the researcher concluded that smartphones has positive
impact to the students, in a way that it helps students in
JAYONA, Justine Mae M.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
THE IMPACT OF USING
SMARTPHONES ON
COGNITIVE SKILLS OF
SELECTED GRADE 11
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY,
ENGINEERING, AND
MATHEMATICS STUDENTS
___________________________
Keywords: Students; Smartphones; and Cognitive
skills.
___________________________
ABSTRACT
Nowadays, smartphones known as ductile and
powerful tool that students used prudently, it can
intensify and develop knowledge. As the year pass by,
the technology is being used in the educational field
and it has prodigious influence and impact to the
cognitive skills of the student, on the paying attention
or the concentration and the learning process and
capacity of the students. This study was conducted in
the 9 Selected Grade 11 Science Technology
Engineering & Mathematics students of Senator
Renato “Companero” Cayetano Memorial Science and
Technology High School. By using stratified sampling
technique, the respondents selected for individually
interview. It presents the possible relationship between
the use of smartphones and students’ cognitive skills.
The result shows that there is extensive impact of
smartphones to the students. Take into consideration
that almost of the students have smartphone, they used
it mostly in school or academic purposes. Smartphones
basically help students to save time and it is very
convenient, portable and easy to use to access their
learning materials but there is also a negative impact
for some cases like loss in concentration. Therefore,
their academic related things.
INTRODUCTION
Sarwar and Soomro (2013) found out that
smart phones have been present as one of the broad
and abundant communication and technology company
6 years ago. In 1993 smart phones have been already
produced on the market before apple and other phones
introduced. The dissimilarity of the two which is the
current or the present smart phone and the old one is
that the present version was more efficient and
commonly used in workplace. In our generation
technology plays an important role in every student’s
life. According to the Computer Hope, Smartphone is a
mobile telephone that aside from make phone calls, it
has been used to send and receive messages. Smart
phones could browse the web and run essential
programming projects similar to a computer.
Nowadays, gadgets are involved in terms of studies, on
students’ cognitive skills. Doyle (2017) stated that
cognitive skills include the ability to learn, to apply
and process knowledge, to analyze and reasoning, and
to evaluate and decide. Cognitive skills are human
being capabilities. Knowledge stored and gained
through thinking and experience. Cognitive
capabilities include understanding, concentration,
interest, memory, problems solving and decision.
Kuznekoff and Titsworth (2013) examined the
impact of using smart phones during class lecture on
students learning and concentration. Students
categorize in three different study groups. All groups
watch a video lecture and take notes. Most of the
students who are not using phones are more likely to
have information and can able to brainstorm about the
video lecture compare to the students using their smart
phones while watching the video lecture. The study
showed that the more students attach in their smart
phone the more they are distracted and loss their
concentration. The purpose of this study is to inform
students of the possible effects on their cognitive skills
and also for the researcher’s benefit as also a student.
There are two possible impacts of use of smart
phone of the students which is the positive and
negative impact. Nowadays, smart phones are very
popular and commonly used by the students for school
purposes the negative impact of using smart phones in

