Professors hate to compete with technology for their students’ attention, but new research suggests students’ grades are the real victims.

Students who use laptops in class have lower GPAs, according to a study by Cornell University.

In the study, students were given laptops monitored for Internet use and it was noted that taking notes was their last priority. Instead, students browsed the Internet.

“Longer browsing sessions during class tend to lead to lower grades,” said the report in the Journal of Educational Technology and Society.

Katie Fite, a freshman from Snellville, found her grades lowered significantly after bringing her laptop to class.

“When I look around at the people using laptops, 99 percent of the time, people are on Facebook or playing games,” said Fite.

She said she has noticed her grades have been lower since she began bringing her laptop to class.

Kathryn Milam, a sophomore from Carrollton, said she’s distracted by the laptops other students bring.

“They’re extraordinarily distracting. I once watched someone play a snowboarding game for about twenty minutes.”

Professors have taken action to stop irresponsible use of laptops, such as walking around the classroom to monitor use or banning them altogether.

“Some people think that if a student wishes to spend my class chatting with friends or family, it is their business,” said Ruth Ann Lariscy, an advertising professor in the Grady College. “I happen to disagree.”

Lariscy instituted a no-laptop policy in her classes last semester. Although two students protested, most students told her “they appreciate the atmosphere that is created when they are not allowed,” Lariscy said.

Other professors are distracted more by newspapers.

“Laptops don’t distract me,” said Brian Binder, associate professor of marine biology. “Taking notes on laptops make sense, but newspapers are incredibly rude.”

Audrey Haynes, associate professor of political science, said laptops are more prevalent in large lecture courses. In her 300 student lecture, about eight students use a laptop, but no students do in her upper division classes.

Haynes said she has seen the problem of laptop use affecting professors.

“I was recently at a workshop that had professors at stations with laptops while listening to a presentation, and I noticed many were checking their e-mail,” Haynes said.

The Student Learning Center allows students to check out laptops from the third floor reference desk in three hour increments.

“Our sense is that the laptops are primarily checked out for non-classroom use,” said Florence King, director of the SLC Electronic Library.

Several students have found the renting useful.

“I use the SLC laptops (in class) frequently,” said Ambre Reed, a sophomore from Jonesboro. “It doesn’t distract me because I should be paying attention to the teacher.”

Whether or not laptops are a distraction, most students do not want them banned from the classroom.

“I do think that laptops disrupt my grades,” said Milam, “because I use them to check my e-mail, but it does help to follow with power points. I don’t think they should be banned.”