The Use of Gadgets and Learning Motivation Among Grade XI Students in Biology Learning at SMA Negeri 5 Palu

This study aims to describe the profile of gadget use and learning motivation among Grade XI students in biology learning at SMA Negeri 5 Palu and to explore students’ and teachers’ experiences of gadgets as learning support tools and potential sources of digital distraction. A qualitative descriptive design was employed, supported by descriptive questionnaire profiling. A total of 74 students completed a 50-item questionnaire on gadget use and learning motivation, while 10 students and two biology teachers participated in semi-structured interviews. Questionnaire data were analyzed using frequencies and percentages, while interview data were analyzed thematically. The descriptive findings showed that 74.32% of students were categorized as having high learning motivation and 71.62% as having high gadget use. Two themes emerged from the interviews: gadgets as academic support tools in biology learning and digital distractions and competition for attention. Students used gadgets to access visual and digital resources that supported their understanding of biology concepts, while social media notifications and other non-academic activities could divert attention from learning. These findings highlight the dual role of gadgets in biology learning and suggest that their educational value depends on purposeful academic use and appropriate management of digital distractions. The findings provide a contextual description rather than evidence of a causal or correlational relationship between gadget use and learning motivation.