Smartphone Use and Students’ Concentration in Class: A Qualitative Study at SMP Negeri 27 Medan

This study aims to identify and describe smartphone use and its relationship to the concentration levels of students at SMP Negeri 27 Medan. This study employs a descriptive method with a qualitative approach. The respondents in this study consisted of 11 students from SMP Negeri 27 Medan. Data collection was conducted through interviews using a 10-question questionnaire, comprising five questions regarding smartphone use and five questions regarding concentration levels. The data obtained were then compiled, grouped by variable, and analyzed descriptively. The results showed that students’ smartphone usage exhibited diverse patterns. Smartphones were used not only for entertainment but also as a means of searching for learning materials, additional information, homework answers, and educational videos. On the other hand, using smartphones for social media, videos, games, or other activities while studying can be a source of distraction and cause students to lose focus. Students’ concentration while studying is also influenced by other factors, such as peers, environmental noise, drowsiness, conditions at home, and the way teachers present the material. Thus, smartphones play a dual role in learning activities: they serve as tools to support learning while also posing a potential source of distraction, depending on their purpose and how they are used. This study is descriptive in nature and does not examine cause-and-effect relationships; rather, it provides an overview of smartphone use and students’ concentration while studying.