Factors contributing to technology-enabled distractions in the classrom: A case study of students at the NUST.

Abstract

Classroom access to computers and the Internet may be indispensable for teaching and research both for the student and the teacher. Yet, these technologies can also be an impediment to learning as students may engage in actions unrelated to classwork such as texting, web browsing, e-mailing, online gaming, online shopping or a myriad of other activities. This paper examines the extent of this behavior by college students and the factors that may contribute to this behavior. The factors that were studied include the student's addiction to the Internet, learning style, classroom environment, and other individual student factors (gender, age, etc.). Data for this research were gathered using a questionnaire from 213 NUST students. The results show that the level of Internet addiction, the degree of mismatch between learning and instructional styles, and some individual factors have significant impact on the degree to which students engage in distractive activities. The paper also discusses the pedagogical and classroom management implications both for educators and administrators.