In the past 20 years, cell phones have progressed from call-and-text devices with a few basic applications to mini super-computers that most people check within minutes of waking up. By the time you sit down to work, you’ve already used it to read the news, reply to a message, and check the weather.
Throughout the day, you might use your phone to check the time, scroll through social media, listen to music, reply to messages, and make calls. That same device can help you learn.
Mobile learning is now recognized as a legitimate, effective way to study and stay organized. For students on campus and online, the smartphone doesn’t have to be a distraction from education. It’s a way to learn, boost productivity, and earn a degree.
How to Use a Smartphone For Learning
Here are ten ways your smartphone can help you learn:
1. Learn From Anywhere
You don’t need to be sitting at a desk to stay on top of your studies. When you use your phone for learning, you can learn wherever you go.
Cornerstone offers the SOAR™ app, a fully digital online learning platform. You get access to original podcasts, videos, audiobooks, and presentations developed directly by Cornerstone faculty.
2. Turn Dead Time into Study Time
Your phone can turn “dead time” like traveling and sitting in waiting rooms into study sessions. Studying in short 15–20 minute bursts is practical and effective; it’s the principle behind techniques like the Pomodoro method (explained below). Building mobile study habits like this into your routine is a simple way to stay ahead.
3. Self-Paced Learning
Our self-paced learning structure within SOAR lets you complete coursework on your own schedule while still completing several courses each term. You can dedicate an intense week or weekend to your studies, and then take some time for family activities. Or you can complete coursework in the evenings after dinner when the children are in bed, and the house is quiet. The flexible schedule – no weekly deadlines – lets you go at your own pace as long as you complete the minimum required courses each term.
4. Use AI as a Study Partner
Large language models (LLMs) like Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini can be genuinely useful for studying. Using them as a starting point is a smart move. However, submitting AI-generated work as your own is considered plagiarism and academic dishonesty.
Treat AI like a study partner who’s always there to help. Give it your course notes and material from authoritative sources and always double-check facts, since AI can make mistakes.
Then ask it to:
- Explain concepts in plain language
- Help you work through practice questions
- Help you prepare for a discussion, debate, or presentation
- Generate counterarguments to test your thinking
- Give early feedback on draft writing
5. Manage Your Time
Studying while working full-time requires effective time management, especially for part-time students juggling full-time jobs and family responsibilities. Effective time management can turn an overwhelming workload into a manageable sequence of steps.
Your phone’s calendar app is one of the simplest tools for organizing your time. Apps like Structured integrate with calendars and other apps to make day-by-day planning easy. Other apps help you plan further ahead, blocking commitments over weeks or an entire semester.
6. Watch Video and Listen to Audiobooks and Podcasts
Your phone’s visual and audio capabilities can be used for learning as well as entertainment. The SOAR app uses audiobooks, video, and podcasts to communicate course concepts in a way that’s easy to absorb in short, focused bursts of study.
There are also other programs that give access to digital and audiobook content. For example, Audible includes academic books as well as many general nonfiction titles. Libby gives you free access to your local library’s entire digital catalog.
Listening to books outside your reading list, but within your subject, expands your understanding of the broader context and can make learning easier.
Cornerstone’s library team is reachable by email, phone, and chat. Plus, they provide access to academic databases and journals through mobile-friendly platforms.
Excellent podcasts covering almost every discipline are hosted by professionals who are actively shaping their fields. They’re great for staying current with trends and emerging ideas.
7. Student Guidance and Support
College education isn’t a solo endeavor, even when you study from home. With SOAR, even though your courses are completed entirely from your phone, you are not without guidance and support.
Our team will walk you through the program, and once enrolled, you’ll be assigned a professional student success coach for the entirety of your educational journey. Faculty provide timely feedback that helps keep you on track. They work closely with your academic success coach to track your progress, proactively address challenges, and offer counsel when needed.
8. Practice Digital Minimalism
Research shows it takes up to 20 minutes to refocus after a phone interruption. During a two-hour study session, that’s time you can’t afford to lose. Practicing digital minimalism by using a time-limit feature to manage your screen time is key when studying.
Most phones have a built-in focus mode, which lets you silence notifications from specific apps so you can study uninterrupted.
- iPhone: Settings > Focus
- Android: Settings > Digital Wellbeing > Focus Mode
For more control, purpose-built apps like Blocksite let you create an unlimited block list, schedule focus sessions automatically, and review insights on where your attention actually goes.
Unlock Your Potential
The technology available today means you can access a world-class education from almost anywhere, whether you’re a few miles from campus or thousands of miles away.
Cornerstone is a leader in using technology in education. Our online and SOAR™ programs attract students who value flexibility without sacrificing depth, community, and faith-rooted learning. Learn more about how to use a smartphone for learning through our degree programs or get in touch.
