Investigating the role of technostress, cognitive appraisal and coping strategies on students' learning performance in higher education: a multidimensional transactional theory of stress approach

Abstract

PurposeCOVID-19 has galvanized educational institutions to rapidly adopt technology-enhanced learning (TEL) environment where students are required to use and manage a diverse set of information and communication technologies (ICTs). Using the Transactional Theory of Stress, the authors investigate the impact of a TEL environment on students' stress, cognitive appraisal and coping. The authors also explore how the TEL environment impacts students' learning satisfaction and performance.Design/methodology/approachA survey using Qualtrics was developed to collect the data from 275 undergraduate students. The authors used the Partial Least Squares (PLS) through SmartPLS for instrument validation and testing of the structural model. The reflective-formative model was applied as the measures used to evaluate the first-order constructs are unidimensional, and the second-order construct has a formative measurement.FindingsStudents experienced technology-related stress due to ICT use. The negative appraisal such as harm and threat leads to emotion-focused coping among students, while the constructive appraisal such as positive and challenge leads to problem-focused coping. Emotion-focused coping was found to negatively impact learning satisfaction, while problem-focused coping was found to positively impact satisfaction. The authors also found that students with a higher level of experience with online and hybrid classes, higher confidence in computer usage and lower anxiety are better equipped to deal with technostress.Research limitations/implicationsThis study provides the first comprehensive technostress model in the IS literature that uses formative modeling to explain technostress creators and inhibitors and emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping, as was intended by the Transactional Theory of Stress. The result allows for rethinking TEL environment by drawing attention to strategies that can reduce technological complexity and uncertainty. For future research, it may be helpful to perform a longitudinal or experimental study to obtain rigorous causal inference. Originality/valueThere is limited research on the impact of technostress in the field of higher education. Also, technostress has been used inconsistently in Information Systems research, with the majority of research focusing on technostress creators and inhibitors only. This research incorporates all the constructs of the original theory adding new knowledge to the IS literature about the nature and causes of stress created by the use of technology.

Technostress causes cognitive overload in high-stress people: Eye tracking analysis in a virtual kiosk test

“…In particular, hybrid technostress—induced by both inclusion and overload issues—could be exacerbated in the current COVID-19 situation ( Nimrod, 2022 ). Failure to respond well to technostress can negatively impact the user experience ( Sharma & Gupta, 2022 ) and productivity ( Rachmawati et al., 2021 ). Various errors and failures related to the use of kiosks by the elderly have already been reported ( Ryou, Kim, Hong, & Heo, 2019 ).…”

PJPR Vol. 37 No. 3 (2022)

“…A weak but positive correlation was obtained between the variables, which makes it necessary to reject the third research hypothesis. The existence of a positive relationship between technostress inhibitors and technostress creators may indicate that organizations, aware of the burden that functioning in technostress conditions may be for employees, activate various protection strategies (Ayyagari et al, 2011;Sharma, & Gupta, 2022). Therefore, technostress inhibitors and technostress creators coexist.…”

“…Technostress inhibitors such as literacy facilitation, technical support and involvement facilitation proposed in the model by Tarafdar et al (2007) also require some effort on the part of employees to be able to start to have impact in a work situation. Further education, training, involving employees at various stages of ICT implementation or, finally, the support of the technical department do not eliminate the source of stress itself, but require acquisition of new competences to cope with work situations that are difficult for a person working with ICT Some studies (Maier et al, 2022;Sharma, & Gupta, 2022) show that a more adequate form of reducing negative influences could be developing certain personality traits of employees as resources for coping well with technostress, for example, conscientiousness, low neuroticism. Perhaps, in order to reduce technostress creators, other forms of support and resources would be necessary going beyond improving the competence of handling new technologies at work, e.g.…”

“…Popularization of the internet and wireless connections resulted in a rapid development of mobile devices for both individual and business use (Bondanini et al, 2020). Technological progress led to the introduction of ICT in various areas of our lives, for example, social relationships, health, science, work (Bondanini et al, 2020;Maier et al, 2022;Ragu-Nathan et al, 2008;Sharma & Gupta, 2022). The ongoing digital revolution has introduced new technical and economic paradigms to the functioning of organizations and individuals (Hoehe & Thibaut, 2020).…”

“…The IT solutions used for this purpose face both the technological limitations and the cognitive abilities of users (Bondanini et al, 2020;Jena 2015). The burden resulting from the use of the latest technologies in everyday and professional life has coined the term technostress (Sharma & Gupta, 2022). This type of occupational stress is a problem for both employees and organizations because stressful working conditions are related to employee wellbeing, physical health, and work performance, as well as the level of satisfaction or engagement (Aktan & Toraman, 2022).…”