Smartphone use in outdoor education: a question of activity progression and place

Smartphone use in outdoor recreation settings is somewhat controversial. Some individuals claim smartphones engage audiences and promote access to resources. Others claim they distract from the setting and disrupt others’ experiences. This study examined the perceptions of 151 outdoor instructors regarding appropriate student smartphone use during various activity stages (e.g. travel, main activities, down time, and waiting periods). Results suggested that most outdoor instructors dislike smartphone use outside of travel to and from events. They particularly disliked uses for games, text messaging, phone calls, and social media. However, when uses related to outdoor activities (e.g. GPS tracking, checking weather, locating relevant information), 50–65% of participants agreed they were appropriate. The exception was photography and video where ~70–82% agreed. Younger instructors and males appeared to be more amenable to smartphone use, and 74.8% of participants stated mobile applications could be valuable teaching tools.