Prevalence of mobile phone use in academic and social life of students and educators

The researcher administered the questionnaires to 30 respondents who comprised four groupings namely, 8 teachers, 20 form four students, 1 head teacher and 1 district education officer. The group was considered representative of the target population. This study investigated the prevalence of mobile phone use in academic and social life of students and educators in government boarding schools of Shire Highlands Education Division, Southern Malawi. Both descriptive and comparative research designs were used. Four hundred and forty four (444) respondents participated. Questionnaires were used as instruments for data collection. A pilot study was done with 30 respondents participating. The respondents comprised four groupings namely, 8 teachers, 20 form four students, 1 head teacher and 1 district education officer. The group was considered representative of the target population. Reliability was established by computing Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient. The alpha coefficients of 0.65 (Academic Life) and 0.60 (Social Life) were yielded. The study indicates that students often communicate with their parents about their academic performance. This suggests that students find it easy to communicate with their parents about their academic performance over the mobile phone because the parents give them such freedom whereas at school such opportunity is limited. Likewise, students often use mobile phones to record and save information and find notes and meaning of words. Teachers use mobile phones in accessing educational materials and finding notes for teaching. The head teachers use phones to access administrative reports, information dealing with school management, recording, saving and retrieving information and communicating with parents on school issue. On social life, the respondents use phones in keeping touch with parents and Heads of Departments. This study suggests that parents and schools encourage students to use their phones in a responsible manner, especially on academic matters.