Student wellbeing and technostress: critical learning design factors

Authors

  • David Biggins Bournemouth University
  • Debbie Holley Bournemouth University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47408/jldhe.vi25.985

Abstract

In higher education, student wellbeing is now the responsibility of all of us. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the pivot by universities to online learning positioned technology as a panacea, and saw students being signposted to digital resources for digital skills and wellbeing support. Our use of the concept, technostress, is derived from the Student Minds report (2021) entitled ’Life in a pandemic’. It refers to the stress experienced by students when using technology within higher education, given the sector's expectations of their technical abilities. Our paper reported on the results of a digital health and wellbeing survey (n=103) with surprising responses from 80 students to the survey question about technostress.

The findings indicate students feel let down by teaching staff who struggle with the mediating tools of their online trade – technology – and show little empathy for those they teach. McDougall and Potter (2018) argue that human-centred approaches, prioritising staff and students’ immediate and lifelong wellbeing rather than the mere use of digital tools, are key to success in developing policies for student wellbeing.

The findings indicate that the formulaic approaches offered by academic staff to students in response to their digital health and wellbeing challenges will chime with learning developers championing student support as emancipatory practice. Attendees were invited to reflect on their own experience of technostress and share their considerations as to how to widen understanding of this phenomenon. The presentation concluded by recommending an integrated model for framing student wellbeing underpinned with exceptional learning design and considered the optimum on a continuum for the use of technological tools.

Author Biographies

David Biggins, Bournemouth University

David Biggins is a lecturer in the Business School of Bournemouth University. A Senior Fellow of AdvanceHE, David focuses on improving learning approaches and outcomes for students through the collection, analysis, and communication of quantitative data.

Debbie Holley, Bournemouth University

Debbie Holley is Professor of Learning Innovation at Bournemouth University. A National Teaching Fellow and a Principal Fellow of AdvanceHE, she is a passionate educator with expertise in learning design and blending learning to motivate and engage a diverse student body. Her research interests in digital, augmented, and immersive worlds influence national policy through her published work, keynote addresses, and policy articles.

References

Biggins, D, Holley, D and Supa, M. (2022) From tools to wellbeing: a proposed digital learning maturity model (DLMM). Available at: https://library.iated.org/view/BIGGINS2022FRO (Accessed: 20 October 2022).

JISC Student Survey (2021) Student digital experience insights survey 2020/21: UK higher education findings. Available at: https://www.jisc.ac.uk/reports/student-digital-experience-insights-survey-2020-21-uk-higher-education-findings (Accessed: 20 October 2022).

McDougall, J. and Potter, J. (2018) ‘Digital media learning in the third space’, Media Practice and Education, 20(1), pp.1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/25741136.2018.1511362.

NSS (2022) National Student Survey: NSS. Available at: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/student-information-and-data/national-student-survey-nss/nss-data-provider-level/ (Accessed: 20 October 2022).

Student Minds (2021) University Mental Health: Life in a Pandemic. Available at: https://www.studentminds.org.uk/lifeinapandemic.html (Accessed: 20 October 2022).

Downloads

Published

28-10-2022

How to Cite

Biggins, D. and Holley, D. (2022) “Student wellbeing and technostress: critical learning design factors”, Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, (25). doi: 10.47408/jldhe.vi25.985.