Digital experience among faculty and students in one midwest university

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2023

Department/School

Nursing

Publication Title

Education Journal

Abstract

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shifted the daily operations of society from in-person to a digital environment. While connectivity has innumerable benefits, research is revealing the negative effects of hyperconnectivity on mental health. Digital burnout appears to be the cost for this advancement. Students and faculty members are mostly impacted with digital burnout. The purposes of this project were to 1) to compare digital device usage before and during the pandemic between faculty and students, 2) examine digital competencies, digital burnout, and digital resilience between faculty and students from one Midwest university. A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was conducted. A convenience sample of faculty and students from the all programs at our university were surveyed. A Digital Experience Scale was adapted by the researchers to evaluate digital usage, level of confidence, and level of digital resilience in adapting to digital technology. The 24-item Digital Burnout Scale (DBS) was also used to assess digital burnout. The DBS measures three subscales – digital aging, digital deprivation, and emotional exhaustion. The total score ranges from 24 to 120, with higher scores indicating higher levels of digital burnout. The survey was administered via RedCap. IRB was submitted and was granted exempt status. Data from 194 respondents were included in analysis. Cohort was comprised mostly of students (80%), 76% females, 83% whites and 72% were undergraduate students. The overall mean age was 33.8 (SD=14.7). There was a significant difference in age between faculty and students. Cohort reported above average and very high ability in use of technology. The overall mean DBS score of all participants was 64.7 (SD=19.2). The mean “digital aging”, “digital deprivation”, and “emotional exhaustion” subscale scores of 33.8 (SD=10.7), 16.1 (SD=5.7), and 15.0 (SD=5.6), respectively. There were significant differences in the total scores and three subscales between faculty and students. Both faculty and students were able to adapt the use of technology during the pandemic. The study showed that faculty and students at a Midwestern University have above-average digital burnout levels; however, they were able to adapt to the use of technology.

Comments

M. Caboral-Stevens is a faculty member in EMU's School of Nursing.

^D. Gower and M. Kachaturoff are staff members in EMU's School of Nursing.

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