Digital burnout in education emerged as a contemporary issue that has become a significant concern for language teachers and students. Digital burnout is not only limited to the context of a global health crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, but may also manifest in any personal breakdowns. The AHP analysis identified the top three factors that contribute to digital burnout in second language acquisition (SLA), such as constant access to the internet, pandemic-related psychological breakdown, and information overload. The study also revealed socially adverse emotional contagion as the fourth most influential factor; that is, when students see their peers and social circles as unmotivated and not engaging in meaningful activities, their own motivation tends to decline. As the second social dynamic, the lack of real face-to-face interaction, also constitutes the seventh factor overall contributing to digital burnout. Hence, a balanced presentation of online and in-person learning in all scenarios, if possible, is the best approach that aligns with human nature and thoroughly serves SLA.
TopIntroduction
The Covid-19 pandemic, a global crisis of unprecedented proportions, has left a lasting impact on us, manifesting prolonged exhaustion in our private, professional, and academic pursuits, accompanied by psychological strain. Even with the pandemic officially resolved, its consequences persist and are anticipated to endure (Hansmann et al., 2021). Within the realm of education, the pandemic compelled billions of students to switch to online education, spending hours in the same room where they lived, slept, rested, and now, studied. As this process continued for an extended period, with students continuously gazing just at screens for a year and a half, the accumulated weariness not only led to disengagement from learning but, in some cases, also a growing aversion to technological learning tools. This persistent strain has continued to cast a shadow over our lives, profoundly impacting our overall well-being and causing a noticeable decline in interest and motivation for e-learning. In certain instances, it even gave rise to what we now refer to as “digital burnout”.
Digital burnout, often referred to as the mental and emotional exhaustion experienced by individuals who extensively engage with digital platforms (Smith & Johnson, 2022), is deeply rooted in the enduring influence of human experiences on both the emotional and cognitive domains (Janeczek, 2022). Undoubtedly, such psychological and mental strain remains unchanged for learners within the sphere of second language acquisition (SLA) as these negative experiences and changed attitudes still have the potential to significantly impede progress and success. Learners have grappled with technology fatigue, a consequence of prolonged isolation from the physical world and extensive screen time during the pandemic.
Despite the increasing interest in digital learning among language learners in recent times owing to the growing integration of technology in language learning practices (Niu et al., 2022), we still have a shortage of comprehensive data on digital burnout among learners and its adverse impact, specifically in the context of SLA. With the lack of solid data, digital burnout is and will be most likely to remain a common concern and worth investigating, given society’s growing reliance on technology for language learning and the increasing awareness of the problem from all walks of life.
Digital burnout among language learners and teachers may be attributed to a multitude of factors that interplay and lead to the overall state of burnout and strain not only in online education, notably during the Covid-19 pandemic but also in regular schooling afterward. In alignment with one of the aims of this research, the factors revealed may be categorized into four primary groups:
- 1.
Personal factors
- 2.
Social factors
- 3.
Technical factors
- 4.
Pedagogical factors
Personal factors are of great importance and encompass cognitive factors such as digital incompetence, constant connectivity, forced multitasking, information overload, poor time management, and poor study skills. If individuals lack proficiency in utilizing online language learning devices, struggle with time management, or become overwhelmed by social media notifications and other attention-grabbing information, they may encounter difficulties in attaining their linguistic goals and be pushed to feelings of burnout and decreased productivity. Digital burnout can also be attributed to emotional factors, including, but not limited to, the lack of balance between personal life and academic responsibilities, neglect of self-care, personal problems with family and loved ones, and pandemic-related breakdown.