From the workplace to the classroom, cyberloafing has become the new norm.
As a university professor, I have observed how the classrooms are embracing education technology. I believe my counterparts worldwide have also noticed the same phenomenon – students’ fleeting glances at their mobile phones placed on the table while classes are ongoing. It is no secret that students can easily get distracted in numerous ways, even without the internet.
But, just how harmful is cyberloafing for Gen Z, those born after 1997, and who grew up with IT devices? For these young adults, they have a perceived self-efficacy in multi-tasking and adopt it as the go-to strategy to cope with unwanted distractions.
It is these beliefs and self confidence that students and educators should be mindful of.
Perception of cyberloafing matters
Social norms on cyberloafing impact students’ actions. The more students perceive their community (peers, family and teachers) to disapprove of cyberloafing, the less they skive in class. This is a finding from a survey of over 250 Gen Z students in a European university. This study which I co-authored with Assistant Professor Barbara Culiberg and Professor Katarina Katja Mihelič (both from Slovenia’s University of Ljubljana), was published in the European Journal of Psychology of Education.
It is crucial to consider society’s acceptability of cyberloafing. Professors should lead by example and avoid cyberloafing in class. Educational leaders must communicate their stance on cyberloafing and enforce policies related to it. They can also educate students on the harmful effects of cyberloafing, as previous research has shown its links to lower test scores, decreased academic success, and smartphone addiction. Cyberloafing is also associated with disengagement in class and a reduced willingness to understand the subject matter.
Cease justifying cyberloafing
The act of rationalising cyberloafing only increases students’ participation in it. When individuals rationalise their unethical behaviour to alleviate guilt, we refer to it as moral disengagement. Consider those who make snarky comments on social media or download movies illegally. They may have self-justified these actions as harmless.
To prevent moral disengagement from cyberloafing, students must be mindful of their behaviours and abstain from the reflexive urge to check their phones.
Downside of self-confidence in multi-tasking
Having confidence in one’s ability to multi-task may not always be advantageous. Students who believe they are skilled at juggling tasks are less deterred by social pressure to refrain from cyberloafing. But, they remain vulnerable to the consequences of this behaviour. To mitigate this, educational workshops and discussions can be held to raise awareness of the downsides of cyberloafing, while practising mindfulness during class can promote better focus.
As mobile cyberloafing becomes increasingly prevalent in the classrooms, it is necessary to develop different strategies to address the issue. While some schools have considered banning mobile phones altogether, an alternative approach could involve collecting these phones in a box at the beginning of the class and having students discuss their experiences without them. This facilitates a debate on the advantages and disadvantages of phone-free classrooms. By engaging students in such discussion, it is possible to obtain their cooperation and ensure that cyberloafing among Gen Z does not become a significant problem.
The article is an edited version of the first one published in TODAY.