There are many studies as of late that suggest the use of mobile phones distract from learning, but one study found that not all effects of phone use in the classroom are negative. According to a study from the National Communication Association, students who used texting as a means to communicate with peers about classroom material were more likely to perform better on tests than students who did not.

"In the study, researchers analyzed kids who were using phones in class to respond to text messages — both relevant and irrelevant to the class material. They measured the type of messages and the frequency of them, and found that students who were texting about the material actually scored higher on multiple choice tests about the subject than those who were texting about non-class related things," according to MedicalDaily.com.

By texting about classroom content and therefore regurgitating information back to peers, students are more likely to remember the content when test time comes.

"The researchers of the study thus conclude that texting about class material does something similar to students’ memories. '[S]ending or receiving relevant messages may allow students to engage in similar processes as those that occur during note-taking,' the authors write.

Some educators are even trying to now incorporate texting into their curriculums to capitalize on something that students are familiar with and love to do, and they may now have even more of a case for doing so with this new info.

However, should students use texting for anything other than for educational purposes, research has proven that they are more likely to perform worse. In other words, if students give into distractions while studying or in the classroom, they are more likely to not learn the lesson.

If teachers want to open their classrooms to let students have full use of mobile devices, they may run the risk of allowing their students to be distracted if activity is not monitored closely.

Read the full article here and comment below.

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

06/10/2015