How are Smart Phones Used by Students in Higher Education? Exploring the Intersection of Digital Learning Activities and Personal Technology

Students in higher education face a de facto expectation that they will supply the personal technology required to participate in learning activities. Although traditional computing devices are most commonly used for academic work, students report significant engagement in their studies via their mobile devices. Understanding the intersection of student behavior and the technology students choose to use could allow instructors and instructional designers to develop digital learning materials that meet students’ expectations. This study examines computer-based learning activities through the lens of several theoretical frameworks to analyze and quantify the types of academic work students are most likely to – and would like to be able to – perform on their smart phones. The results show that most students perform at least some academic tasks on their smart phones but are highly selective about which tasks they choose to carry out. However, it is demonstrated that younger students and students with higher levels of financial need are more dependent on their smart phones and use them to perform a much wider range of learning activities.