Uses of Mobile Devices in University Lectures: Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes
Overview
This research investigates how university students use mobile devices during lectures, examining both the duration and purpose of device usage. The study surveyed 100 Harvard University students to determine whether mobile device use primarily supports academic learning or facilitates off-task activities, finding that the majority of students spend approximately 45 minutes per lecture on class-related activities such as note-taking.
What this research paper covers
- Introduction discussing the prevalence of mobile devices in higher education and the tension between institutional bans and student perceived benefits
- Research methodology describing the qualitative survey of 100 students and data collection approach
- Findings on usage duration, task types (on-task versus off-task activities), and student perceptions of mobile device utility for learning
Preview
USES OF MOBILE DEVICES IN UNIVERSITY LECTURES
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Uses of Mobile Devices in University Lectures
Today’s society, mobile devices such as laptops, smartphones, ebooks, and generally digital technology, plays a significant role in all views of daily life. The user can be at home, at the office, during free time, and most important study. Currently, mobile devices are essential in facilitating easy learning, to the extent of many users of these devices at higher levels of education (Neil Roberts, 2014, 416). In this research, the uses of mobile devices, duration of use during 1-hour lectures, and why students use them will be discussed.
Despite mobile devices being banned in lecture rooms by University lectures for malpractices such as watching movies in the lecture room, social media, chatting, and internet surfing, among others. Students find that using mobile devices offers more advantages in lecture rooms such as taking notes, searching educational concepts, sharing learning materials with friends anywhere, and accessing their instructors (Neil Roberts, 2014, 418). Fewer percentage use their phones and laptops for unrelated learning activities during lectures, giving a broad reason why lectures are burning the use of mobile devices in lecture rooms. In this research, to discover the ideas on why students use their mobile devices in class, the following questions were asked (Neil Roberts, 2014, 420). The purpose of using mobile devices in lectures. Time spent in each activity while using mobile devices and the event on the task or off task.