Digital Exhaustion: Exploring Technofatigue and Technostress in Future English Teachers

Abstract

This study analyzes the impact of digital technology on the mental and physical health of future university English teachers, focusing on technofatigue and technostress. It highlights the ubiquity of technology and how its excessive use can negatively affect health. The main objective is to examine the relationship between the use of digital technologies and their effects on mental and physical well-being within the university educational context. Based on Cognitive Load Theory, the study explains exhaustion resulting from information overload, defining technostress as the difficulty of adapting to technological demands, and addressing fatigue caused by prolonged screen use and decreased attention. The qualitative methodology included four focus groups with fifteen English Language Teaching students, whose transcriptions were analyzed using Atlas.ti. The results revealed mental and physical exhaustion, as well as reduced concentration due to continuous exposure and excessive academic activities. The conclusions emphasize the importance of regulating exposure time, promoting breaks, and encouraging digital disconnection, combining these strategies with flexible pedagogical approaches that balance the digital and the human dimensions to foster healthier learning experiences