learning still existed, for instance. Students attract to
use to any application on the phone like social media
while in the class. Taking the fact that almost every
student today has a smart phone into consideration, it
is essential to come up with a study that will serve as
an observation to their performance in school despite
the inevitable use of smart phone. Woodcock (2012)
claimed that with the expanding numbers of
understudies who have smart phones, different outlook
of their lives change, they start operate this gadget for
growing their learning experience. Like searching for
new knowledge and ideas, using the smart phone on
their reports to visualize it.
This study aims to determine the possible
effects of any type of technology, smart phone to be
specific, to the students' academic performance. Do
smart phones help them expand their knowledge
capacity? or it causes distraction on their academic
achievements and learning process? This study is
important to the students, teachers and parents. For the
students, this study is conduct to inform them the
positive and also negative effect of smart phones on
their learning ability. For the teachers, also to inform
the impact of the smart phones on students and teacher
must maximize the use of smart phones on learning of
the students. Lastly, for the parents, parents must
understand the importance of smart phones usage
because its critical for the children learning behaviour
either it may help or not. There should be a control of
using smart phones, like spending how much time of
using smart phones compare of spending time in
studying. Also for them to informed and aware on the
impact of smart phones in their way of living. If it can
be helpful to them or not; if does it have a good effect
to their lifestyle or none. Although we all know that
our parents are not really belong to the called
millennial people, but in our current generation,
technology is very evident and manifest in our society.
People nowadays are very hooked up to it, that even
the older generation is using it.
This study was conducted to find out the
possible effects of smart phones on cognitive skills of
selected grade 11 Science Technology Engineering &
Mathematics students of Cayetano Science High
School during Academic Year 2017-2018. In this study
the following three sub questions aims to answer to
solve the problem. First, how does smart phones affect
the learning capacity of the students? Learning
capacity, it is the ability of your mind to comprehend
Page 2 of 7
and understand a one topic, if you already understand
it completely or still have something on your mind
which is uncertain. Next, how does smart phones affect
the concentration of the students? Smart phones can be
distraction or not. And lastly, how does smart phones
help with the students’ learning process? Learning
process is a way of coping with any discussion of any
topic and it depends of how long you can relate or
understand such topics.
The researcher chose selected Grade 11 STEM
students of Cayetano Science High School to be the
respondents on this study. There is maximum of 9
students of grade 11 STEM. They are chosen to be the
respondents because besides Treston Senior High this
school is known for being one of the top high schools
in Taguig City. And the researcher thinks it is a great
place to conduct survey. The instrument researcher use
will be gathered through survey.
METHODOLOGY
The researcher was conducted case study as a
research design to find out the possible effects of smart
phones on cognitive skills of selected grade 11 Science
Technology Engineering & Mathematics students of
Senator Reynato “Companero” Cayetano Science High
School. There are two possible outcomes of use of
smart phone of the students, it can be positive and
negative outcomes by their experiences. The
researcher used and applied this approach to know the
cause and the reason by using the real world situations
or scenario, issues, and problems of the students. And
also this helps to excels at bringing the researcher to an
understanding of a complex issue or experience.
The respondents of the study are composed of
three sections of Grade 11 students of Senator Reynato
“Companero” Cayetano Science High School,
particularly Science Technology Engineering and
Mathematics students. It comprises a total of 9
respondents with the following breakdown: STEM-101
with 35 population, STEM-102 with 33 population,
and lastly STEM-103 with 29 population. By using
Stratified sampling is a probability sampling technique
where in the researcher divides the entire population
into subgroups or strata which already divide by
sections the STEM 101, 102, 103, then randomly
selected the final students proportionally from the
different strata or sections. This kind of sampling
technique helps the researcher to be more convenient,
 Page 3 of 7

sufficient and easy to select a respondent. They are

chosen to be the respondents because besides Treston
Senior High this school is known for being one of the
top high schools in Taguig city. And the researcher
thinks it is a great place to conduct this study.

In gathering data needed for the study, the

researcher used interview and a little bit of survey
questionnaire as a research instrument. The researcher
chose 3 to 4 students per section in grade 11 STEM to
be the respondent. The researcher made a set of
question that may answer properly by the respondents
to supply the necessary information that needed in the
research and the question support the real life
experience that the respondent may answered, you can
call it a situational question. The researcher used it to
observed the behavior, the knowledge and the
awareness of the respondents based on the given It shows that most of the respondents of the
questions. researcher are females where in 6 females and 2 males
out of 9 respondents. The age of the respondents
The methodology of the researcher in this
started at the age of 16 to 17 years old.
study used individual interviews through voice record
or face to face talks to the respondents and also a little
bit of survey questionnaire. The researcher chose 3
students per section in grade 11 to be the respondent. Problem no. 1 How does smartphones affect the
The researcher had a printed handout guided learning capacity of the students?
questionnaire and ask the respondents one by one and
1.1 How much time do you spend on using your
one question at a time. And verify if the tape recorder
smartphone on daily basis?
worked. Since this study used Qualitative type of
40% of the respondents answered that they spent
research, Direct Observation and participation is what
more than 6 hours and above another 40% answered
the researcher implies to herself. Then after that, Data
that they spent less than 5 hours of using smartphone
gathering from the voice record or evidence that the
and the remaining 10% of the respondents answered
researcher have gathered.
they did not notice how much time they using their
phone.The respondents usually used their phone if
they have free time or after school.
RESULTS
1.2 Do you think smartphones help you learn? If
The study was conducted in three sections yes, how so?
which are STEM 101, STEM 102 and STEM 103 of
the Senator Renato “Compañero” Cayetano Memorial Respondents Gender Age
Science and Technology High School with the selected R1 Female 17
9 Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics
students, year 2017-2018. The focus of the study was R2 Male 17
to find out of the possible impact of using
R3 Female 16
Smartphones on Cognitive skills.
R4 Male 17

