Hitting rewind: U of T prof runs tech-free, '90s-style class to boost engagement

Mar 20, 2026 · 671 words · By Kristy Strauss

Fact-Check Results

“A University of Toronto Mississauga professor ran a tech-free, '90s-style class to boost engagement.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to confirm or refute the claim about the professor's tech-free class.

“Students traded their laptops for notebooks and pens, swapped high-speed internet for printouts, and gave up all reliance on AI.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to verify student behavior changes during the class.

“The class became a more interactive environment where students were highly engaged.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No data in archive to assess engagement levels in the class.

“The professor taught the class as a traditional 1990s-era professor, using printouts and a whiteboard instead of PowerPoint.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive to confirm the professor's teaching methods.

“Students filled out a feedback form with a pen on printed paper at the end of the class.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No information in archive about feedback forms used during the class.

“The professor plans to make one session of his courses every term a '90s-style class.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive about the professor's future course plans.

“The experiment has opened the door to a potential research project examining tech-free sessions for teaching.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No mention of research projects in the archive related to this topic.

“Another writing studies professor at the university has expressed interest in borrowing the idea for their own class.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No evidence in archive about other professors' interest in the approach.

“The session included active learning and group work methods used today.”

❓ INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE — No data in archive to verify the inclusion of modern teaching methods.