The Effect of Digital Citizenship on Negative Online Behaviors and Learning Outcomes in Higher Education

With the increase in Internet use, there has been an upsurge in negative online behaviors (such as cyberbullying and online harassment) among college students. As a result of the negative online behaviors, many students may experience anxiety, depression, feelings of loneliness, and alienation, which ultimately can impact their well-being and interfere with their ability to learn. It is envisaged that extending digital citizenship behavior to educational settings will arrest, or at the very least help mitigate, the impact of these negative behaviors on student learning outcomes. Using data collected from 184 university students, results show that perceived learning outcomes indirectly impact the relationship between digital citizenship and cyberbullying behaviors