Risks of implementing digital technologies in education and their impact on well-being

3. Disadvantages and Risks of Implementing Digital Technologies and the Connection to Well-being

In addition to all the advantages, it is important to be aware of the potential disadvantages and risks of applying digital technologies.

QUESTION

What disadvantages and risks of using digital technologies do you recognise?

Below, we describe some of the recognised disadvantages and risks of applying digital technologies.

One of the more important risks is the digital divide, i.e., unequal access to technology and the development of digital skills among students, teachers, and staff of higher education institutions. If equal conditions in the application of digital technologies are not ensured, this can deepen social inequalities. Individuals with limited resources may feel marginalised and deprived of educational opportunities, negatively affecting their self-confidence and sense of belonging to the academic community.

Improper integration of digital technologies can encourage excessive use, leading to addiction. This can result in the neglect of important aspects of life such as sleep, physical activity, live social interactions, and off-screen learning, thereby impairing physical and mental health.

Online platforms can become venues for cyberbullying, harassment, and other forms of negative online behavior. Students, teachers, and other staff of higher education institutions can become victims and experience significant stress, anxiety, depression, and a sense of insecurity within the academic community.

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Distractions in the digital environment can make concentration and deep understanding of the material more difficult. Consequently, superficial learning and a reduced ability for critical thinking can lead to frustration and a sense of incompetence among students. Also, ready-made solutions do not develop the required skills in students, such as problem-solving, decision-making, critical thinking, communication, presentation, teamwork, etc.

In this context, it is crucial to emphasise the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on learning and teaching. AI models are subject to the phenomenon of "hallucinations", which means that they can generate convincing but completely incorrect information not based on real data. Due to the rise of misinformation and AI "hallucinations", the necessity of developing critical thinking skills becomes an absolute priority in learning and teaching. Users of generative artificial intelligence – teachers and students –  should be educated as to how to critically evaluate content generated by artificial intelligence. They must be able to analyse, evaluate, and verify information regardless of the source. Equally important is strengthening problem-solving skills so that students can effectively deal with new ethical, social, and technical challenges brought by the increasingly complex digital age dominated by artificial intelligence. You can find more about hallucinations in the application of artificial intelligence in the article "AI hallucination: towards a comprehensive classification of distorted information in artificial intelligence-generated content".

The digital environment can also encourage the creation of "echo chambers", where algorithms isolate users within closed circles of like-minded people, thereby preventing exposure to different opinions and potentially polarising society. There are several definitions of "echo chambers", and one of the best-known definitions points out that it is an environment in which individuals encounter only opinions and beliefs similar to their own and therefore do not consider alternatives. You can read more about this in this article on echo chambers.

Furthermore, there are various risks associated with media posts, such as clickbait headlines. Sensationalist posts manipulate user attention and, for the sake of getting clicks, undermine the credibility of media content. Clickbait is a sensationalist headline phrased to entice the reader to click on a link, often promising shocking or exclusive content that is not delivered. Its main purpose is to increase the number of visitors to a website to increase advertising revenue. Examples include headlines like: "You won't believe what happened next!" Addressing these types of risks is crucial for protecting well-being and fostering critical literacy.

The use of various online tools and platforms carries the risk of privacy breaches and the insecurity of personal data. A sense of insecurity regarding one's own data can cause anxiety and distrust in the online environment for all users.

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Although it offers flexibility, excessive reliance on online interactions can reduce opportunities for real social contacts. Long-term isolation negatively affects the mental health of students and teachers and undermines the sense of belonging to the academic community. Excessive use of digital technology reduces face-to-face social interaction, which is key to developing relationships, networking, and collaboration.

Digital transformation has an exceptional impact on the well-being of stakeholders in higher education. While it can facilitate work and learning, it can simultaneously lead to increased stress, blurring of boundaries between private and professional life, and a sense of isolation. Therefore, it is important to promote a balance between digital and real-world interactions and encourage care for one's own health, safety, and relationships in the digital environment.

To mitigate these risks, it is crucial for higher education institutions to promote a balance between digital and physical interactions. This includes education on healthy technology use, individual counselling for dealing with stress and addiction, and strategies for ensuring well-being and preserving mental and physical health.

Figure 5. Created with the help of the AI Gemini tool