Educational Technology Research

When I first got a phone, my phone plan allowed me one hundred texts a month, and I spent nights calling my friends after 9:00 so it wouldn't count towards my minutes. In elementary school, my teacher taught with overhead transparencies. By high school, though, my teachers were using SMART Boards, and students were consistently getting their phones taken for texting or using social media during class. I can also look back on my Facebook and Instagram accounts as a kind of scrapbook from my time in high school. I reside on the border between Millennials and Generation Z. Living in this space, I find aspects of both generations with which I can relate. 

Having an awareness of the educational research surrounding technology and the differences between generations is important for understanding our habits as teachers as well as for understanding how students are interacting with technology, how to make technology use effective for learning and beyond, and for gaining insight into where we are headed. 

It's All Connected

I had an "aha...all the stars align" moment reading through the research on generational differences in engagement and the top skills needed in the workforce in the next handful of years. According to World Economic Forum, half of the most desired work skills by 2025 are rooted in problem-solving, such as critical thinking and innovation. Also at the top of the list is active learning. This is directly aligned with McCrindle's infographic, which highlights a shift from receiving information to doing--trying, facilitating, creating. This generational shift is critical for teachers to know and develop in order for students to fly the nest into the big, wide working world. 

Image Source: World Economic Forum

Students & Their Phones

As a younger teacher, I am well aware of the relationship between people & their phones. They're a package deal. One is never too far from the other. Every morning, our school leaders round up students' phones for the day, and every afternoon, students hurl themselves at the bin to retrieve their beloved devices, so it is of no surprise that smartphones are described as teenagers' "constant companion" by Common Sense and C.S. Mott Children's Hospital's in their 2023 report. 

I know that teenagers (and many adults) are attached to their phones, but it is eye-opening to learn how teenagers spend their time on their phones, how often, and when. 

Image Source: "Constant Companion:
A Week in the Life of a Young Person's 
Smartphone Use"

Common Sense and C.S. Mott Children's Hospital's found, through their study of teenagers' smartphone usage (linked above), that young people ages 11-17 use their smartphones for a median of four and a half hours a day, with a few averaging over 16 hours a day. Initially, I was taken aback by these numbers, but the more I think about it, the more believable it is. For instance, many people--myself included--have videos or music playing as background noise. Nonetheless, this is a lot of screen time.

The majority of students' cell phone use during the school day consists of social media (32%), YouTube (26%), and mobile games (17%), according to the study conducted by Common Sense and C.S. Mott Children's Hospital last year. This statistic is important for educators to be aware of. Thinking of my classes, I occasionally assign YouTube videos and share educational games for students to play; however, it is unlikely that the majority of time in this statistic (or in my own classroom for that matter) is educational use. 

Image Source: "Constant Companion:
A Week in the Life of a Young Person's 
Smartphone Use"

Reflection

Students are spending a lot of time on devices. This is not changing. Our devices are a large part of school, work, and recreation for teenagers and adults alike. As educators, we need to provide students the tools and literacy to use their devices responsibly and meaningfully. We need to consider: 

• Showing students these statistics. Are students aware of the amount of time they are spending on their phones? What are their reactions to these statistics?
• Facilitating student reflections. Ask them how they feel after an hour of scrolling. Encourage them to pay attention to when they feel like going on their phones the most and why. Ask them if they have ever considered whether or not they are on their phones too much. 
• Teaching habits and behaviors. Do students know how to monitor their device usage? Do they have strategies for setting boundaries? 
• Developing productive phone use. Continue to engage students in productive technology use. Share apps and tools, and use them. 

References

McCrindle (2019). Changing generations [Infographic]. 

Radesky, J., Weeks, H.M., Schaller, A., Robb, M., Mann, S., and Lenhart, A. (2023). Constant companion: A week in the life of a young person's smartphone use. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.