R5 Female 16
Respondents Profile:
R6 Female 17

R7 Female 17

R8 Female 17

R9 Male 17

All of the respondents answered yes.According to
them, smartphones help them on gaining more
knowledge and on gathering information since it’s
easier to access educational sites that can help them in
learning. For respondent 1, she answered yes because
especially on their school since they do not have
books, so smartphone helps them to find their
learning modules like power points and search for
references in the internet.
1.3 Do you prefer using books or using
smartphones? Why?
The graph shows that 3 out of 9 of the
respondents preferred to use smartphones, simply
because it filters out the desired information they want
to find, the other 3 out of 9 of the respondents
preferred to use books because books are undoubtedly
reliable and informative and remaining 3 respondents
answered both, in terms of reliability they used books
and in terms of accessibility and portability they prefer
smartphones.
1.4 What do you usually use your smartphones
for? (for gaming, reading, watching,
etc.)
The graph shows that most of the respondents
usually use their smartphone for entertainments like
listening to music taking pictures and communication
like messaging through text or social media’s
Page 4 of 7
messenger and also for academic purposes like taking
notes and to gain more knowledge by searching in
web.
1.5 Do you use smartphone for educational
purposes? If so, how does it affect your
comprehension?
Majority of the respondents answered yes,
because since they don’t have enough books in their
school they use their smartphones to get copies of the
power points that their teachers gave them and they
answered yes it does affect their comprehension,
respondent 4 said that the smartphone improve their
comprehension by mean of the process of reading is
actively involved whenever they use smartphones.
Problem No. 2 How does smartphones affect the
concentration of the students?
2.1 What practices do you do to divide your
attention and focus?
The respondents usually do to divide their
attention and focus is through time management and
respondent 7 declaimed that she was deal with the to
do list to distribute her time and to get thing done on
time. And for respondent 7, she’s allot her time to
other things like household chores, but she also has
this habit of visiting social media sites like Facebook
and Instagram.
2.2 Do you check your phone when you’re
studying? Why?
All of the respondents answered yes, because for
them as stated by respondent 5 it’s one way of being
updated and informed about what’s happening around
them like announcements and since they don’t have
books they study the lesson from their smartphones
like presentation that their teacher uploaded for them.
2.3 Do you find it hard to choose between
concentrating on studying and using your
smartphone? Why?

The graph shows that 4 out of 9 respondents
answered no, because they always prioritize studying
more than using my smartphone, and according to
respondent 2 they just need to have time management
and know their priority. Other way around 5 out of 9
answered yes, because they get distracted with the
entertainments in their smartphones.
2.4 Where do you give most of your concentration?
In studying or in using a smartphone?
Majority of the respondents answered they pour
most of their concentration in studying than using
smartphones studying specifically in school works
because according to respondent 8 in their school they
are always loaded with school works because of that
their time is always consume by the school works.
2.5 Do you have any knowledge about the bad
effect of overusing your smartphones? If yes,
give at least two.
In this question the majority of the respondents
answered yes, and they present bad effects or impact of
overusing of smartphones physically, intellectual/
mentally, emotionally and social wellness. Mostly they
give in physical like health problems, followed by
intellectual like loss of concentration and distraction,
next is emotional problems, according to respondent 4,
in psychologically, it can cause more sensitive and
emotion. Lastly in socialization as claimed by
respondent 8, the family relationship.
Problem No. 3 How does smartphones help with the
students’ learning process?
3.1 What is the usual learning style do you
practice? (visual, auditory, reading/ writing,
kinesthetic, etc.)
Page 5 of 7
The graph shows that the majority of students’
learning style are Visual and Reading and writing
practice followed by Auditory and then the kinesthetic
and others.
3.2 How does your smartphones affect your type of
learning style?
Most of the respondents answered that the
smartphones enhance their learning style and
contributes a lot to their learning development and it
basically helps them to access their learning materials.
3.3 Do you use your smartphones for school
purposes? How?
All of the respondents answered yes, they use
smartphones for educational purposes when they using
dictionary or by searching in the web, by being
updated on such activities and by means of
communication mainly related to academics and
according to respondent 6 she used it for reading
documents and power points that are related to their
subject.
3.4 In what way does your smartphone help you?
The respondents answered that smartphones helps
them in educational purposes, communication and for
entertainments in school related things. In the opinion
of respondent 8, most probably getting notes and
power points from their teachers and accessing internet
to get more information and also music and videos for
personal used.
3.5 Does your knowledge expand when using
smartphone?
Each of the respondents answered yes,
smartphones does expand their knowledge whenever
they using it. As stated by respondent 7, she’s getting a

