The Effects of Smartphone Use on College Students’ Learning Competence among Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education Evening Program Students

Abstract

This research assessed the relationship between smartphone distraction experience and the digital learning competence of the BTLED Evening Program students studying in Cebu Technological University Main Campus during the school year 2024-2025. It aimed to develop an intervention plan that will help students develop a more mindful and balance approached to smartphone use. It utilized the descriptive-correlation method. There are 138 students from College of Teacher Education who answered the survey questionnaires adapted from Smartphone Distraction Scale (SDS) by Throuvala et al. (2021), Digital Learning Competence Scale by Yang et al. (2020). The study found that most participants were female, primarily within the 19 to 21 age range. More than half lived with both parents and reported having 3 and 5 siblings. Additionally, a notable portion of the respondents identified themselves as the youngest among their siblings. Academically, the study found that smartphone distraction, characterized by attention impulsiveness, online vigilance, emotion regulation, and multitasking, is significantly correlated with various aspects of digital learning competence. Respondents demonstrated varying levels of digital competence, with attention impulsiveness showing a weak but significant negative correlation with skills such as technology use, cognitive processing, digital reading, time management, and will management except peer management. Conversely, online vigilance and emotion regulation were positively associated with most digital learning competencies, particularly cognitive processing, digital reading, and self-regulation domains, though not with technology use. Notably, multitasking was significantly linked to all areas of digital learning competence, especially will management, suggesting a more nuanced role in supporting academic self-regulation than traditionally assumed. These findings underscore the complex relationship between smartphone-related behaviors and digital learning skills, emphasizing the need to develop targeted interventions that help students manage distractions and strengthen their competencies in digital learning environments. Based on the findings and conclusions, a digital learning competence-related career guidance intervention plan is proposed for implementation.