University Student Smartphone Usage in Higher Education: Pre-Pandemic vs. Post-Pandemic

Abstract

This study re-examines the use of smartphones among college undergraduate students to gain a deeper understanding of usage patterns. As smart device technology continues to improve at an accelerated rate, cloud-based computing becomes standard operating procedure, and undergraduate college students' perceived behaviors evolve, we examined the usage patterns of undergraduate college students at the same mid-size, public institution in the southcentral United States. Building on a questionnaire used in 2013, a revised survey was distributed to students over a two-and-a-half-year period from 2021 through 2022. The intent of the survey was to understand how students are currently using their smartphones for educational and other purposes after the Covid-19 pandemic and compare the findings to students' behavioral patterns prior to the pandemic. The findings of this research highlight a shift in the frequency of students checking and responding to messaging on their smartphones. There is a statistically significant increase in the usage patterns legitimizing concerns regarding learning and distraction. Additionally, the findings reinforce the prior results that indicated that both college educators and employers should consider using smartphones for education and training purposes.