The relationship among self-regulation, internet use, and academic achievement in a computer literacy course

This research was a correlational study of the relationship among self-regulation, students' nonacademic internet browsing, and academic achievement in an undergraduate computer literacy class. Nonacademic internet browsing during class can be a distraction from student academic studies. There has been little research on the role of self-regulation on nonacademic internet browsing in influencing academic achievement. Undergraduate computer literacy classes were used as samples (n= 39) for measuring these variables. Data were collected during three class periods in two sections of the computer literacy course taught by one instructor. The data consisted of a demographic survey, selected and modified items from the GVU 10th WWW User Survey Questionnaire, selected items of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, and measures of internet use. There were low correlations between self-regulation and academic grades (r= .18, p > .05) and self-regulation and internet use (r= -.14, p > .05). None of the correlations were statistically significant. Also, there was no statistically significant correlation between internet use and academic achievement (r= -.23, p >.05). Self-regulation was highly correlated to self-efficacy (r= .53, p < .05). Total internet access was highly correlated to nonacademic related internet browsing (r= .96, p < .01). Although not statistically significant, the consistent negative correlations between nonacademic internet use with both self-regulation and achievement indicate that the internet may present an attractive distraction to achievement which may be due to lack of self-regulation. The implication of embedded instruction of self-regulation in the computer literacy course was discussed to enhance self-regulated internet use. Further study of interaction of self-regulated internet use and academic achievement is recommended.