Flip It or Click It: Equivalent Learning of Vocabulary From Paper, Laptop, and Smartphone Flashcards

Abstract

Students frequently utilize digital devices and applications to assist studying. Past research has yielded mixed results on their effectiveness, and scant research has compared portable technologies with each other or focused on smartphones specifically. We compared college students’ learning of vocabulary on paper, laptop, and smartphone. Students were randomly assigned to one platform for reviewing vocabulary flashcards, and then they completed a memory quiz and answered questions regarding perceptions of these technologies. Results showed equivalency in students’ learning across platforms, with the only exception being that students spent longer reviewing paper flashcards. Self-reported cognitive load and satisfaction were equal across platforms. Quantitative and qualitative data also suggested that, though students quickly label both laptops and smartphones as helpful for education, they see more educational value in laptops. This research suggests that smartphones present new ways of learning, but care must be taken with how smartphones are utilized in educational settings.

Devices and Platforms Used in Emergency Remote Learning and Teaching During Covid19: A Case of English Major Students in Saudi Arabia

“…It is quite correct to say that mobility was also available for the other two devices: smartphones and tablets. Still, laptops overcame those two devices in screen width, comfortableness, and mainly a device for information gathering (Sage, Piazzini, Downey, & Ewing, 2020). Compared to smartphones, several studies showed that laptops gave students more learning value and engagement other than not representing distractions or being detriments as smartphones (Albó, Hernández-Leo, & Oliver, 2019;Tossel, Kortum, Shepard, Rahmati, & Zhong, 2015).…”

The virtual COVID-19 classroom: surveying outcomes, individual differences, and technology use in college students

“…With the move online, there was a quick need for students to use their personal devices to engage in coursework. As previously mentioned, smartphone ownership is near universal among the college student population (e.g., Sage et al, 2020 ). Laptop ownership is similarly high at above 90% (Gierdowski, 2019 ; Sage et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Faced with an indefinite timeframe and health measures such as quarantines, a shift to virtual learning was deemed a necessary measure to balance safety with education needs. Though the shift occurred quickly, ownership of mobile devices was already ubiquitous among the college student population (e.g., Gierdowski, 2019 ; Sage et al, 2020 ). Most students today own both smartphones and laptops, with smartphones often being the most popular as students find them convenient and helpful for communication (e.g., Anshari et al, 2017 ; Sage et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Though the shift occurred quickly, ownership of mobile devices was already ubiquitous among the college student population (e.g., Gierdowski, 2019 ; Sage et al, 2020 ). Most students today own both smartphones and laptops, with smartphones often being the most popular as students find them convenient and helpful for communication (e.g., Anshari et al, 2017 ; Sage et al, 2020 ). Though students already use both technologies for educational purposes (e.g., Callaghan, 2018 ; Stec et al, 2018 ), the pandemic created an immediate need to use those digital technologies specifically to attend classes and meet with professors.…”

“…In addition to this set of variables, we wondered how cognitive load might vary during these times. Though cognitive load often relates to grades (e.g., Sage et al, 2020 ), cognitive space for both students and teachers may be occupied with pandemic-related stressors. This could influence students’ perceptions of effort and course difficulty as well as actual course difficulty levels.…”