Some hide classroom cellphone use

DURHAM, N.C., Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Student researchers report 91 percent of U.S. college students use their cellphones one to five times per class.

The student researchers at the University of New Hampshire in Durham report students were aware phone use was frowned upon in class and almost half of those using phones during class -- 49 percent -- attempted to conceal their use.

The university-wide study also found 51 percent of students said they knew their concentration was being adversely affected by phone use and 52 percent said the phone affected the amount of information they receive during class.

Female students were 7 percent more likely to text, 5 percent more likely to text frequently and 13 percent more likely to hide phone use in class than male students, the survey says.

"Even though the majority of college students do not own a smartphone, those who do, are much more active using their phones in class," study leader Chuck Martin said in a statement.

Martin says the study is based on 1,265 students, 99 percent of whom own a cellphone with 9 percent owning multiple mobile devices.

The study is at: www.unh.edu/news/docs/UNH_cellphones.pdf.