Examining Mobile Technology in Higher Education: Handheld Devices In and Out of the Classroom

This study followed an innovative introduction of mobile technology (i.e., BlackBerry® devices) to a graduate level business program and documented students’ use of the technology from the time students received the devices to the end of their first term of study. Students found the BlackBerry® device easy to use, and were optimistic regarding its potential role as an instructional tool. Students were self-directed in their use of the devices and found ways to use them within and outside of their classroom even when specific uses were not provided by instructors. Students used their devices most frequently for communication purposes outside the classroom through applications such as BlackBerry Messenger. Overall, although supporting a modest positive view toward this initial introduction to mobile technology as a learning tool, classroom instructional use was more limited than student-directed use in and outside the classroom. A comprehensive examination of the instructional pedagogy that best supports the potential of mobile technology as a self-directed learning tool is necessary to address the limitations seen in this implementation

Can I Have Your Attention? Implications of the Research on Distractions and Multitasking for Reference Librarians

The media have identified the last decade as “the age of distraction.” People today find it harder to work on long, sustained tasks because distractions are eroding their attention span, fostering a culture of discontinuity. Fields as diverse as psychology, business, education, human-computer interaction, and communication studies have produced a wealth of studies on interruptions, distractions, and multitasking–research that has important implications for reference librarians. The nature of our jobs invites interruptions by the public, requires familiarity with the latest technology, stimulates curiosity about a broad range of subjects, and demands adeptness at multitasking–all factors which can atomize attention

Multi-Tasking: The Effects of Interacting With Technology On Learning In A Real-Time Classroom Lecture

An experiment was conducted with the primary purpose of determining whether multitasking while listening to lectures impacts on learning performance. Four digitally-based multi-tasking activities (texting using a cell-phone, emailing, MSN messaging and Facebook) were compared to 3 control groups (a paper-and-pencil note-taking, a word-processing note-taking and a natural technology/note condition) over three sessions. The natural use control group was included to assess what level of multi-tasking, if any, occurs naturally in an authentic classroom lecture. The 7 (condition) X 3 (session) mixed design, revealed that participants m the Facebook and MSN conditions performed more poorly than participants in the paper-and-pencil use control. Fidelity measures indicated non-compliance with instructions within all conditions. Subsequent analyses, taking compliance into account, revealed that participants who did not use any technologies m any of the three lecture sessions, outperformed students who used some form of technology, even for as few as one session. Consistent with the Cognitive Bottleneck theory of attention (Welford, 1967), simultaneously performing 2 or more tasks results in decrements in performance in at least one of the tasks Overall, contrary to popular beliefs, findings indicate that using technology can have a detrimental impact on learning. The implications of the study are discussed with regards to educational initiatives that promote the use of digital technologies to increase learning opportunities

Interactive lectures: Clickers or personal devices?

Audience response systems (‘clickers’) are frequently used to promote participation in large lecture classes, and evidence suggests that they convey a number of benefits to students, including improved academic performance and student satisfaction. The limitations of these systems (such as limited access and cost) can be overcome using students’ personal electronic devices, such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops together with text message, web- or app-based polling systems. Using questionnaires, we compare student perceptions of clicker and smartphone based polling systems. We find that students prefer interactive lectures generally, but those that used their own device preferred those lectures over lectures using clickers. However, device users were more likely to report using their devices for other purposes (checking email, social media etc.) when they were available to answer polling questions. These students did not feel that this distracted them from the lecture, instead, concerns over the use of smartphones centred around increased battery usage and inclusivity for students without access to suitable technology. Our results suggest that students generally preferred to use their own devices over clickers, and that this may be a sensible way to overcome some of the limitations associated with clickers, although issues surrounding levels of distraction and the implications for retention and recall of information need further investigation

Instructional Uses of Instant Messaging (IM) During Classroom Lectures

Can “Information Age” learners effectively multi-task in the classroom? Can synchronous classroom activities be designed around conceptually related tasks, to encourage deeper processing and greater learning of classroom content? This research was undertaken to begin to address these questions. In this study, we explored the use of instructionally-related instant messaging (IM) discussions during undergraduate university lectures. Over the course of three weeks, students practiced with and then employed hand-held computers for brief, synchronous class discussions in response to assigned questions related to the lectures. Students were observed during these sessions, and students and the instructors were interviewed separately afterwards. The contents of students’ discussions indicate that they were capable of engaging in on-task discussions and of expressing opinions and exploring instructionally relevant topics. However, even though students routinely multi-task in classrooms as they attend to lectures, process the contents, and record notes for later study, both students and the instructors expressed some discomfort with discussion occurring synchronously with classroom lectures. In this paper, we describe student discussion behavior, and reflect on possible applications of multiple sequential (rather than simultaneous) tasks during classroom instruction

Examining Mobile Technology in Higher Education: Handheld Devices In and Out of the Classroom

This study followed an innovative introduction of mobile technology (i.e., BlackBerry® devices) to a graduate level business program and documented students’ use of the technology from the time students received the devices to the end of their first term of study. Students found the BlackBerry® device easy to use, and were optimistic regarding its potential role as an instructional tool. Students were self-directed in their use of the devices and found ways to use them within and outside of their classroom even when specific uses were not provided by instructors. Students used their devices most frequently for communication purposes outside the classroom through applications such as BlackBerry Messenger. Overall, although supporting a modest positive view toward this initial introduction to mobile technology as a learning tool, classroom instructional use was more limited than student-directed use in and outside the classroom. A comprehensive examination of the instructional pedagogy that best supports the potential of mobile technology as a self-directed learning tool is necessary to address the limitations seen in this implementation

The relationship between mobile social media use and academic performance in university students

This study examined the relationship between social media use and academic performance.  Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to a sample of university students in Kuwait.  Results show that heavy mobile social media usage is positively related to lower GPA.  The strong linear relationship suggests the more students use social media the lower their grades will be.  Results also show participants were aware social media usage is lowering their grades, yet they continue to use them heavily regardless.  Future research should consider the context in which social media are used.  It should also explore other ways in which to measure social media use in addition to self-reports. Keywords: Social media, academic performance, Kuwait, mobile phones.

In-class Multitasking among College Students

The use of mobile devices in class has become a common scene on the college campus. The negative effects of in-class multitasking behaviors have been identified in many educational settings, including colleges. This study investigates the factors that drive college students to multitask and seeks to understand the relationship between learning engagement and multitasking behaviors in the classroom. This study also explores whether polychronic traits relate to multitasking behavior. A total of 282 survey samples were collected from college students in Taiwan. The results confirmed our hypotheses: (1) Students’ multitasking motivation, including social and emotional needs, positively relates to their in-class multitasking. (2) Polychronic traits positively relate to in-class multitasking. (3) Learning engagement negatively relates to in-class multitasking behavior. (4) Polychronic traits negatively relate to learning engagement. (5) Low course difficulty level relates to more frequent in-class multitasking behaviors. The implications of the study are also discussed