College Students' Perspectives on Cell Phone Use and its Impact on Concentration: Exploring Controversial Topics Through Writing

Abstract

The use of electronic devices in university classrooms is as common as any other academic tool. In the interest of identifying the potential didactic implications of this habit, the present research aims to explore university students' perceptions of using cell phones or other electronic devices in the classroom. The study follows a mixed approach that combines qualitative and quantitative techniques, and selected a convenience sample of 99 students which participated in the quantitative data collection phase, through the application of a 10-item closed-ended questionnaire. For the qualitative data collection phase, only 33 students participated, allowing for a more in-depth and rigorous analysis of the essays. To collect this qualitative data, a writing prompt was designed in which students were asked to write an argumentative essay on the controversial topic of cell phone use in class. This type of essay is ideal for debating controversial topics such as the use of cell phones in classes. Among the most important results obtained are the following: most students recognize that the use of these electronic devices during class sessions distracts them and admit that they sometimes need to ask the teacher to repeat explanations. Similarly, most students use their cell phones very frequently for entertainment and browsing social networks, rather than for academic purposes.