Defining Digital Wellbeing Literacy in Remote Work Integrated Learning

Abstract

The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of remote Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) programs for Higher Education (HE) students, fostered by advances in digital technologies. Emerging as a new post-covid normal, the ‘remote workplace’ and remote WIL brings further challenges with students expressing anxiety in dealing with this new form of working environment. Having the capacity to talk about wellbeing issues with others is an important wellbeing literacy (WL) skill. This paper addresses the need for a better understanding of wellbeing literacy (WL) skills in remote WIL workplaces. Interpreting WL in remote settings can further the definition of WL by extending it to a digital context.   In contributing to Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) research and the emerging field of WL, this paper explores how WIL students develop WL skills in a remote setting, which we define as Digital Wellbeing Literacy (DWL). In-depth interviews were held with WIL academics, WIL professionals, WIL students and wellbeing experts on digital and pedagogical factors that support WL in remote work. We found that students proactively use digital communication tools and social media to communicate wellbeing concerns, which in turn helps them practice DWL. We propose four strategies toward improving DWL in HE WIL offerings.