Empowering College Students to Decrease Digital Distraction Through the Use of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies

Chih-Hsuan Wang; Jill D. Salisbury-Glennon; Yan Dai; Sangah Lee; Jianwei Dong

doi:10.30935/cedtech/12456

Chih-Hsuan Wang ¹ ^* , Jill D. Salisbury-Glennon ¹, Yan Dai ¹, Sangah Lee ¹, Jianwei Dong ¹

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CONT ED TECHNOLOGY, Volume 14, Issue 4, Article No: ep388

https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12456

Submitted: 14 February 2022, Published Online: 13 September 2022

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Abstract

Most college students have grown up using technology and consequently, they are proficient with its many uses and applications. The use of this technology provides many benefits to college students’ learning, both in and out of the classroom. However, despite the numerous benefits of technology, these digital activities can also lead to much digital distraction. Digital distractions may include Internet surfing, watching movies, checking texts, reading, and sending emails, and perusing social media. These digital distractions often result in limited attention and engagement during class, as well as less learning and academic achievement overall. Digital distraction can result from such factors as anxiety and depression, motivational variables, the need to keep up and the fear of missing out, emotional numbing and procrastination as well as an overreliance on multitasking. It is suggested here that the use of self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies may be effective in assisting college students in avoiding digital distractions, both in and out of the classroom. SRL strategies include forethought, planning, activation; monitoring, control and reflection on the learner’s cognition, motivation/affect, and behavior. Through the use of these SRL strategies, college students may be taught to decrease digital distractions and, thus, experience higher levels of learning and academic performance.

Keywords: digital distraction, self-regulation, college students, academic achievement

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Citation

Wang, C.-H., Salisbury-Glennon, J. D., Dai, Y., Lee, S., & Dong, J. (2022). Empowering College Students to Decrease Digital Distraction Through the Use of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies. Contemporary Educational Technology, 14(4), ep388. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12456

Wang, C.-H., Salisbury-Glennon, J. D., Dai, Y., Lee, S., and Dong, J. (2022). Empowering College Students to Decrease Digital Distraction Through the Use of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies. Contemporary Educational Technology, 14(4), ep388. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12456

Wang CH, Salisbury-Glennon JD, Dai Y, Lee S, Dong J. Empowering College Students to Decrease Digital Distraction Through the Use of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2022;14(4), ep388. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12456

Wang, Chih-Hsuan, Jill D. Salisbury-Glennon, Yan Dai, Sangah Lee, and Jianwei Dong. "Empowering College Students to Decrease Digital Distraction Through the Use of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies". Contemporary Educational Technology 2022 14 no. 4 (2022): ep388. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12456

Wang, Chih-Hsuan et al. "Empowering College Students to Decrease Digital Distraction Through the Use of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies". Contemporary Educational Technology, vol. 14, no. 4, 2022, ep388. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12456

Wang CH, Salisbury-Glennon JD, Dai Y, Lee S, Dong J. Empowering College Students to Decrease Digital Distraction Through the Use of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies. CONT ED TECHNOLOGY. 2022;14(4):ep388. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12456