Lessons from Cyberpsychology that Educators Should be Reminded of

Abstract

In recent years, cyberspace has emerged as a prominent realm for young people, perceived by them as at least as important as real life. Cyberspace has become a field for the satisfaction of many psychological needs and has brought to life novel factors that influence development among children and youth. As a consequence, the educational sphere has been dramatically affected by the changes in the psychological functions, behaviors, and habits of students, who are becoming increasingly different from what educators were trained for only a few decades ago. Causal connections are yet to be examined experimentally, and longitudinal research takes more time. In the meantime, based on theoretical assumptions in psychology and educational sciences, some of the changes that affect the motivation and behavior of students in the classroom can be assumed. With this being said, the following article, using the perspective of self-determination theory, is aimed at understanding changes in students’ motivation, engagement, and behavior caused by cyber-psychological factors. How are the attention and habits of new generations different? How does this affect their involvement and motivation to learn in the classroom? How do students’ emotional experiences that potentially permeate classrooms reflect their increased immersion in the digital world? What are the most important lessons from cyberpsychology that educational professionals need to be aware of to maximize the benefits of their teaching to students? This article attempts to provide some answers and recommendations regarding these vital issues.