An UX approach in education: cultivating student digital well-being.
A study on student needs and current educational practices to integrate digital well-being into higher education.
Skills
UX Research
Sector
Health
Date
April 2023
As an UX Design student, our objective for the "User Research" course was to explore how higher education institutions can play a role in raising students' awareness of digital well-being.
Through a comprehensive research and analysis approach, we examined students' specific needs, current educational practices, and opportunities to integrate digital well-being into academic programs.
Pre-study
We first conducted a pre-study using various sources. This allowed us to measure the importance of considering digital well-being for both individuals and organizations. Digital tools now occupy a central place in our daily lives, whether for work, communication, information, or entertainment. However, excessive or poorly adapted use of these tools can have negative consequences on our physical and mental health.
This is why numerous initiatives have been launched to better manage our use of digital tools and preserve our well-being. The sources consulted offer various solutions, such as tips for a more balanced use of digital tools, applications to track and limit time spent on social media or games, training to learn how to manage digital stress, and tools to monitor physical activity and sleep quality.
The issue of digital well-being is therefore paramount for individuals and organizations, as are the potential solutions for better managing our use of digital tools and preserving our physical and mental health.
"Digital well-being is a subjective individual experience of optimal balance between the advantages and disadvantages related to mobile connectivity. This experiential state consists of cognitive and affective evaluations about how connectivity integrates into ordinary life. People achieve digital well-being when they experience a maximum of controlled pleasure and functional support through technological tools, while limiting loss of control and performance deterioration (functional disorders)." - Vanden Abeele 2021
"Digital well-being is about being happy and comfortable with the way you use technology." - Rose La Prairie, Product Manager & Digital Wellbeing at Google
Defining the problem
The initial objective of this project was to explore the role of digital well-being in higher education, specifically within digital courses. This exploration began by formulating several key questions:
- Should we be educating people on digital well-being?
- Is digital well-being transmissible?
- Does higher education have a role or responsibility to play in digital well-being education?
These preliminary questions helped to identify the different aspects of the problem and converge on a central question more specific to digital curricula:
Why is digital well-being not taught in digital courses?
This final problem statement guided the user research and allowed us to explore the reasons why this topic, despite its importance, is absent from study programs. It suggests a gap between students' needs for digital well-being and the current educational offerings. The exploration of this issue then guided the rest of the study and led to the formulation of the research hypothesis.
Research hypothesis
Our research hypothesis was that digital well-being is not taught in these curricula because students do not have the opportunity to express their needs or make a request for it. The objective was to explore this hypothesis and propose potential solutions for a better integration of digital well-being into study programs.
From hypothesis to target profiles
Starting from the main hypothesis, it was crucial to focus on the population directly concerned: students in digital courses. This group, by its very nature, has increased exposure and dependence on digital technologies, making the study of their practices and perceptions of digital well-being particularly relevant for validating or invalidating the initial hypothesis.
Exploring their usage, potential difficulties, and knowledge of the concept of digital well-being helps us better understand if the lack of expression of needs is indeed a key factor in the absence of this topic in study programs. In other words, studying students in digital curricula is the preferred entry point to investigate the formulated hypothesis.
Methodology: a mixed approach for a comprehensive understanding
To explore the issue of digital well-being among students in digital programs and to test the research hypothesis, we adopted a mixed methodology that combined both quantitative and qualitative methods. This combination allowed us to gather both broad and in-depth data, offering a more complete understanding of the subject.
Quantitative approach: the questionnaire
An online questionnaire was developed and distributed to a large sample of students in digital programs (over 300). This concise and anonymous questionnaire aimed to collect quantitative data on:
- Digital consumption habits: Types of devices used, time spent online, frequency of social media use, etc.
- Knowledge and practice of digital detox: Familiarity with the concept, implementation of disconnection measures, etc.
- Perception of digital well-being: Identification of encountered issues, a sense of control over their digital use, etc.
The questionnaire primarily consisted of closed-ended questions with single or multiple-choice answers, which facilitated the statistical analysis of the data. A final open-ended question was also included to allow participants to express their opinions and suggestions more freely. The objective of this quantitative phase was to gain a general overview of digital well-being practices and perceptions within the targeted student population.
