Emotion regulation, e‐learning readiness, technology usage status, in‐class smartphone cyberloafing, and smartphone addiction in the time of COVID‐19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic has spread quickly, e‐learning became compulsory and disseminated throughout the world. During the pandemic, smartphones are frequently used to access e‐learning content, but connecting to technological tools increased the risk of cyberloafing during e‐courses. Currently, there are a limited number of studies on how e‐learning will evolve under compulsory conditions. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between emotion regulation, e‐learning readiness, technology usage status (TUS), in‐class smartphone cyberloafing, and smartphone addiction (SA) of the students during the pandemic. Methods: In total 1294 students participated in this study. A research model was tested by structural equation modelling. Results and Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that there is a relationship between TUS and SA. Emotion regulation was related to SA. E‐learning readiness levels can help to explain cyberloafing. This study presents a conceptual model of the variables that affect cyberloafing in the context of the e‐learning environment. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: During the COVID‐19 pandemic smartphones are used frequently for e‐learning.Students could be distracted by technological tools such as smartphone, tablet PC, and so forth during online classes, which might disrupt learning.Students who are problematic smartphone users and cyberloafer turn to their smartphones to deal with the problem of emotional dysregulation.Cyberloafing behaviours of students may affect their personal and academic development, which will affect their academic success accordingly. What this paper adds: Emotion regulation was related to smartphone addiction.E‐learning readiness levels explain in class smartphone cyberloafing. Implications for practice: Learning experiences that will improve emotion‐regulation skills might be designed.Decreasing in‐class cyberloafing (and smartphone addiction in general) might help students to focus on their learning activities and learning goals.Student‐centred learning methods to be used during e‐learning, therefore the necessity of active participation in the lesson, student interaction, open cameras, and the use of smartphones to support the lesson during e‐learning can change cyberloafing behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]