Smartphone in-Class Use and Academic Performance: A Case from the South East European University in North Macedonia

Nowadays, it is difficult to imagine life without a smartphone anywhere in the world. It is an inevitable phenomenon of the modern society and influences all spheres of existence from a psychological, social, educational and technological perspective. However, despite the many benefits it brings, excessive use of smartphones can have some adverse effects. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of in-class smartphone use on students’ academic performance. Students from the South East European University (SEEU) in North Macedonia participated in the study through an online survey. We aimed to provide answers to the following questions: How smartphones are used in class? Does that use to contribute to learning that is more successful or distract students from it? What kind of other effects do smartphones have on students while in class? The results have confirmed the hypothesis that in -class smartphone use negatively affects student academic performance measurable through the number of European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits awarded and students’ grade point average (GPA). Some other negative effects have also been identified. Recommendations based on findings might be useful for policymakers, higher education management and professors in order to provide some ways to regulate the use of smartphones in class. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.</p

The smartphone in the context of the classroom in the primary school and in the higher education

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are implementing unique changes in the most diverse fields nowadays. The smartphone, in particular, because of its technological convergence characteristics and because it is a tool that everyone owns and carries with them, it is an added value for the school and for the student that owns a personalized mobile resource. However, the school is resistant to its inclusion in education and there are contradictory studies: some reveal perverse effects on education, but others show their potentialities [1-3]. This fact shows the importance of teacher training in the selection of a methodology that responds to the inclusion of this tool in education. How to use the smartphone in education? It is a challenge that we intend to answer by showing the potential of this emerging technology in the process of teaching and learning with children from 6 to 9 years of age (primary school) and with adults of higher education (engineering course). In this study, the use of smartphones was observed in three classrooms of the primary school, involving about 60 children, and in higher education classes, involving about 50 students. We used a qualitative approach, case study. Data were collected from direct observers of the educational practices in the different contexts. For data analysis, we used description and data interpretation. The results show that teachers adopt a socio-constructivist methodology centring the student in the learning process: (1) in the use of the tool (technical domain), (2) in the accomplishment of the task, (3) in the reflection and argumentation of the results obtained, (4) knowledge sharing, (5) behaviour management, attitudes, task leadership and (6) self-criticism. It is also verified that they use the smartphone as a resource to motivate the student, stimulate concentration on the task, facilitate the understanding of content, encourage participation in the activity and promote interaction and sharing with others. In addition, the use of smartphones generates emotions and develops cross curricular skills in education as well as facilitating access to information, stimulates the creation of creative engineering projects that have satisfied students not only for the novelty, but also for finding that a pocket tool can perform interesting monitoring and remote control tasks. Thus, the results show that smartphones have a high potential in education, as they can promote an opportunity for methodological recreation and modernization, offer research potential, the development of new educational equipment and tools, new ways of consolidating and evaluating curricular content, development of other expressive abilities in the academic, social and personal life of an individual, as well as develop autonomy and stimulate the satisfaction of the students by returning to education the motivation of the student. It is also a clever way of educating this new generation by finding otherinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The smartphone in the context of the classroom in the primary school and in the higher education

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are implementing unique changes in the most diverse fields nowadays. The smartphone, in particular, because of its technological convergence characteristics and because it is a tool that everyone owns and carries with them, it is an added value for the school and for the student that owns a personalized mobile resource. However, the school is resistant to its inclusion in education and there are contradictory studies: some reveal perverse effects on education, but others show their potentialities [1-3]. This fact shows the importance of teacher training in the selection of a methodology that responds to the inclusion of this tool in education. How to use the smartphone in education? It is a challenge that we intend to answer by showing the potential of this emerging technology in the process of teaching and learning with children from 6 to 9 years of age (primary school) and with adults of higher education (engineering course). In this study, the use of smartphones was observed in three classrooms of the primary school, involving about 60 children, and in higher education classes, involving about 50 students. We used a qualitative approach, case study. Data were collected from direct observers of the educational practices in the different contexts. For data analysis, we used description and data interpretation. The results show that teachers adopt a socio-constructivist methodology centring the student in the learning process: (1) in the use of the tool (technical domain), (2) in the accomplishment of the task, (3) in the reflection and argumentation of the results obtained, (4) knowledge sharing, (5) behaviour management, attitudes, task leadership and (6) self-criticism. It is also verified that they use the smartphone as a resource to motivate the student, stimulate concentration on the task, facilitate the understanding of content, encourage participation in the activity and promote interaction and sharing with others. In addition, the use of smartphones generates emotions and develops cross curricular skills in education as well as facilitating access to information, stimulates the creation of creative engineering projects that have satisfied students not only for the novelty, but also for finding that a pocket tool can perform interesting monitoring and remote control tasks. Thus, the results show that smartphones have a high potential in education, as they can promote an opportunity for methodological recreation and modernization, offer research potential, the development of new educational equipment and tools, new ways of consolidating and evaluating curricular content, development of other expressive abilities in the academic, social and personal life of an individual, as well as develop autonomy and stimulate the satisfaction of the students by returning to education the motivation of the student. It is also a clever way of educating this new generation by finding other ways of learning to learn, learning to do and building knowledge, learning to be and being with others.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Smartphone Addiction Levels and the Association With Communication Skills in Nursing and Medical School Students