Qualitative approach: the interviews
To complement the questionnaire, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of 10 students. These interviews, lasting about 20 minutes, allowed for a deeper look into the quantitative data and an exploration of more subjective aspects of digital well-being. An interview protocol was developed to ensure the consistency of the data collected. The interviews covered the following topics:
- Personal experience with digital well-being: Perceptions, feelings, and difficulties encountered.
- Time and attention management strategies: Methods used to control digital usage, perceived effectiveness, etc.
- Perception of digital well-being: The institution's role in promoting digital well-being, suggestions for actions, etc.
The qualitative approach enabled the collection of rich and nuanced data, offering a more detailed understanding of the challenges of digital well-being for students in digital programs.
Analysis and synthesis: data convergence and hypothesis confirmation
The analysis of data, drawn from both the quantitative questionnaire and qualitative interviews, revealed significant trends and allowed us to compare our initial hypothesis with the reality on the ground.
Quantitative data processing
The 43 responses obtained from the questionnaire (out of 300 students contacted, a response rate of 14.3%), despite a smaller sample than expected, provided usable and consistent data. The use of analysis tools such as deductive coding and the rainbow spreadsheet facilitated data processing and visualization. The statistical analysis revealed the following points:
- Significant screen time: The majority of students spend more than 4 hours a day on their digital devices, with some spending up to more than 7 hours.
- Difficulty disconnecting: Although most respondents disable notifications to manage their attention, few of them know about or regularly practice digital detox.
- Lack of knowledge about digital well-being: A significant portion of students have not heard of the concept of digital well-being or are unable to define it precisely.
- Lack of tools and resources: Students seem to lack the tools and resources to effectively manage their digital usage and preserve their well-being.
Qualitative data analysis
- A negative feeling related to digital dependency: Forgetting their phone generates a feeling of anxiety and frustration for most of the interviewees.
- An awareness of the issues, but a difficulty in taking action: Students recognize the importance of digital well-being, but struggle to implement effective strategies to manage their digital usage.
- A need for support and training: Students express a real need to be educated and supported by the school on digital well-being issues.
Results: key indicators and findings
The data analysis led to concrete and quantifiable results, organized around key variables to facilitate an understanding of the challenges of digital well-being among students in digital programs.
Nominal variables
Time management
Consultation of the Digital Well-Being (DWB) feature on devices: Only 4 out of 10 students have used the DWB feature on their devices. This correlates with the fact that 73% of questionnaire respondents were unaware of this feature, highlighting a lack of information and awareness.
Feeling of wasted time: All interviewed students (100%) reported having felt a sense of wasted time due to their use of digital tools.
Personal measures
Disabling notifications: 80% of interviewed students disable notifications to better manage their attention, unlike the majority of questionnaire respondents who leave them enabled. This discrepancy can be explained by a greater awareness among students who agreed to the interview, who may be more sensitive to the issue.
Putting the phone away: Students frequently put their phones aside, but often under duress (classes, meetings, etc.) rather than by deliberate choice.
Ordered variables
Quantitative data
Average age: The average age of participants is 24.3 years.
Average time spent online: The average time spent online per day is 4 hours, with a significant variation between individuals (from 1h to 7h30). This data is consistent with the questionnaire responses.
Number of digital devices: Students own an average of 4 digital devices (minimum 3, maximum 6), which matches the questionnaire data.
Usage and definition ranking
Reasons for using digital tools (in order of importance): 1. Communication, 2. Social media, 3. Games.
Spontaneous definitions of digital well-being (in order of importance): 1. Disconnection, 2. Balance, 3. Respect.
Synthesis of results
These results highlight a tension between the heavy use of digital tools by students in digital programs and their lack of knowledge and control regarding digital well-being. The feeling of wasted time, the difficulty in disconnecting, and the lack of awareness of available tools and resources underscore the importance of educational intervention on this subject. These findings reinforce the need to integrate digital well-being into academic programs to equip students with the necessary skills to effectively manage their digital use and preserve their balance.
Project completed with: Léa DELGAL & Isabelle EUGÈNE
