Much research has been done on the effects of both mobile phones and laptops in the classroom. Studies have explored both the positive and negative effects of using both technologies in the classroom as well as the effects of allowing their use by self-regulating students. While some schools push for technologically enabled classrooms and educators, professors, student bodies and administrators are abandoning laptop programs and banning the use of mobile devices in some classrooms. The spectrum of opinions on the subject is almost as vast as the spectrum of technology available. Most research, however, focuses on one device.
Until recently, most students did not possess what we now term “smartphones”. Until the recent advent of the iPhone, devices with computing power (i.e. The ability to send and receive email, access the Internet, read documents etc...) were used primarily in the corporate setting, and high costs discouraged most of the public from purchasing them. Students had mobile phones for communication and a laptop for other applications. However, with recent reduction in costs, user-friendly interfaces and public-oriented marketing, smartphones have become prevalent amongst students. How will combining both the laptop and phone into a single mobile communication technology impact students of the upcoming generation?
Since smartphones are a relatively new technology, there is little research available that deals directly with smartphones as their own, unique entity. Most studies included PDAs and other mobile technologies that shared some characteristics as modern smartphones, but in general, the topic of study was mobile phones with smartphones included under the same blanket term “mobile phone”. Smartphones were rarely mentioned in studies concerning laptop use, however because of the overlap in functionality between smartphones, laptops and cell phones I felt it important to read and include information on the subject of laptops as it pertains to the topic of smartphones. Due to the variety of opinions, I have decided to split my posts into parts: one that will cover criticism and one that will cover praise of mobile technology use in classrooms.
An Element of Distraction: Criticism of Mobile Device Use in Classrooms
Ringing cellphones and laptop boot-up noises plague classrooms in Universities across the board. Professors grapple with games for the attention of students and pressure to integrate technology deters many from making changes to classroom policies that would address core issues. Research has proven the negative influence of distractions in information recall, though complaints include more than just distractions. Some professors believe that technology is creating a student body with test-taking and information gathering skills but little in the way of independent problem-solving, innovative, and analytical skills.
One of the first problems surrounding mobile technology that is often discussed is the issue of distraction, since it is widely recognised, debated and researched. The concept of distraction is not new to educators, having existed long before technology arrived. Looking out the window, note-passing, doodling and paper and pencil games are still used by students as methods of mentally escaping the classroom, yet they didn't become as problematic as mobile technology.
Today's smartphones are tailored to an individual's needs. No two phones are alike any more now that both software and hardware are customisable. The perfect applications for every student are available and accessible, often for free. The most engaging and tempting distractions can be downloaded from within classroom walls, and used in seconds. Not only is the temptation for the user heightened by the large market of mobile applications (apps), but so is the distraction for any other student within eye shot of the user. Curious onlookers interested in new software can easily have their attention divided if they catch a glimpse of the screen.
According to a recent study in Connecticut, of a comprehensive list of 56 possible external and internal possible distraction, students rated their own cell phone use and playing games to be the third and fourth largest distractions. The first and second largest distractions? Technology was superseded only by the student being too fatigued to stay awake in class and personal symptoms of illness. Most students do seem to have some concern for appropriate technology use, however, as a few studies mentioned students considering the classroom to be inappropriate for ringing phones, conversations, and other uses that involve auditory disturbances. Curiously, few are forthcoming with complaints regarding visual disturbances. Despite students' claims that multitasking by using a computer (looking at a screen) while learning in class (listening to the professor) does not affect their academic performance, a 2010 study comparing auditory and visual distractions disagrees. The study demonstrates that changes in either auditory or visual stimuli leads to lower processing of the other, suggesting that the rapid rate at which smartphone screens change displays could lower student ability to process lecture-based material.
When it really comes down to the big issues, how our students are progressing is of ultimate importance and some teachers feel that readily available mobile technology is not teaching the next generation the correct skills. More and more often, students are turning to search engines and notes for the answers instead of applying their own reasoning. This form of shallow learning encourages excellent test-taking skills, but not independent thinking and problem-solving. By using the Internet to locate the answer to every question, students may not be developing deep learning and thinking skills since they are merely regurgitating information they have located instead of processing and making connections.
A professor of law experimentally banned laptops in an effort to teach students critical thinking and logic in a class with a reputation for academic decline. His reasoning for doing so hinged on the fact that most students were bringing outlines and notes to class on their computers and ineffectively attempting to look up answers to questions instead of working them out using their critical thinking skills. At the end of the semester, the professor surveyed students for feedback and was met with primarily positive responses. Students reported understanding the material better, feeling more engaged in class, being more comfortable and closer to their peers as well as feeling more connected with the professor. Furthermore, the class without the assistance of laptops outperformed their laptop-using peers in academic grades.
The context of a classroom is equally important when assessing the use of mobile technology. A study of liberal arts students found that most felt that using mobile technology in class was a way of separating oneself from the rest of one's peers. Using technology detracts from the natural flow of conversation, making it a hindrance for a class based around group discussion. Students in this particular study used technology in nearly every facet of their life outside the classroom, showing a stark contrast to their attitudes and expectations on classroom technology use.
While professors debate the pros and cons of their educational merit, mobile technology has other facets that factor into the debate as well. For most students, smartphones are not simply educational tools – they are living tools. Students store their music, take photos, browse the Internet, send and receive many types of mail and messages and much more with the amazing amount of mobile applications available for download. While these features make devices extremely useful, the associations mobile technology carries with it from outside the classroom are exactly what make it hard to put down in class. The smartphone is a way to stay in constant communication with peers, a digital note-passing network if you will. Some students have mastered the ability to text discreetly to avoid detection from professors and supervisors. Even if such discreet use was deemed a distraction or a detriment to a student's education, is there an effective way to control use such a device?
Not everyone even agrees that mobile technology really needs to be controlled. A large number of people believe that mobile technology advances our educational system and enables our youth to learn in ways never before possible. Students also voice opinions about wanting access to their mobile devices during class, for both educational and personal reasons. For some, mobile technology is used for medical reasons, enabling students who would otherwise be unable to attend institutions such as Universities. While no one is suggesting that mobile technology should be banned in this particular instance, it is worth mentioning for its positive benefit on schools and quality of life. As with most things in life, the key seems to be in striking the right balance.
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