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MCC Daily Tribune Archive

President's Wednesday Message


The Pew Research Center on Internet, Science and Technology recently highlighted its reporting on a trend that all in higher education should be watching: the growth of adults 18 and older (not young teens) who are “smartphone-only.” By this, Pew means they use their phones for all internet connectivity and have moved away from traditional broadband that connects to a laptop or computer. 

From 2013-15, this group almost doubled (from 8% to 13%), with African-Americans, Hispanics, low-income individuals, and rural residents driving this change. For example, 21% of individuals earning less than $20K/year were smartphone-only, as were 23% of Hispanics and 19% of African-Americans. While it may not surprise that 19% of adults 18-29 are smartphone-only, one might not expect the 16% of adults 30-49 to be as well. 

Smartphone ownership by these groups is also very strong:

* 98% of adults 18-29 years old
* 84% of adults earning less than $30K/yr
* 90% of adults earning between $30K and $49K/yr
* 90% of African-Americans
* 92% of Hispanics

I share this data because many of our students fall into the demographics that show the greatest increase in smartphone-only usage: younger adults, individuals of color, those living near or below the poverty line. 

The implication of the Pew research seems to be that—for many but not all—financial issues, housing-insecurity, and limited broadband infrastructure are driving the move to become smartphone-only. Pew notes that those who have never had at-home broadband access or had discontinued access cited the cost of this service as a barrier.

I share this data because it should impact how we think about serving our students. Do we need to rethink the design of some of our courses so that they are smartphone-accessible? Can we use the ubiquity of smartphones to push high impact reminders to students? If, as data suggest, smartphone users spend over 80% of their time using apps (not their browsers), are we spending enough of our attention and resources on apps? Should we be developing or adopting apps that promote student success? How should the changing technology landscape figure into our strategic planning?

What are your thoughts? Please share them on the blog.

Anne M. Kress
Office of the President
05/04/2016