disadvantage in sixth form if you don’t use a laptop?
You do not “need” a laptop for sixth form college. If you would like to use one, your school will most likely approve. You may even be recommended a laptop. However, you are also welcome to continue using a notepad.
Deciding on whether to use a laptop for sixth form college might be a difficult process for you. Keep reading this article to help you make a more advised choice.
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Do you need a laptop for sixth form?
A laptop can help you during sixth form, but it isn’t required. Your school or teachers may recommend using a laptop to you if they feel it would benefit you. You are also free to use a laptop if you want. However, you won’t be at a disadvantage if you don’t use a laptop.
Sixth form college is a lot of work, so you will be taking lots of notes. If you think that you take notes faster on a laptop, using one for sixth form could be beneficial. This Think Student article has information about sixth form college, to help you decide if you want to use a laptop.
For more details on how laptops and technology can be used in sixth form college, you should check out this Think Student article.
Advantages of laptops for sixth form
A helpful advantage to using a laptop in sixth form is that it can help you stay organised. By not having loose sheets of paper, you’re less likely to lose notes and you can keep them in one place, in different folders. This helps you keep track of your work, notes and assignments.
Another huge benefit of using a laptop is access to resources. Having access to the internet in the classroom is a great way to expand knowledge. Laptops can even be helpful when you’re revising, and you can find revision techniques involving laptops in this Think Student article.
Disadvantages of laptops for sixth form
The main disadvantage for using laptops throughout sixth form is that you lose handwriting skills. For the majority of students, exams are handwritten. This means that if you type for the 2 years of sixth form, your handwriting skills might deplete, costing you time in exams. For a guide on how to write faster in exams, read this Think Student article here.
Other disadvantages include complacency, unreliability and cost. Internet connection is not always stable, and laptops are expensive. For many students it’s easier and more reliable to stick with pen and paper. If you want to read more, The Classroom published a helpful article on the disadvantages of computers in education.
Which subjects require a laptop the most?
Essay subjects, such as English or history, require laptops a lot more than subjects such as maths or science. If you find yourself writing a lot of assignments or researching a lot for your subjects, a laptop may be useful to you. Humanities subjects tend to benefit more from laptops than the scientific subjects.
If you’re studying subjects like maths or science, you might still want to use a laptop. Even subjects such as art can benefit from the use of a laptop. It is important to note that you don’t “need” a laptop, so you won’t be disadvantaged if you don’t use one.
Laptops vs notepads: which is better?
The question on whether a laptop is better than a notepad is personal to you. If you write faster and do more work on a laptop, then you’ll find sixth form college a lot easier using one. Alternatively, if you find that on a laptop you get distracted easily, a notepad is probably better.
In the summer holidays, technology stores often hold sales on laptops and tablets, aimed at students. If you think you want to use a laptop for sixth form college, picking one up near the end of the summer holidays is best.