Please don’t put your phones away: the application of learning technology in United Kingdom higher education and a framework for implementation

The aim of this research is to identify best practice when adopting new learning technologies in United Kingdom (UK) higher education (HE). Although technology is widely used within institutions and often has a positive impact on the learning experiences of students, there is only limited research designed to help lecturers with its implementation in the classroom. This research presents a critical review and assessment of some of the practices being incorporated in HE teaching, learning from the experiences of both students and lecturers. This paper presents the outcome of two case studies of Tophat and Socrative learning technology tools used in the classroom; the findings highlight challenges and identify best practice. Based on the case studies and the critical review of other, similar research, a ‘Learning Technology Conceptual Implementation Framework’ has been developed; this offers guidance on the implementation of learning technology in the classroom.