Background The use of smartphones among young people is quite common. However, smartphones are associated with negative effects when used excessively. It has been reported that smartphone use may adversely affect learning in the classroom, cause safety issues, and negatively affect interpersonal communications. Purpose The aims of this study were to determine the level of smartphone addiction among nursing and medical school students and to examine the effect of smartphone addiction level on communication skills. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted with medical school and nursing students at a public university (502 participants). Data were collected using a personal information form, the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV), and the Communication Skills Assessment Scale. Results All of the participants in the study owned smartphones. Most (70.9%) were female, and 58.2% were in the nursing program. The participants used smartphones for a mean time of 5.07 +/- 3.32 hours a day, primarily for messaging. The mean total SAS-SV score for the participants was 31.89 +/- 9.90, and a significant difference in SAS-SV mean scores was found with regard to the variables of department, gender, daily smartphone use duration, academic success, status regarding smartphone use in the classroom, participation in sports, easy communication with patients and relatives, preferred mode of communication, health problems tied to phone use, and injury status (p < .05). In addition, a positive weak-to-moderate relationship was found between SAS-SV mean scores and the variables of daily smartphone use duration and years of smartphone use, whereas a negative weak relationship was found between SAS-SV mean scores and Communication Skills Assessment Scale scores. Daily smartphone use duration was found to be the most important predictor of smartphone addiction. Conclusions/Implications for Practice Higher SAS-SV scores have a negative impact on interpersonal communication and social life and reduce learning efficacy in students. Therefore, students and lecturers should be better informed regarding the benefits and risks of smartphone use in education, with precautions provided against excessive and needless use

Mobile learning security concerns from university students' perspectives

The use of mobile devices as learning aids is increasing due to availability and affordability of mobile phones, smartphones and tablets among students. Many learners use their handheld devices not only for calling and texting, but also for educational purposes. Some promoters and developers of mobile learning in universities are developing and delivering learning content and instructions on mobile devices without adequate consideration for security of stakeholders' data, whereas the use of these mobile technologies for learning poses a serious threat to confidentiality, integrity and privacy of those involved in learning delivery, including the students. This paper discusses the security concerns of mobile learning from the learner's perspective based on a study conducted in higher education institutions in Nigeria. The study identified the security threats that learners may face when using mobile devices for educational purposes and examined the perceived damaging effects of mobile learning on students in cases there is a security breach. This paper concludes with recommendations for alleviating the security threats

After Broadband: A Study of Organizational Use of Broadband in Southwest Alaska

The purpose of this research was to gain a preliminary understanding of how organizations including large and small businesses, Native corporations and organizations, and local and regional governments are using broadband that is now available in much of southwest Alaska. To learn about community access to broadband, interviews were also conducted with library and school staff in communities where broadband had been installed under the OWL (Online with Libraries) program. Further, the study identifies research from other sources that could help to predict what socio-economic impacts the availability and adoption of broadband may have in rural Alaska. Financial institutions use online connections for teller services and credit and debit card processing, and stated that more people in rural communities now have debit cards that they can use for online purchases and bill paying. Large retailers use online services for payroll, for pointof-sale (POS) transactions, and online ordering. Seafood processors rely heavily on connectivity with their head offices (generally in the lower 48) for administrative services including payroll, accounting, shipping and receiving, purchasing, and ERP (enterprise resource planning), and access data base software to track fish tickets. Seafood processors also provide Internet access for their employees, most of whom are seasonal and from other states or countries. Tourism businesses use broadband for online reservation systems and for guests, who increasingly demand connectivity even for remote vacations. Village corporations and tribal councils use online services to help their residents obtain hunting and fishing licenses and fishing permits, to learn about funding opportunities, and to file reports on grants. Local Governments connect online for interoffice communications and for payroll and other administrative functions. Other online applications and services include providing remote desktop access from other agency sites, use of online tools for land management and mapping, training including webinars for workforce development, and providing access to social services for clients. An economic development organization sends newsletters to communities electronically and packets of documents to its board members rather than relying on fax or courier. Websites are important for tourism-related businesses to advertise and promote their businesses and for nonprofits and local governments to provide information about their services. 5 Broadband now plays many roles in rural education. Most students are required to use the Internet for class assignments. High school students can connect to classes in advanced subjects in other communities, and may complete online courses for college credit. Libraries remain important locations for community access, with residents going online to connect with friends on Facebook, as well as to download content for e-books, file income tax, and apply for jobs and government benefits. School and library Wi-Fi provides access inside and near the buildings for residents with smartphones. Despite enthusiasm for broadband and the adoption of many broadband-based applications and services, most organizations interviewed identified problems with broadband, particularly with the pricing, stating that the terrestrial broadband network is too costly for them to take full advantage of online services and applications. While the scope of this study was too limited to estimate long-term benefits, it found that broadband is highly valued and increasingly important to businesses and nonprofit organizations and local governments in southwest Alaska. Broadband helps businesses to be more efficient in their operations and to extend their reach to new customers and suppliers. It also helps to improve the effectiveness of public sector services such as those provided by borough and city governments and extends access to education and training. Broadband is also likely to be an important component of strategies to develop ecotourism and other ecosystem services.Support for this research came from Connect Alaska with funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for the work of the State of Alaska Broadband Task Force, with additional support from GCI.Executive Summary / Introduction / Research Methodology / Technologies and Technical Support / Broadband Applications / Education and Community Access / Health Care / Benefits of Broadband in Southwest Alaska / Problems and Limitations / Potential Long-Term Social and Economic Impacts / Conclusions and Recommendations / Referemce

