A new study found that students waste about one-fifth of class time on digital platforms, even though they admit the behavior could negatively affect their grade. The study, “Digital Distractions in the Classroom Phase II: Student Classroom Use of Digital Devices for Non-Class Related Purposes,” was based on surveys conducted by Bernard R. McCoy, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
The study points to reasons behind students’ in-class device usage, finding most respondents want to stay connected or were fighting boredom, and suggested that students seek greater involvement in defining the role devices should play in the classroom.