Smartphone vs. Academic Performance
How smart is it to use a “Smartphone” in academic courses? You might think of your professor before answering this question. Many teachers have zero-tolerance policy when it comes to cell phone use during class, while others might see it as a “learning tool” to boost students’ excitement in education. In the end, they are used, both overtly and covertly in classroom settings, despite the rules of not doing so. It is undeniable that cell phones are an integral part of college life and culture. However, cell phone use affects negatively academic performance because it distracts students from academic activities and it increases multitasking and task switching.
First of all, students’ cell phone use is a distraction in academic courses. These devices enable students to access any electronic media such as text messages, videos, social media and the Internet at any time. As young generations are used to be entertained, this can potentially decrease the attention in the classroom and disrupt others while studying. For example, a ringing cell phone in class can interrupt the professor from giving instructions for a final test, and deter the entire class from listening. Accordingly, it encourages multitasking and task switching, which are negatively related to academic performance.
Using the example above, the student will have to “redirect” his attention to turn down the volume and shift his full attention from the professor. This is called task switching. Peter Bregman wrote in the Harvard Business Review Blog Network that multitasking can reduce productivity by as much as 40%, increase stress and cause a 10-point fall in IQ. The brain cannot fully perform two tasks at the same time. Therefore, even if the student is reading an email by the professor or taking a picture of the assignment on the board, it will cause loss of