Dive Brief:
- The portion of students using mobile devices to study went up dramatically between 2013 and 2014, reaching a new peak of 81%, according to a report by McGraw-Hill Education and Hanover Research.
- Education Week’s Digital Education blog reports that the increased use of smartphones for studying has driven the overall increase. In 2014, more than half of all students reported using their phones to study, up 15% from the year before.
- Researchers said their findings highlight a path for ed tech product development, calling for personalization of digital learning tools, according to Education Week.
Dive Insight:
The massive increase in the portion of students using mobile devices to study is not surprising, especially given the technology requirements at some colleges and universities. Most schools have required their students show up with a laptop for years and as tablet technology moves forward, a logical shift would be to the lighter, more versatile tools. The significant growth in the number of students using their phones to study, however, is interesting.
Hanover Research pointed to a push by tech companies trying to offer study materials in a format as easy as students find social media, according to Education Week. Seeing how pervasive the use of mobile devices truly is on college campuses is a great first step to developing new technologies to tap into the habits students have already formed.