Examining predictive factors and effects of in-class multitasking with mobile phones

Abstract

Purpose The study aims to give a descriptive account of university students’ engagement with non-learning-related activities during class time and explore the relationship between off-task multitasking and learning. The predictive factors for off-task multitasking from individual, social and class-related dimensions are also examined. Design/methodology/approach Contextualized in a comprehensive university in Hong Kong, the study adopts a survey design and involves 79 samples. Findings The data show that Hong Kong university students are avid users of mobile phones and heavily engage with digital devices. Off-task multitasking with mobile phones is a common phenomenon, yet not related to learning performance. Among the various media and apps on mobile phones, instant messenger stands out as the most frequently used app on a daily basis and inside the classroom. The individual device-use habit and classroom engagement are significant predictors for off-task multitasking during class time. Practical implications This paper will allow teachers and students to be more aware of the causes and effects of off-task multitasking behaviors during class time and derive practical guidance and strategies to pay heed to and resist the disruptive influence of technologies on learning. Originality/value The existing scholarly work show a mixed and incomplete picture regarding the effects and determining factors of students’ multitasking. This study includes three variables from individual, social and teaching/learning dimensions and seeks to evaluate their predictive strengths. The results of the study will deepen our understanding of the patterns of off-task multitasking.

Skala Cyberslacking Pada Mahasiswa

“…Saat ini dengan meningkatnya konektivitas dan interdependensi di antara negara-negara di dunia di dalam bidang ekonomi, sosial, budaya dan lain-lain, kita semakin sering melihat kesamaan perilaku di antara berbagai budaya di berbagai belahan dunia. Terutama pada generasi milenial atau digital natives yang akrab dengan penggunaan teknologi informasi (Alt, 2017;Apuke & Iyendo, 2018;Arabaci, 2017;Deng, Ku, & Kong, 2019;Zhang & Zhang, 2012). Ciri-ciri mahasiswa dari generasi milenial yang mirip di berbagai negara memunculkan perilaku yang relatif sama di dalam berbagai hal, termasuk dalam perilaku cyberslacking (Gökçearslan, Uluyol, & Şahin, 2018;Wu, Mei, & Ugrin, 2018;Yılmaz & Yurdugül, 2018).…”

Attitudes of EFL Teachers towards Using Smartphones in the Classroom during COVID-19 Pandemic

“…This result might be due to the fact that the teachers have their own fears and worries regarding the use of the smartphones in the classroom by secondary students which was pinpointed in the focus group meeting when some teachers talked about several problems and challenges including the undesired use of internet inside classrooms, some expected misbehavior's of students, the possibility of distraction and noise caused by smartphones ringtone or vibration, using smartphones for cheating, or prohibition of mobile devices in schools as found by Pombo and Marques [30]. This interpretation is supported by the findings of other researchers who found some challenges and difficulties that might emerge when using mobile phones in the classroom including the disruption and distraction caused by these devices and misusing them in the classroom [25], [46], [33], [36] and [30].However, the above result appears to be in consistent of previous research that indicated either high or moderate positive attitudes towards using mobile phones and smartphones in EFL learning [29], [34], [36] and [37]. This result is also supported by the teachers' responses in the focus group who asserted that smartphones are provided with several features and applications that make them useful for EFL learning.…”

“…Alabsi and Alghamdi [32] found that Saudi university EFL students' opinions and perceptions of the usage and functions of WhatsApp communication were positive as WhatsApp was used a popular communication platform amongst the students, and therefore facilitated language learning in certain aspect like inquiries and announcements. On the other hand, Deng and Kong [33] found that the 79 university students in a comprehensive university in Hong Kong, were active users of mobile phones and heavily engaged with digital devices whereas instant messenger was the most frequently used app on a daily basis and inside the classroom. Even in a different scientific discipline like nursing, mobile technology was used by 586 nursing students from three universities in Ghana for doing homework with gender differences in terms of perceived usefulness of m-learning while age differences existed in terms of ease of use of m-learning in addition to positive attitudes toward the use of m-learning [34].…”

“…The aforementioned review of literature has shown that most teachers and students have positive attitudes towards the use of mobile phones in language learning [29], [30], [31], [32] and [33]. Furthermore, a great deal of research focused the educational benefits of mobile phones in several contexts [23], [41], [42], [43] , [44], [28] and [47].…”

“…Furthermore, a great deal of research focused the educational benefits of mobile phones in several contexts [23], [41], [42], [43] , [44], [28] and [47]. Other researchers, on the other hand, pointed to some problems and disadvantages that might accompany using mobile phones and smartphones [25], [46], [33], [36] and [30], among others. However, with these previous studies and their results and recommendations in mind, the current study is different in its objectives and context since it aims to investigate the attitudes of EFL teachers towards using smartphones in the classroom among Palestinian secondary students during a critical period governed by COVID-19 pandemic.…”