A recent article in Education Week (February 8, 2013) reported the results of a survey for student use of smart phones for homework completed by the Verizon Foundation. The data from this survey indicated that a significant numberof middle school students responded to using their smart phones at home/out of school to do homework. Keeping in mind the source of the data and the notion that students using these devices to do homework may boost sales (or did that thought come to mind ?), their results are interesting.
The data from their research showed that 39% of middle school students used phones to complete their after-school-assignments . In school, however, only 6% of the middle level school students surveyed are allowed to use their smart phones in the classrooms. The trend for teachers to incorporate the use of these devices in the classroom seems still to be limited.
Of interest in this survey is the demographic and socioeconomic breakdown of students possessing or having access to smart phones. According to the Verizon survey, smart phone use also transcends racial and socioeconomic boundaries. The breakdown of ethnicity and economic status were reported as:
Hispanic 49%
African American 42%
Caucasian 36%
Low income families 29%
This blog follows a similar topic related to using electronic devices in classrooms and the challenges that need to be overcome. Please refer to the October 30, 2012 blog, “Are You Ready for BYOD?”
