Smartphone Usage in Science Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Ubben, Malte S.; Kremer, Fabienne E.; Heinicke, Susanne; Marohn, Annette; Heusler, Stefan

Abstract

This article presents a review of research on smartphone usage in educational science settings published between January 2015 and August 2022, and aims to provide an overview of the constructs evaluated and to identify potential gaps in current research for researchers working on this topic. Specifically, the search for publications in the relevant years was narrowed down to such studies that provided empirical evidence for the impact of smartphone usage on teaching and learning in natural science education. The databases used for the search were ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science. In total, 100 articles were surveyed. The study findings were categorized regarding the type of smartphone usage, as well as the type of educational institution and constructs investigated. Overall, the results from this review show that smartphone usage in educational science environments has the potential for rather positive effects, such as an increase in learning achievements or an increase in motivation, and smartphone usage rarely leads to detrimental effects. Despite the substantial amount of studies to date, more research in these areas would allow for more generalized statistical results and analyses and is therefore desirable.