SmartStudentsUniversity Students and Smartphones

By Georgina Goldring

Image: heartbreaker - flickr

In a survey done last year at Ball State University, it was found that:

of 5,500 students, 49% owned

smartphones, up 27% since 2009.

The most popular device was the Iphone.

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“No matter which way you look at it, one cannot deny the rising popularity

of smartphones.”

- Valerie Quintana

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Why do students choose

smartphones?

Increased convenience, increased accessibility, solidarity, fear of being ostracized by friend

group, and many other reasons…

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Students are not only using their smartphones

to socialize and stay connected…

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most students additionally, use their smartphone as an alarm clock, calendar, radio and grocery list.

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For a student, a smartphone “is integral to [their] daily

routine and even an important diagnostic tool [they] will rely

on throughout the day”- Rebecca Burns

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Students also use their smartphones for

entertainment during class.

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“Yes, we are playing games on it now and taking video calls on it now

but in three years what is it going to be used

for?”- Scott Wofford

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Students are already beginning to use their

smartphones to assist them with schoolwork.

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Convert, Quick Graph, Wolfram Alpha, Cliffnotes,

and Google Sky Map are all examples of apps a university student may use when doing

their homework.

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“The mobile device isn’t just for communication; it’s for

edification” - Frank Lowney

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Though smartphones can be very helpful for students,

they can also be detrimental…

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In fact,

A study taken which focused on young people aged 17-23 in ten

countries around the world found that 79 per cent of students who volunteered for a complete social media blackout experienced reactions ranging from distress to

confusion and isolation.

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“Students suffer from withdrawal symptoms that may rival those of smokers or even drug

addicts”- James Deruvo

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One student involved in the study stated,

“I am an addict. I don’t need alcohol, cocaine or any other

derailing form of social depravity…”

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“Media is my drug; without it I was lost.”

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“Just like any other tool, tools are amoral, they can be used for

good or evil.”- Frank Lowney

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As of right now, the benefits of smartphones are far greater than the detriments for students.

Image: K.M.K- flickr

References

• http://androidcommunity.com/most-students-suffer-from-smartphone-withdrawl-study-finds-20110408/

• http://jou2100.wordpress.com/2011/04/29/smartphones-a-growing-trend-among-college-students/

• http://theactiveclass.com/2010/03/25/disruptive-technology-students-their-smartphones/

• http://www.brighthand.com/default.asp?newsID=17717&news=College+Students+Smartphones

• http://www.gcsunade.com/2011/01/27/smartphones-aid-college-students/

Image: confusedtwenty- flickr