Students' Silent Messages: Can Teacher Verbal and Nonverbal Immediacy Moderate Student Use of Text Messaging in Class?

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between teacher immediacy and college students' use of text messaging in class. Using a cross-sectional survey sample (N=228), structural equation model analyses showed that students' learning motivation does not mediate the potential effects of teacher immediacy and students' use of text messaging in class. The finding also suggested that college students' use of text messaging in class was related positively to their daily texting usage, meaning that mobile texting is a recurring behavior (i.e., a habit) that may occur despite a high level of teacher immediacy behavior.

Keywords:

• Teacher Immediacy
• Mobile Text Messaging
• Learning Motivation
• Classroom Violation
• Uses and Gratifications
• Student Engagement
• Automaticity

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr.Melanie Booth-Butterfield, two anonymous reviewers, and Dr. Lawrence Frey's suggestions and comments in the previous revision. We also appreciate Dr. Michael Klausner, Dr. Michael Stuckart, Dr. Stephen Robar, Prof. Jeff Guterman, Prof. Timothy Ziaukas, Prof. Gary Tessmer, and Prof. Rick Moritz's persistent help in data collection.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fang-Yi Flora Wei

Fang-Yi Flora Wei (University of Memphis, Ph.D.) is an Assistant Professor of Broadcast Communications at the University of Pittsburgh, Bradford. Her research focuses on instructional communication, mass media effects on children, and computer-mediated communication

Y. Ken Wang

Y. Ken Wang (Washington State University, Ph.D.) is an Assistant Professor of Management and Education at the University of Pittsburgh, Bradford. His research focuses on human computer interaction, ostracism in virtual teams, and information system continuance and use