Phenomenological research based on the use of mobile devices in the classroom

Abstract

This article is a qualitative investigation with a phenomenological design about the use of mobile devices in class. The purpose of the research was to know how university students use mobile devices in the classroom. A question guide for four semi-structured interviews and two focus groups were used as instruments. The total number of participants were fourteen undergraduate and graduate students from universities in the southern area of Puerto Rico. The results of the interviews were analyzed using the ATLAS.ti 8 program. After the coding and categorization of interviews and focus groups, it is concluded that students use mobile devices as a useful educational tool for information search, which is sometimes a distraction in the teaching-learning process and must be regulated its use in the classroom.

Keywords: Higher education; interviews; focus group.