From the Columbia Daily Spectator: In early September, we—the chairs of Literature Humanities and Contemporary Civilization—announced to our fellow instructors a new policy restricting the use of digital technology in the two Core Curriculum courses we oversee, respectively... As instructors, we have witnessed firsthand the gradual deterioration of collective intellectual exchange in classrooms hastened by the widespread presence of networked technologies. A number of Core instructors had already adopted similar policies before our announcement. In short, a broad consensus on the deleterious effects of screens is beginning to emerge.
We decided it was time for Columbia to establish a precedent for itself and for higher education: to adopt a consistent and general policy for the use of technology in Core classrooms and to take back student attention being lost to screens. What does this mean? No more temptation to skim social media feeds, shop, doomscroll, work on problem sets for other classes, and everything else devices are used for in class other than taking notes. No more reading pirated copies and bad translations of Plato and Kant downloaded from the dark corners of the web. No more staring and tapping furtively at one’s lap as the instructor competes with virtually the entire world for students’ attention.
Now all in-class texts must be in print. Notes must be written by hand. What this decision means most of all is that students must be present in the moment—in mind, in body, and for each other...
Prompt to Gemini Song Composer:
Make a 1950s rock and roll song entitled "Present in the Moment" about the material above from Columbia College of Columbia University. Lyrics below.
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"Present in the Moment"
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[Verse 1]
Got my heels clicking on the tile
Walking to class with a giant smile
But the desks are covered in screens
Losing the plot on glowing machines
Looking at shoes and surfing the net
Doing some work for a problem set
Mind in the sky, far away
Missing out on what people say
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[Pre-Chorus]
The professors had a big new idea
To bring back a different kind of sphere
They said we got to make a stand
For the best education in the land
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[Chorus]
Present in the moment!
Got to hear the sound!
Present in the moment!
Got to look around!
No more glowing lights
Let us see the heights
Be here for real!
Tell me what you feel
[Verse 2]
No more bad translations of Kant
Give me the real book that I want
Plato on paper, oh so fine
Reading it slowly, line by line
Write your notes with a pen today
Chase the digital ghosts far away
Now we are talking face to face
Bringing the fire to this place
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[Chorus]
Present in the moment!
Got to hear the sound!
Present in the moment!
Got to look around!
No more glowing lights
Let us see the heights
Be here for real!
Tell me what you feel
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[Outro]
So close up those screens!
You know what it means!
We are present, oh yeah!
We are right here right now!
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