Survey Background

In the technological age where phones have been getting better and smarter, they have become an increasingly influential part of people’s lives. These days, smart phones can do almost everything computers can do but are more portable, cost less and arguably faster in comparison.

Since smart phones have had a huge impact on most people’s lives wouldn’t it be logical that they would impact most aspects of people’s lives including their education. It has been a growing trend for smart phones to be used for educational purposes among its other uses. There are many advantages of using a smart phone in terms of education such as quick access to information on the internet, checking emails and online updates (e.g. on Sakai), reading PDF journals and so much more.

With the growing advances in smart phone technology and the increasing introduction of technology in education has many asking if smart phones could ever replace the traditional ways of learning. This is one of the survey questions we have tried to get more insight from students about because it is a highly debateable topic.

Although smart phones are great and are seen by some as the future part of education there are some downsides. Such as all good things there are some disadvantages to smart phones. Although there are many educational uses for smart phones, many have argued that students use them more for other purposes thus becoming a distraction. Smart phones can actually deter students from performing well in school because most students are on social networks, listening to music, texting, chatting and many other disruptive uses instead of utilizing them for more educationally beneficial purposes.

The survey was conducted to obtain information about how students utilize smart phones in education, if smart phones have impacted their educational experience, how much of an impact smart phones have on students, in what way smart phones are used the most, how often they are used for educational purposes and if smart phones can ever replace ways of traditional learning.

Survey analysis

The research was done in order to determine just how much smartphones have impacted the lives of students. In order to obtain such information questionnaires were distributed to students of University of the Witwatersrand. The students chosen were those who owned smartphones. From the students’ answers we were able to draw few conclusions.

It appears as though students mostly use their smartphones for social networking more than they do for school related issues, it is still taking time for students to realise just how much smartphones can make their education life easier. From the research that was done, about half the students said that the arrival of smartphones have impacted their education on an average rate.

Many students are forced to go on to wits-e in order to keep track of their school work. “Having a smartphone saves them a lot of time”, they say.

Although the average number of students see the advantages of owning a smartphone, the majority of these students believe that they can survive, with regards to their educational life, without smartphones.

When asked whether there could ever be a time where smartphones could replace the traditional ways of learning, students were torn in between. They noted the fact that times are changing therefore technology could end up taking over but they also noted that smartphones were expensive to maintain and that not everyone could afford such an on-going expense.

Discussion of the results

Smartphones' impact on education is still to be realised by the majority. Some students however find the idea of using their smartphones for education purposes unappealing. Perhaps we can say it’s because they have not realised how smartphones can help them in their education. Some students have this idea that smartphones were only introduced to be used only for social networking; they don’t see the reason of using a smartphone for educational purposes because they say that they have books.

However there are those few students who have found out that smartphones help them to become engaged and interested in lessons and in some instances they say that smartphones have even resulted in an increase in their performance level. Students have also noted that when they try to study at home they usually face difficulties because they can’t interact directly with their lecturer and study mates and have been able to manage that by using their smartphones to communicate with their lecturer and mates through e-mail.

“Smartphones have actually worked well in lecture rooms because they have allowed them to take photos of the board so that they can pay attention and join conservation instead of copying what the lecture is writing”, they say.

One thing students love about smartphones is that they can get answers faster. What they also mention is that smartphones allows for social learning. They noted the fact that smartphones allow them to work in groups on project, sharing information and saving them time.

The real impact that smartphones can have on education us still to be realised.