Online and Face-to-Face Classroom Multitasking and Academic Performance: Moderated Mediation With Academic Self-Efficacy and Gender

• In Event: Paper Session: Innovations in Online Instruction

Abstract

Research has shown that multitasking in classrooms negatively impacts students’ academic performance. This study investigated the indirect effects of multitasking on academic performance (i.e., Grade Point Average [GPA]) through academic self-efficacy (ASE) by gender. Measures of multitasking behaviors (MBs), in both online and traditional format (i.e., face-to-face [F2F]) classrooms, and ASE were administered to university students (N = 255). Two moderated mediation models were tested. In both online and F2F classrooms, ASE significantly mediated the association between multitasking and GPA. Additionally, there was a significant indirect effect for female students only in online classrooms. Female students with higher levels of ASE experience a limited impact of online multitasking on GPA, and thus have better academic performance.

Authors

• Ahlam Alghamdi, Kent State University

• Aryn C. Karpinski, Kent State University - Kent

• Andrew Lepp, Kent State University

• Jacob Barkley, Kent State University