The Distraction Factor

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The Distraction Factor

• Does The Use Of Student Computers In The
  Classroom Lead To Educational Distraction?

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Authors

• Mark J. Moran, Ph.D.
• Mark.Moran_at_dsu.edu

• Richard T. Christoph, Ph.D.
• Rick.Christoph_at_dsu.edu

• Richard D. Puetz, JD
• Rick.Puetz_at_dsu.edu
• (corresponding author)

• Jack H. Walters Ph.D.
• Jack.Walters_at_dsu.edu

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Dakota State University

• DSU is located in Madison, SD about 60 miles NW
  of Sioux Falls, SD

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Tablet PC initiative

• Started in 2004.
• All students lease a tablet PC as part of
  attending DSU.

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Tablet PC schools

• All student use Winona State University, Valley
  City State University, Dakota State University
• Partial student use Bentley, U of Wash,
  University of Ontario Institute of Technology,
  Seton Hall, University of Texas-Austin, among
  many, many others

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The TPC initiative

• Previous publications found TPC to receive high
  scores from students.
• Students intent to use TPC was high at 5.6, out
  of a 7 unit likert scale.
• Students use was slightly lower at 5.1.
• (TPC acceptance by college students, 2006,
  El-Gayar Moran DSI annual meeting)

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Distraction Factor

• Some universities have begun to detect
  distractive effects of notebook and tablet PCs.
• As a result some have actually blocked mobile
  computer use!

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Our research

• Using self efficacy concepts we surveyed
  approximately 400 students to determine if there
  was any difference between freshman and upper
  classmen's opinions on weather ubiquitous
  Internet access with TPC cased distractions in
  the classroom.
• We used a five point likert scale survey tool.

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Hypotheses

• Hypothesis 1 There will be no difference between
  new freshman computer users and more experienced
  upper class students in student self assessment
  of the Tablet PC as a tool to enhance classroom
  performance.
• Hypothesis 2 There will be no difference between
  new freshman computer users and more experienced
  upper class students in self-reported distraction
  levels caused by student use of computers in the
  classroom.

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Results

• Hypothesis 1 There will be no difference between
  new freshman computer users and more experienced
  upper class students in student self assessment
  of the Tablet PC as a tool to enhance classroom
  performance.

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• Hypothesis 2 There will be no difference between
  freshman and upper class business majors in the
  expected level of in class distraction caused by
  Tablet PC systems between students based on the
  students self-assessment of their level of
  Tablet PC expertise.

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Conclusion

• Upper class students do not see the TPC as much
  as a positive as freshman students.
• We need to take steps to increase the educational
  effectiveness of the device.