Smartphones generally don’t have a particularly good reputation when it comes to helping us engage in the kind of focused work that is the bedrock of education.  At least that’s the suggestion made by new research from Aalto University.

The researchers examined the use of smartphones in universities to understand how it impacts the achievement of pupils.  The results suggest that there can be positive and direct impacts of smartphone use in areas such as mobile learning, which runs counter to popular beliefs that smartphones are an unwanted distraction in the classroom.

Being available

While there may be merit in the mobile applications themselves, the researchers also highlight how using them helps us to overcome any feeling of so-called nomophobia, which is a fear of being detached from our mobile.

“Mobile learning acts as part of studying that is practical and compulsory, therefore it is not considered ‘fun’ for most people, which contrasts other apps such as social media. For this reason, users are not going to be distracted from studying, or end up procrastinating,” the researchers explain.

Despite the university studied during the research not having an official e-learning or mobile learning platform, the students would often develop groups on social media with their classmates to share materials and exchange information.

Of course, the researchers are at pains to point out that while there can be benefits to using mobile phones during education, there are a plethora of social media apps, games, and so on that can not only distract pupils but also trigger nomophobia.

“The more time users spend on entertainment apps relates to the level of nomophobia they experience, which in turn alters sleep habits. Changed sleep habits subsequently affect a student’s academic performance,” the researchers say.