Michigan State University Research Cites Internet Use In Class Tied to Poor Test Performance

Researchers from the Michigan State University have found that the average time that students spend browsing the internet for non-class related content like the social media is linked to lower test scores.

According to the study, this is also true even for the most intelligent and motivated students. The academic performance of the students suffered and the use of internet was used as a means to predict the scores of the students from the test, according to Futurity.

According to Susan Ravizza, associate professor of psychology and lead author of the study, the negative effect of using the internet in class for non academic purposes now raises the question of whether students should still be encouraged to bring their laptops to class, especially when they are not really necessary for use.

The research was conducted for one hour where 507 students were taught by Kimberly Fenn, an associate professor of psychology and co-author of the study. 127 students participated in the study where they found out the using internet in class did not have any impact on improving the students' test scores.

But Ravizza said it was not surprising because the internet was just used to download lecture slides and there were no internet-based assignments involved in the course, according to Phys Org.

She also added that using laptop to take down notes is also not helpful because it becomes tempting for the students to do other stuff like browsing non-academic content and websites.

Because of this, Ravizza no longer post lecture slides online until the week before the exam arrives so that there will be no reason for her students to bring their laptops in the class. And if some students opt to bring their laptops, she asks them to sit at the back so that they will not become a reason of distraction for other students.