Use this list to decide when to ditch the smartphone when learning:

DON’T USE YOUR PHONE IF:

• Learning requires a lot of focus

• You are required to read complex information

• You are being asked to read for a long time

• Your eyes are tired

• You feel like you cannot concentrate

AVOID THESE LEARNING TASKS ON YOUR PHONE:

• Reading

• Taking quizzes or exams that require writing

• Listening to a lecture and taking notes

DO USE YOUR PHONE IF LEARNING:

• Requires quick access

• Calls for basic internet searches

COMPLETE THESE LEARNING TASKS ON YOUR PHONE:

• Answering a quick survey or poll

• Listening to a short lecture

• Watching a short video

References

[1] Pew Research Center. (2021, April 7). Mobile fact sheet. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/mobile/

[2] Sage, K., Jackson, S., Fox, E. et al. (2021). The virtual COVID-19 classroom: surveying outcomes, individual differences, and technology use in college students. Smart Learn, 8 (27). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-021-00174-7

[3] Wheelwright, T. (2019, April 10). 2022 Cell phone usage statistics: How obsessed are we? https://www.reviews.org/mobile/cell-phone-addiction/

[4] Golebiowski, B. et al. (2020). Smartphone use and effects on tear file, blinking and binocular vision. Curr. Eye Res, 45 (4), 428–434. https://doi.org/10.1080/02713683.2019.1663542.

[5] Honma, M., Masaoka, Y., Iizuka, N. et al. (2022). Reading on a smartphone affects sigh generation, brain activity, and comprehension. Scientific Reports, 12, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05605-0

[6] Umejima, K. et al. (2021). Paper notebooks vs. mobile devices: Brian activation differences during memory retrieval. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 19, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2021.634158