wider ideas and knowing different perceptions of
people by viewing their views and opinions on
particular topic.
DISCUSSIONS
This research study aims to
determine the possible effects of using smartphone on
cognitive skills specially to the academic performance
of selected Grade 11 Science Technology Engineering
and Mathematics Students in Senator Renato
“Compañero” Cayetano Memorial Science and
Technology High School. The respondents of the
researcher are 6 females and 2 males out of 9
respondents and the respondent’s age started at the age
of 16 to 17 years old. Smartphones have a huge effect
to the students due to the fact that they have a tendency
to use their smartphones every day or on day to day
basis and have become a part of their desires and needs
as a student. The respondents usually use their
smartphones for 5 – 6 hours. Most of the respondents
use their smartphones as an instrument for them to
learn and expand their comprehension. They prefer
using both, books in terms of reliability and
smartphones in terms of accessibility and portability.
The smartphones contribute a lot of development for
their learning type because most of the respondents are
visual and reading and writing learners. For the
respondents, smartphone is not only for their
entertainment and communication, they use it for their
learning process to become easier and it basically
helps them to access their learning materials and to
gain more knowledge. In the matter of concentration,
respondents commonly manage their time and deal
with the to do list which helps them to divide their
attention and focus. For some cases they have a
difficulty in choosing between using of their phones
and studying because they are distracted with the
applications in their phones but then, respondents
know their limitation of using smartphones and their
priority because most of the respondents have a
knowledge of the negative effect of overusing
smartphones. The researcher agrees with the claim of
Woodcock (2012) that the use of smartphones in
learning can lead students to turn out to be more aware
of the advantages and benefits, which includes the
convenience of studying anywhere and anytime, in
additional, it can encourage students in learning
activities. The smartphones really help in the
development in the field in education,
Page 6 of 7
The researcher concludes that smartphone has
a positive impact to the selected grade 11 Science
Technology Engineering and Mathematics students in
Senator Renato “Compañero” Cayetano Memorial
Science and Technology High School. Taking the fact
that almost every student nowadays, has a smart phone
into consideration, smart phones are very communal
and mostly used by the students for school purposes.
The negative impact of using smart phones in learning
still existed, like in their concentration, students attract
to use to any application on the phone like social
media unavoidable and normally get distracted and
loss their concentration. In generally smartphones help
students in learning easier, convenient and accessible
and for academic purposes to gain, have more
knowledge and additional information. In fact,
students use their smartphones for taking notes, since
the student in that mentioned above they find their
modules and learning materials on their smartphones
and get copies of the power points, e-books, word and
pdf. Also through smartphone they can access
educational sites and videos that can help them in
learning making it easier to access significant
information necessary for learning.
This study is useful for students, teachers and
for the parents since the study is all about the impact of
smartphone which is commonly use of the students to
their cognitive skills.
For the students, the researcher recommends is that
know the student’s priority and practice time
management.
For the teachers, they can use the social media as
an alternative source of educational necessities of the
students which can provide them the ability to gather
more useful information and for them to be able to
connect with learning groups and other educational
systems that make education much more convenient.
For the parents, there should be a control of using
smartphones, parents must have to understand the
significance of smartphones utilization because it is
essential for children learning behavior either it can
help or not.
References:
Computer Hope, What is a Smartphone? (2018, March 01).
Retrieved from
https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/s/smartphone.html
 Page 7 of 7

Doyle, A. (2017, July 19). Cognitive Skills List and

Examples. Retrieved from
https://www.thebalance.com/cognitive-skills-definition-and-
examples-2063736

Kuznekoff, J. H., & Titsworth, S. (2013, February 12). The

Impact of Mobile Phone Usage on Student Learning ...
Retrieved from http://www.bing.com/cr?
IG=C828F2EA4DD64944BD4D4E1075AE8E95&CID=009
E742E6F9568EA1F6F7F996E3A69F3&rd=1&h=uwDGUD
UKgxw_kCxMt276Eo1nemft6apD5XI6IKEKHmw&v=1&r
=http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03634523.20
13.767917&p=DevEx,5070.1

Rambitan, V. M. (2015, January 23). The Effect of

Smartphone on Students' Critical Thinking Skill in Relation
to the Concept of Biodiversity. Retrieved from
http://pubs.sciepub.com/education/3/2/18/index.html