The Impact of Mobile Phone Usage on Student Learning
Abstract
In this study, we examined the impact of mobile phone usage, during class lecture, on student learning. Participants in three different study groups (control, low-distraction, and high-distraction) watched a video lecture, took notes on that lecture, and took two learning assessments after watching the lecture. Students who were not using their mobile phones wrote down 62% more information in their notes, took more detailed notes, were able to recall more detailed information from the lecture, and scored a full letter grade and a half higher on a multiple choice test than those students who were actively using their mobile phones. Theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed.
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Students in the non-multitasking control group wrote down 62% more information, took notes with more details, recalled more detailed information, and scored a full letter grade and a half higher than students in the low-distraction and high-distraction groups.
“Students in the non-multitasking control group wrote down 62% more information, took notes with more details, were able to recall more detailed information, and scored a full letter grade and a half higher than students in the low-distraction and high-distraction groups.”
From Efficient, helpful, or distracting? A literature review of media multitasking in relation to academic performance (2018) · cites this paper as Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013
Media use during academic activities was related to interference with note-taking.
“and interference with note-taking (End et al., 2010;Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013).”
From The consequences of media multitasking for youth: A review (2015) · cites this paper as Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013
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The consequences of media multitasking for youth: A review
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“Past experiments have also reported performance decrements on student note-taking, recall, and test performance (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013), time for task completion (Bowman, Levine, Waite, & Gendron, 2010), and comprehension of lecture material for students’ and nearby peers (Sana, Weston, &…”
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“Studies consistently show that distractions tied to off-task technology use in the classroom are linked to detriments in academic performance (Froese et al., 2012; Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013; Wood et al., 2012).”
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“Such disruption is a wide concern expressed by many instructors (Brooks 2016; Kuznekoff and Titsoworth 2013) that may impact their decision to allow devices in the classroom (Graham and Gillies 2016; Thomas and O’Bannon 2013).”
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Westerman, D., Daniel, E. S., & Bowman, N. D. (2016) · The Internet and Higher Education · doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2016.06.004 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Li, X., & Chan, M. (2021) · Behaviour and Information Technology · doi:10.1080/0144929x.2021.1929489 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
“Most mobile users in China have 56 applications installed on their smartphone (Cao 2019) and thereby leading to more notifications and messages that divide personal attention, distract routines, and increase cognitive overload (Kuznekoff and Titsworth 2013).”
BackgroundIntegrating smartphones in EFL classrooms: students’ satisfaction and perceived learning performance
Zou, C., Li, P., & Jin, L. (2022) · Education and Information Technologies · doi:10.1007/s10639-022-11103-7 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
“…Bohlander, 2012), and posting to a social network site were proved to impair students’ note-taking behav - iors and subsequent performance on exams (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013), both frequency and attention to texting and social media were positively related to class - room distractions (David et…”
BackgroundLedbetter, A. M., & Finn, A. N. (2013) · Communication Education · doi:10.1080/03634523.2013.794386 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Flanigan, A. E., Brady, A. C., Dai, Y., & Ray, E. (2023) · Educational Psychology Review · doi:10.1007/s10648-023-09780-y · Cited by 39 · see citing works
“Students who misuse their mobile devices record about 30% fewer lecture ideas in their notes than their classmates who do not experience digital distraction (Flanigan & Titsworth, 2020; Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013; Kuznekoff et al., 2015).”
BackgroundLedbetter, A. M., & Finn, A. N. (2015) · Communication Education · doi:10.1080/03634523.2015.1064145 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
“Believing that social use of technology can reduce student learning (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013) and harm their grade (Kraushaar & Novak, 2010), students with a low degree of learner empowerment may curtail their use in order to gain at least some understanding of the course material.”
BackgroundInfluentialWombacher, K., Harris, C. J., Buckner, M. M., Frisby, B. N., & Limperos, A. M. (2016) · Communication Education · doi:10.1080/03634523.2016.1221511 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
“…use by students including relationship building (Top, 2012), convenience (Moody, 2004), and higher satisfaction (Kuo, Walker, Belland, & Schroder, 2013), disadvantages such as distractions (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013) and concerns about cheating (Trushell, Byrne, & Simpson, 2012) also exist.”
BackgroundThe effects of mobile applications in cardiopulmonary assessment education
Yoo, I.-Y., & Lee, Y.-M. (2014) · Nurse Education Today · doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2014.12.002 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
“They access the Internet, send or receive text messages, check email, and even video chat with others, quite literally from the palms of their hands (Kuznekoff and Titsworth, 2013).”
BackgroundTatum, N. T., Olson, M. K., & Frey, T. K. (2018) · Communication Education · doi:10.1080/03634523.2017.1417615 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
“Researchers suggest cellular distractions negatively affect student notetaking (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013) and classroom engagement (Campbell, 2006; Johnson, 2013).”
