Factors affecting cyberloafing in computer laboratory teaching settings

Sacip Toker,Meltem Huri Baturay

doi:10.1186/s41239-021-00250-5

Sacip Toker, Meltem Huri Baturay

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-021-00250-5

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Abstract

This correlational study investigated the factors affecting cyberloafing behavior in an educational environment, specifically that of a computer laboratory teaching setting. A total of 272 students selected using convenience sampling responded to a questionnaire that collected data about cyberloafing behavior and student demographics, personality type, sense of belonging, motivation, locus of control and teacher evaluation (respect, activities, communication, motivation) as well as computer lab teaching settings and norms. The results indicated that students in computer lab teaching settings cyberloaf mainly for socialization, followed by personal business and news follow-up. Males cyberloaf more frequently than females, especially for personal business and news follow-up. As students’ internet skills increase, so does their cyberloafing, particularly for personal business and socialization. A lack of instructor norms in computer lab lectures and student amotivation are also associated with increases in cyberloafing for personal business, whereas instructors’ respect for students and negative attitudes towards cyberloafing are associated with decreases in cyberloafing for socialization. This paper discusses the study findings in detail and makes recommendations for additional research.

Highlights

In today’s digital era, access to the internet is available to almost everyone, everywhere, whether at home, at work, or at school
The current study investigates the demographic, psychological and academic factors affecting cyberloafing in computer laboratory teaching settings in light of Van Doorn’s (2011) theoretical framework described below
Gender, lack of instructor norms regarding cyberloafing, student amotivation and positive attitudes towards cyberloafing were associated with increases in cyberloafing behavior, whereas instructor respect for students was associated with decreases in cyberloafing behavior

Summary

Introduction

In today’s digital era, access to the internet is available to almost everyone, everywhere, whether at home, at work, or at school. Cyberloafing is one of the terms used to describe the disruptive behavior of frequent internet usage for personal, non-work-related activities during working hours, often under the guise of doing actual work (Blanchard & Henle, 2008; Lim, 2002), and for non-academic purposes during course hours (Kalaycı, 2010). Such counterproductive behaviors (Dursun et al, 2018; Lim, 2002) include visiting news and discussion sites, socialnetworking platforms and other virtual communities; checking e-mails; downloading files, including music; online gaming/gambling; and online shopping (Yılmaz & Yurdugül, 2018). The extent of cyberloafing is expected to increase as the number of high-tech mobile devices and opportunities for online connectivity increase and more courses start to require mobile devices and computers (Akbulut et al, 2016)

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