Research of the Relationship between Students’ Digital Addiction and E-Learning at a Pedagogical University

The results of an empirical research of the formation of digital dependence of students studying primarily in electronic (distance) learning are presented. The research involved 96 students of the Ural State Pedagogical University, studying primarily in e-learning conditions, aged from 17 to 20 years. It was assumed that the digital dependence of future students in the context of e-learning is influenced by age, course of study and time of daily work on the Internet. The measurement of digital addiction was carried out using the screening diagnostic method for computer addiction (L. N. Yuryeva, T. Yu. Bolbot). Establishing the close relationship between the selected parameters and the indicator of digital dependence, the stage of digital dependence was carried out using pairwise correlation (Pearsonʼs r) and structural equation modeling (SEM – Structural Equation Modeling). Statistical data processing was carried out using the SPSS program and the AMOS module, which allows the use of structural equation modeling methodology. Cronbachʼs alpha is 0.738, which indicates acceptable internal consistency of the methodology. An exploratory factor analysis of the indicator of digital dependence and the stage of digital dependence was carried out, and the respondents’ data (in ranked form): age, course of study, time of daily educational work on the Internet. The one-factor structural model of the digital educational environment showed satisfactory agreement (CMIN = 35.26; DF = 5; CFI = 0.76; RMSEA = 0.25). It is concluded that there is a significant influence of the time of daily educational work on the Internet on the formation of digital addiction. It was found that a significant proportion of students (38 %) are at risk of developing computer addiction, and 60 % of students are at the stage of addiction.