Mobile devices in the classroom: learning motivations predict specific types of multicommunicating behaviors

ABSTRACT

This study provides a first look into how learning motivations are associated with different ways that students use mobile devices to carry on multiple conversations—multicommunicate—while in class. We use self-determination theory to make predictions linking intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation, to classroom mobile device use. The resulting models find that intrinsic motivation to experience stimulation is associated with students multicommunicating to gain and relay understanding during class, to influence others, and for social support reasons. Individual multitasking desires and extrinsic motivation regulated through identification are linked to why people want to remain available while attending class. Amotivation explains why students multicommunicate for distraction reasons. This study opens the door for instructional communication scholars to more closely examine what students are doing when they use mobile devices in class. It appears that students who are intrinsically motivated, actively participating in class, and have a high desire to multitask, are the students using their mobile devices in class for potentially positive communicative classroom behaviors.

KEYWORDS:

• Self-determination theory
• academic motivation
• mobile devices
• information and communication technology
• classroom management
• multicommunicating

Acknowledgments

This project represents part of an M.A. thesis written by the second author. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the National Communication Association Conference in November 2015. The authors would like to thank editor Hess and two anonymous reviewers for their help in enhancing this manuscript during the review process. We would also like to thank Matt McGlone for his comments on an early version of this manuscript.