Smartphones Adoption and Usage of 50+ Adults in the United Kingdom

This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Jyoti Choudrie, Sherah Kurnia, and Panayiota Tsatsou, eds., Social Inclusion and Usability of ICT-enabled Services, on October 2017, available online at: https://www.routledge.com/Social-Inclusion-and-Usability-of-ICT-enabled-Services/Choudrie-Kurnia-Tsatsou/p/book/9781138935556. Under embargo until 30 April 2019.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Microlearning with Mobile Devices: Effects of Distributed Presentation Learning and the Testing Effect on Mobile Devices

abstract: This study investigated the effects of distributed presentation microlearning and the testing effect on mobile devices and student attitudes about the use of mobile devices for learning in higher education. For this study, a mobile device is considered a smartphone. All communication, content, and testing were completed remotely through participants’ mobile devices. The study consisted of four conditions: (a) an attitudinal and demographic pre-survey, (b) five mobile instructional modules, (c) mobile quizzes, and (d) an attitudinal post-survey. A total of 311 participants in higher education were enrolled in the study. One hundred thirty-seven participants completed all four conditions of the study. Participants were randomly assigned to experimental conditions in a 2 x 2 factorial design. The levels of the first factor, distribution of instructional content, were: once-per-day and once-per-week. The levels of the second factor, testing, were: a quiz after each module plus a comprehensive quiz and a single comprehensive quiz after all instruction. The dependent variable was learning outcomes in the form of quiz-score results. Attitudinal survey results were analyzed using Principal Axis Factoring to reveal three components, (a) student perceptions about the use of mobile devices in education, (b) student perceptions about instructors’ beliefs for mobile devices for learning, and (c) student perceptions about the use of mobile devices post-instruction. The results revealed several findings. There was no significant effect for type of delivery of instruction in a one-way ANOVA. There was a significant effect for testing in a one-way ANOVA There were no main effects of delivery and testing in a 2 x 2 factorial design and there was no main interaction effect, and there was a significant effect of testing on final quiz scores controlling for technical beliefs in a 2 x 2 ANCOVA. The significant difference in testing was contradictory to some literature. Ownership of personal mobile devices in persons aged 18–29 is practically all-inclusive. Thus, future research on student attitudes and the implementation of personal smartphones for microlearning and testing is still needed to develop and integrate mobile-ready content for higher education.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Educational Technology 201

Smartphones

Many of the research approaches to smartphones actually regard them as more or less transparent points of access to other kinds of communication experiences. That is, rather than considering the smartphone as something in itself, the researchers look at how individuals use the smartphone for their communicative purposes, whether these be talking, surfing the web, using on-line data access for off-site data sources, downloading or uploading materials, or any kind of interaction with social media. They focus not so much on the smartphone itself but on the activities that people engage in with their smartphones

日本人大学生を対象にした英語学習ウエブアプリケーションの導入

This case study examines the introduction of web-based apps to Japanese university students for skill-based English learning. The focus is on 32 students from the International Studies and Education departments at a private Japanese university. The course was an elective English course titled,“ Current Events English.” In class, activities consisted of analog speaking activities from the textbook. However, web-based applications were introduced to support class preparation, the midterm, and the final project. The Memrise app for vocab learning was optional for class preparation. Use of Google Classroom was required for accessing the initial class documents, and Cambridge Write & Improve was required or the final project. Data was collected from the applications as well as from student surveys. The findings provide insight into the efficacy of webbased applications for language learning in Japan. It also contributes to the body of knowledge regarding the reticence of Japanese university students to adopt digital modes of language learning.本事例研究では日本人大学生を対象にした英語学習のためのウエブアプリケーション（WA） の適用可能性を明らかにする。対象は国際教育学科と教育経営学科の学生32人である。時事英語（選択教科コース）では主に教科書からのアナログ・スピーキング・アクティビティーを行ったが，授業の事前準備，中間発表，およびファイナルプロジェクトために三つのWAを導入した。学生主体の 事前準備のためにMemriseの語彙学習アプリを使用し，授業のシラバスおよびプリントを手に入れるためにグーグル・クラスルームを必要とした。ファイナルプロジェクトのためにCambridge Write & Improveも必要とした。WAと学生アンケートからデータを収集して分析した。本研究の結果は，日本人学生が言語学習にWAを使用することに控えめであるにもかかわらず，WAが語学学習には有効であるという知識体系を得られた