BackgroundEmpirical assessment of mobile device users’ information security behavior towards data breach
Giwah, A. D., Wang, L., Levy, Y. M., & Hur, I. (2019) · Journal of Intellectual Capital · doi:10.1108/jic-03-2019-0063 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Are your students absent, not absent, or present? Mindfulness and student performance
Chiang, E. P., & Sumell, A. J. (2019) · The Journal of Economic Education · doi:10.1080/00220485.2018.1551096 · Cited by 34 · see citing works
“Kuznekoff and Titsworth (2013) found that students who do not use mobile devices took more notes, better notes, and subsequently earned higher grades.”
BackgroundCell Phones, Student Rights, and School Safety: Finding the Right Balance
Smale, W. T., Hutcheson, R., & Russo, C. J. (2021) · Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy · doi:10.7202/1075672ar · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Demirtepe-Saygılı, D., & Metin-Orta, I. (2020) · Psychological Reports · doi:10.1177/0033294120950299 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
“…and academic grades (Aagaard, 2015; Abramova, et al.,2017; Chen & Yan, 2016; Flanigan & Babchuk, 2015; Foster, 2008; Fried, 2008; Kraushaar & Novak, 2010; Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013; Lam & Tong, 2012; Ravizza et al., 2014; Sana et al., 2013; van Der Schuur et al., 2015; Wood et al., 2011).”
BackgroundResultInfluentialDerounian, J. (2017) · Active Learning in Higher Education · doi:10.1177/1469787417745214 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“Students not using mobile phones in class wrote down 62% more information in notes and scored a full grade and a half higher in a multiple-choice test than students using their mobile phones (Kuznekoff and Titsworth, 2013).”
BackgroundLearning in the smartphone era: Viewpoints and perceptions on both sides of the lectern
Ariel, Y., & Elishar-Malka, V. (2019) · Education and Information Technologies · doi:10.1007/s10639-019-09871-w · Cited by 34 · see citing works
Langan, D., Schott, N. D., Wykes, T. G., Szeto, J. K., Kolpin, S. L., Lopez, C., & Smith, N. (2016) · Technology Pedagogy and Education · doi:10.1080/1475939x.2015.1120684 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Cellphone addiction explains how cellphones impair learning for lecture materials
Lee, S., McDonough, I. M., Mendoza, J. S., Brasfield, M. B., Enam, T., Reynolds, C., & Pody, B. C. (2021) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.3745 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Curbing Digital Distractions in the Classroom
Seemiller, C. (2017) · Contemporary Educational Technology · doi:10.30935/cedtech/6197 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
“Let students know that research has shown that being distracted by personal devices like phones, laptops, or tablets, may make it more difficult to earn a higher grade (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013; Froese et al., 2012; Duncan, Hoekstra, & Wilcox, 2012).”
BackgroundInfluentialThe role of compulsive texting in adolescents’ academic functioning.
Lister-Landman, K. M., Domoff, S. E., & Dubow, E. F. (2015) · Psychology of Popular Media Culture · doi:10.1037/ppm0000100 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“As in-class texting increases, the level of detail in students’ notes and their ability to recall specific details from the lecture decreases (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013).”
BackgroundDayour, F., Adongo, C. A., & Agyeiwaah, E. (2020) · Africa Journal of Management · doi:10.1080/23322373.2020.1753495 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“Mobile devices have, unquestionably, shaped the way people communicate, socialize and do business in recent times (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013).”
BackgroundCommunication technology use and study skills
Thompson, P. (2017) · Active Learning in Higher Education · doi:10.1177/1469787417715204 · Cited by 30 · see citing works
“…the lecture material (Ellis et al., 2010; Froese et al., 2012), and students who used their mobile phones while watching a video lecture took fewer and less detailed notes in addition to earning lower quiz scores than a control group that did not use their phones (Kuznekoff and Titsworth, 2013).”
BackgroundHuey, M., & Giguere, D. (2022) · Innovative Higher Education · doi:10.1007/s10755-022-09638-1 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
“The negative association between cell phone use and course comprehension is consistent with previous studies (see e.g. De Shields & Riley, 2019; Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013).”
ResultLedbetter, A. M., & Finn, A. N. (2017) · Communication Education · doi:10.1080/03634523.2017.1385821 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
Interruptions in online training and their effects on learning
Federman, J. E. (2019) · European journal of training and development · doi:10.1108/ejtd-10-2018-0100 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Attention, mindwandering, and mood
Hobbiss, M. H., Fairnie, J., Jafari, K., & Lavie, N. (2019) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2019.04.007 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Teacher emotional labor: examining teacher feeling rules in the college classroom
Waldbuesser, C., Rubinsky, V., & Titsworth, S. (2021) · Communication Education · doi:10.1080/03634523.2021.1936097 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
“Previous studies have noted that cell phone usage can decrease student learning in the classroom (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013).”
BackgroundSelf-citationFinn, A. N., & Ledbetter, A. M. (2014) · Communication Education · doi:10.1080/03634523.2014.919009 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
“On the other hand, policies that regulate technology for social reasons may be perceived more favorably by students, perhaps because students do not want technology to interfere with learning (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013; Wei et al., 2012).”
BackgroundAndersen, M. S., & Makransky, G. (2021) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.642084 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
“, 2011b), research suggests that multitasking using mobile devices reduce learning (Kuznekoff and Titsworth, 2013; Chen and Yan, 2016).”
