Publication Date

5-2024

Advisor(s) - Committee Chair

Jenni Redifer, Carl Myers, Lisa Duffin

Degree Program

Department of Psychology

Degree Type

Specialist in Education

Abstract

Technology usage has been rapidly increasing in college classrooms since 2019. This has shown to be a challenge for educators in higher education due to the increase in off-task usage. Many educators try to combat technology usage in their classrooms through technology policies in their syllabus, in hopes of reducing off-task behaviors such as mind-wandering. The purpose of this study was twofold: first we determined whether classroom technology policies impacted students’ technology usage. Then, we investigated whether access to technology in the classroom was associated with more mind-wandering during class. Two hundred sixty-eight college students completed an online survey that assessed their digital device usage, engagement, and mind-wandering. Results indicated that from participants’ perspectives, the instructor’s technology policy had a significant effect in the course where students used technology the least, but it did not have an effect in the course where they used technology the most. Results also indicated that mind-wandering was significantly higher in the course where participants used technology the most, than in the course where they used technology the least. Results showed that there was a significant negative correlation between technology policy and enforcement in the course where participants reported using technology the least, indicating that more enforcement of technology policies was associated with less technology use. Results also indicated that participants who were less interested in the course topic were more likely to use technology during class, and those who used technology during class more often were more likely to mind-wander. Implications for classroom technology policies are discussed.

Disciplines

Education | Other Psychology | Psychology | School Psychology | Social and Behavioral Sciences

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