ERIC Number: EJ1218753
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-May
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1918-2902
EISSN: N/A
A Mixed Blessing? Students' and Instructors' Perspectives about Off-Task Technology Use in the Academic Classroom
Neiterman, Elena; Zaza, Christine
Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, v10 n1 Article 3 May 2019
The widespread use of technological devices in an academic classroom brought with it many learning opportunities, but also posed a challenge of handling the off-task technology use in class. The literature on this topic is growing, but we still know relatively little about students' and instructors' perceptions regarding the off-task technology use in class. This paper addressed this gap by examining (1) how do students and instructors perceive technology in the classroom, and (2) who do they believe should be responsible for minimizing off-task technology use in class? Analyzing data from a mixed-method study with students and instructors in a Canadian university, we show that while students acknowledged that the off-task technology use can be distracting, they considered it a matter of personal autonomy, which can only be regulated when it creates distractions for others. The instructors had a more complex view and posed some challenging questions about the relationship between student engagement and technological distractions, the impact of technology on learning process, and the responsibility of educators in higher education. In conclusion, we reflect on some of the questions that ought to be considered when handling the off-task technology in an academic classroom.
Descriptors: Student Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Technology Uses in Education, College Faculty, Personal Autonomy, Learner Engagement, Attention, Foreign Countries, Undergraduate Students, Time on Task
University of Western Ontario and Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Mills Memorial Library Room 504, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L6, Canada. Tel: 905-525-9140; e-mail: info@cjsotl-rcacea.ca; Web site: http://www.cjsotl-rcacea.ca/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A