Is it Smart to Use Smartphones in School? : A Quantitative study on Using Smartphones as English-Teaching & Learning Tools in Lower & Upper Secondary School

Is it Smart to Use Smartphones in School? A Quantitative Research on Using Smartphones as English-Teaching & Learning Tools in Lower & Upper Secondary School. By: Ludvig Björk This study aims to examine how the smartphone, when used as a tool in the Swedish EFL classroom, is viewed and used by educators in both upper and lower secondary schools. Through a survey, 23 teachers were asked questions regarding how they view the smartphone as a teaching & learning (T&L) tool. This survey was sent to four different schools. The survey consists of ten questions. The results show that most teachers are positive towards the use of smartphones as teaching & learning tools, with some reservations. They find it hazardous to use the device too often. Through this, the smartphone is not used as much as some teachers would like. The device is also used twice as much in lower secondary school compared to upper secondary school. The results of the present study corroborate with previous findings that indicate that the smartphone is used as a supplement rather than an active tool in the classroom. Even though teachers may find the tool risky to use, they also consider it an effective tool since it can be used in several ways