Abstract
Smartphones are attractive tools for the majority of young people particularly university undergraduates and integrating them in learning is something valuable. Nevertheless, they might do harm to their achievement if the use barriers and bad effects are not identified. Motivated by this idea, the present study was undertaken. Participants were (42) university undergraduates at the departments of mathematics and English language at Najran University in the first semester of the academic year 2020/2021. Findings showed that students were agreeable to smartphone usefulness, ease of use, and barriers. However, their responses to the effects of smartphone use were not clear. The majority of them were neutral, i.e., could not decide whether smartphones affect their learning or not. In light of these results, the study concluded that smartphone technology integration in learning is very crucial but when barriers and bad effects are clear to both teachers and students.
Highlights
None of us ignores the fact that smartphones have become essential parts of today's human being life
Undertaking the present study was motivated by the aim of identifying the perceptions of university undergraduates toward the ease, usefulness, effects and barriers of smartphone use as a learning tool
Students' inability to access internet bundle or Wi-Fi connection in addition to the unstable Internet connectivity impede their abilities to online access of the course information and materials. These results are in line with the results of studies showing that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use have a substantial effect on user intentions
Summary
None of us ignores the fact that smartphones have become essential parts of today's human being life. Their roles are becoming more and more important, these days, which are characterized by everywhere lockdown because of Coronavirus Pandemic. Smartphones are defined as; those cell phones that allow their users to do more than making phone calls and sending text messages. They can browse the Internet and run software programs like a computer. Their touch screens make it easier for users to interact with them (Computer Hope website, 2012). The enhancement in the varied functions of the smartphone has created exceptional and unlimited opportunities for both teachers and learners
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