Are South Korean College Students Benefitting from Digital Learning?

Abstract

With COVID-19, the advancement of mobile devices (e.g., smartphones, laptops, tablets) has brought a welcoming change to education: digital learning. This study addresses the relationship between mobile device use and academic performance through three different models by controlling demographic data, technological infrastructure conditions, and daily total multi-tasking time. The first model emphasized the daily total mobile device use time. The second model divided the daily total mobile device use time into academic and non-academic oriented uses. The final model divided the overall mobile device use into seven specific usage types. The study found that an increase in the daily total mobile device use time negatively affected GPA; only non-academic purpose use time had a negative significance toward GPA; none of the seven usage types were significant in predicting GPA. Based on the findings, suggestions on improvements for the future digital learning policy were proposed.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Phillip Sangwoo Lee

Phillip Sangwoo Lee is a doctoral student of the Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California. He holds MA degrees in Public Policy and Applied Economics, University of Michigan, and BS degrees in Statistics and Psychology, Duke University. His research domains include policy-related issues involving environment, technology, and education.

Chong Min Lee

Chong Min Lee is a professor of Communication School, Kookmin University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. His research interests include effects of digital media and educational technology on the psychology of persuasion.