Digital Wellbeing: Are Learners and Instructors on the Same Page?

Abstract

One characteristic of the current age is that both learners and instructors are constantly interacting with digital technologies inside and outside educational institutes. This continuous interaction brought to the surface the issue of digital wellbeing (feeling happy, healthy, and safe) for both learners and instructors. Various existing studies have explored this topic from different angles (Passey, 2021; Abarca & Sánchez-Íñigo, 2017; Bleakley & Smith, 2016; Duggan et al., 2015). In this study, I will try to explore how learners and instructors perceive their individual media use and its effects on their wellbeing. More specifically, I will explore if social media makes learners and instructors’ lives at work and home better or worse, if specific uses of screen media are helpful or harmful to their overall well-being, and finally, if there is a disconnect between learners and instructors’ use of media. This study will be conducted in Saudi Aramco’s Industrial Training Centers (SAITCs) in Saudi Arabia. Adopting a case study approach, qualitative and quantitative data will be collected from 500 trainees and 50 instructors at SAITCs. The data will be collected through semi-structured online questionnaires, interviews, and onsite observations. The findings of this study will be linked to existing literature on digital wellbeing. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will contribute to the community of educational researchers, educators, and administrators.