University of Chicago bans digital devices for first-year law students

Classroom Device Ban

The University of Chicago Law School will bar first-year students from using laptops, smartphones and other digital devices during classes, requiring handwritten notes as part of a new artificial intelligence policy designed to strengthen independent thinking skills, CBS News reported on Saturday.

Adam Chilton, dean of the law school, said the policy aims to ensure students develop problem-solving abilities without relying on algorithmic assistance. "At the same time, we want to produce graduates that can go into the world knowing how to use new technology in the most efficient way possible," Chilton said, adding that an "honest conversation" is necessary about balancing human cognition with machine capabilities. "It takes an honest conversation about how we can ensure students at every level are capable of thinking without machines but also think with machines," he stated.

District-Wide Restrictions

Chicago Public Schools has restricted access to certain artificial intelligence applications on its network and established policies requiring students to disclose and properly cite any use of automated tools in assignments, with failure to do so constituting a violation of the district's code of conduct, according to a district spokesperson. The Chicago Teachers' Union has also developed positions on the integration of machine learning in educational settings, while the University of Illinois Chicago requires students to acknowledge institutional conduct codes before accessing university-provided artificial intelligence tools.

State Guidance

The University of Chicago's new regulations coincide with the release of statewide guidance by the Illinois State Board of Education intended to help schools integrate artificial intelligence into teaching and administrative operations while preserving educators' essential roles. The guidance supports student growth through responsible technology adoption as higher education institutions across the state navigate the balance between traditional learning methods and emerging digital capabilities.