Digital distraction in the EFL classroom: How attention and self-regulation mediate learning outcomes

Abstract

The widespread adoption of mobile devices in the context of higher education is associated with concerns about their potential effect on learners' attention and cognitive processing. This research aims to explore the influence of digital device use on students' performance in English as a Foreign Language (EFL), focusing specifically on the role of attention and self-regulation in mediating this relationship. A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design consisting of two conditions was adopted. The study included 50 EFL students enrolled at a private university who belonged to two intact classes assigned to either the control condition (digital device use restriction) or the experimental condition (unrestricted device use). Data collection entailed pre-tests, post-tests and delayed post-tests, questionnaires, and classroom observation. ANCOVA demonstrated a statistically significant difference in performance scores between these groups, with a large effect size. Moreover, repeated-measures showed the presence of low and inconsistent attention levels in experimental participants. Mediation analysis identified self-regulation as a variable that mediates the link between digital device use and academic performance. The findings indicated a tendency toward off-task activities and difficulties with sustaining attention. The current research shows that unrestricted use of mobile devices leads to poor attention and negative performance, which may have implications for classroom practices, digital learning policies, and strategies that encourage more effective self-regulated learning among EFL students.