Using Laptops During Exams?

Teemu Leinonen in Finland responded to a series of messages on this topic on a New Media Consortium listserv. He said that he'd met with some officials from the Finland Ministry of Education who are considering allowing secondary school students to use laptops during exams. Apparently they mentioned that this is already permitted in Denmark. Teemu then provided a lnik to his blog posting comparing U.S. schools to those in Finland. It's interesting to note that Finnish high school students must take national exams that last for 4-8 DAYS (!) at 6 hours/day. These exams are supposed to measure "the big picture, general knowledge, and higher level concepts," as opposed to rote learning. Teachers in Finnish high schools work together to develop large projects for students to undertake, that span various disciplinary areas. Although he Teemu doesn't say so, information literacy instruction could sure help those teachers and students in their endeavors.