BackgroundPISA 2022 Mathematics Framework
OECD (2023) · Programme for international student assessment/Internationale Schulleistungsstudie · doi:10.1787/7ea9ee19-en · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Accounting students access to social media related resources and the risk of tacit social exclusion
Coetzee, S. A., Leith, K., & Schmulian, A. (2019) · Accounting Education · doi:10.1080/09639284.2019.1641116 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
“Social media could be distractive (Bosch, 2009; Ivala & Gachago, 2012; Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013; Shirky, 2014) and stifle oral contributions in class (Elavsky, Mislan, & Elavsky, 2011).”
BackgroundCho, V., & Littenberg‐Tobias, J. (2016) · Educational Technology Research and Development · doi:10.1007/s11423-016-9441-x · Cited by 26 · see citing works
“Further, in-class multitasking has been found to hinder academic achievement (Bellur et al. 2015; Kuznekoff and Titsworth 2013).”
BackgroundRestricting mobile phone access during homework increases attainment of study goals
Cutino, C. M., & Nees, M. A. (2016) · Mobile Media & Communication · doi:10.1177/2050157916664558 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
“…access while studying may impair academic performance by decreasing attainment of study goals and complements previous studies regarding the distracting effects of mobile phones in a classroom or homework setting (Fox et al., 2009; Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013; McDonald, 2013; Rosen et al., 2013).”
BackgroundThe effectiveness of integrating teaching strategies into IRS activities to facilitate learning
Wang, Y. ‐. (2017) · Journal of Computer Assisted Learning · doi:10.1111/jcal.12164 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Chen, Q., Yan, Z., Moeyaert, M., & Bangert‐Drowns, R. L. (2024) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2024.108432 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Stephens, K. K., & Pantoja, G. E. (2016) · Communication Education · doi:10.1080/03634523.2016.1164876 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
“Researchers acknowledge that mobiles can facilitate the learning process (Campbell, 2006; Grinols & Rajesh, 2014; Wei et al., 2012), but mobiles also create many new problems (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013; Sana et al., 2013; Wei et al., 2012).”
BackgroundMultimedia: Different Processes
Elfeky, A. I. M., & Elbyaly, M. Y. H. (2019) · IntechOpen eBooks · doi:10.5772/intechopen.81987 · Cited by 23 · see citing works
“Retrieved from: http:// fmej.mums.ac.ir/article_1524_0.html [55] Kuznekoff J, Titsworth S. The impact of mobile phone usage on student learning.”
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Kaminske, A. N., Brown, A., Aylward, A., & Haller, M. (2022) · European Journal of Educational Research · doi:10.12973/eu-jer.11.3.1487 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
“…student attention and learning is impaired when media multitasking occurs (Boila et al., 2020; Chen & Yan, 2016; End et al., 2010; Glass & Kang, 2019; Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013; Lee et al., 2021; Loh et al., 2016; Sumuer, 2021; Tanil & Yong, 2020; Wood et al., 2012; Wilmer et al., 2017; Womack…”
Kao, P. (2023) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph20043460 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
“In a similar study, Kuznekoff and Titsworth [55] noted that when students used mobile phones in class, they tended to write down and remember less information.”
ResultTeachers and Students Poised to Use Mobile Phones in the Classroom
O’Bannon, B. W., Waters, S., Lubke, J. K., Cady, J., & Rearden, K. T. (2017) · Computers in the Schools · doi:10.1080/07380569.2017.1347454 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
“Students use their mobile phones to communicate through sending/receiving email, text messages, and a variety of social networking sites (Kuznekoff & Titsworth, 2013).”
BackgroundWei, F. F., Wang, Y. K., & Fass, W. (2014) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.01.019 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Storm, B. C., & Soares, J. S. (2024) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190917982.013.82 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Multitasking and Feeling Good? Autonomy of Additional Activities Predicts Affect
Bachmann, O., Grunschel, C., & Fries, S. (2018) · Journal of Happiness Studies · doi:10.1007/s10902-018-9973-3 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Individual differences in media multitasking ability: The importance of cognitive flexibility
Seddon, A. L., Law, A. S., Adams, A.-M., & Simmons, F. R. (2021) · Computers in Human Behavior Reports · doi:10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100068 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
- Authors
- Kuznekoff, J. H., & Titsworth, S.
- Affiliations
- Ohio University (US)
- Scripps College (US)
- Corresponding author
- Kuznekoff, Jeffrey H.
- Venue
- Communication Education
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2013-02-12
- Volume
- 62
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 233-252
- ISSN
- 0363-4523 (ISSN-L)
- 1479-5795
- OpenAlex
- W2150206099
- Cited by
- 417
- References
- 35
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 39 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 48 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 44 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 4
- FWCI
- 63.24
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Communication Education (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Information Systems › Mobile Learning in Education
- Social Sciences › Education › Innovations in Educational Methods
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
- Keywords
- mobile phone use, student learning, lecture notes, note-taking, distraction, video lectures, memory retrieval, multiple-choice test performance
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