Enhancing Faculty Members' Mental Health Through Smart Applications In Activating Sustainable Learning Pathways

Abstract

Background: Faculty well-being is crucial for teaching quality, research productivity, and retaining excellent scholars. However, mental health issues increasingly plague academics due to unsustainable demands.

Objective: To explore leveraging smart applications to promote sustainability and enhance faculty mental health.

Methods: 150 faculty members at King Khalid University completed an online survey assessing technology usage, acceptance, burnout, work-family conflict, and sustainable learning indicators.

Results: Increased smart application use positively predicted enhanced sustainability across teaching, research and service responsibilities (beta coefficient = 0.54, p < 0.001). Usage of intelligent assistants, analytics tools, collaboration platforms and other technologies also associated with reduced burnout symptoms (MBI scores: emotional exhaustion mean = 3.8; depersonalization mean = 2.5) and family conflicts (work-family conflict scale scores: time-based mean = 3.6). Higher technology acceptance independently forecast positive mental health (TAM scores: perceived ease of use mean = 4.2; perceived usefulness mean = 4.6).

Conclusions: Findings indicate smart applications hold promise for empowering sustainably balanced careers when thoughtfully incorporated into workflows. Strategic, personalized and collaborative implementation approaches were proposed to maximize benefits for diverse users. Continued evaluation is needed to strengthen insights on technology's dynamic role over time.

Keywords: faculty mental health, smart applications, sustainable learning pathways, technology acceptance, work-life balance.