Phone Use and Students Academic Practices in Higher Learning Institutions

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between cell phone use and academic practices among students at higher education institutions in Morogoro, Tanzania, focusing on Mzumbe University and Muslim University of Morogoro. Guided by Social Learning Theory and a rationalist research philosophy, the study adopted a mixed-methods design that combined qualitative and quantitative methods. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were subjected to thematic analysis. The study achieved an 86 percent response rate, yielding 69 usable questionnaires. The findings indicate that cell phone ownership was almost universal (98.6%), and that most students (89.9%) used their phones very often for academic purposes, including accessing course materials, communicating with lecturers, and conducting research. A large proportion of respondents (73.4%) reported that cell phones significantly improved their learning. However, others reported negative effects on academic performance, mainly associated with distractions arising from social media and entertainment applications rather than from cell phone ownership itself. The study concludes that the relationship between cell phone use and academic practices is shaped largely by how purposefully students direct their device use. The study therefore recommends the development of structured cell phone management policies, digital literacy training, and the integration of mobile-based pedagogical practices into higher education.