Student use of cell phones in the classroom

Abstract

Even though school rules state that students are not to use their cell phone during class, they still do. A quantitative study was conducted, surveying 54 students to determine the reasons why they use their cell phone during class instead of concentrating on their learning. Participants completed a survey in which they indicated how important a list of 15 possible reasons was to them. Results indicated that students were most likely to use their cell phone during class for social reasons such as to answer an incoming text message. Educational leaders must be aware of student behaviours and attitudes and be prepared to adapt policies as necessary in order to enhance student learning. Future research is suggested as technology advances and new challenges arise.