Mobile Phone Usage and Distraction in Learning Sessions.

Jawad Jalil; Sohail Sabir

Author(s)

Jawad Jalil Combined Military Hospital/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Sohail Sabir Combined Military Hospital Lahore/National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To identify the prevalence of mobile phone use in class rooms and the distraction they cause. Study Design: Mixed method transformational study conducted in pragmatic paradigm. Place and Duration of Study: Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from 1st Mar 2017 to 31st Mar 2017. Material and Methods: Focus group discussions were conducted employing three expressive students from each of the three classes. These discussions were used to develop themes which were then utilized to formulate a questionnaire. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by two expert medical educationists. The survey was conducted by distributing the self-answering questionnaire among the students. Simple descriptive statistics were then used to analyze the cross sectional data thus collected using SPSS version 20. Results: A total of 300 forms were distributed of which 235 (78.33%) were retrieved. Ninety one (38.72%) were from 3rd year, 82 (34.89%) from 4th year and 62 (26.38%) from final year. A total of 124 (52.8%) were males and 111 (47.2%) were females. Fifty three point two percent used their mobile in class rooms 21-30 times/day and 12.3% even more than that. Fifty four percent students texted and 17% played games during the class. About 50% claimed that they spent 25-50% class time on their mobiles. About 30% claimed that they used mobiles to fight boredom in the class. Fifty two percent agreed that the biggest disadvantage was that they could not pay attention in class due to mobile use while only 21% claimed that they were called by teachers for using their mobiles in class. Only 10% stated that they are distracted significantly when others are using mobiles in the class. Forty one percent students think that it will be helpful to have explicit policies about mobile use in the class room while 44% disagreed with that. Only 17% stated that mobile phones should be banned from classes totally while over whelming 83% were against this policy. A total of 38.72% students considered it their personal prerogative to use mobile phones in class while 22% claimed that need to use their mobile phones out-weighed learning in class. Twelve percent stated that they wanted to use mobile phones in the class even if it affected their learning in the class. Conclusion: The use of digital devices in the classroom was found prevalent and causing significant distraction in learning. Most of the students consider it as their right to use these devices and they believe that this right outweighs the distraction caused in learning. Students also believe that teachers should only council the students in case of class disruption and there should not be any penalties for this behavior.

Publication Details

Page(s) 54-59

DOI DOI not available

Published Journal: Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal, Volume: 69, Issue: 1, Year: 2019

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Keywords

medical students, Digital distraction

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