“It Ain’t What You Use, It’s the Way That You Use It”: How Virtual Learning Environments May Impact Student Mental Wellbeing

Abstract

Concerns about university students’ mental wellbeing have been rising and various studies have attempted to unpick the factors that could impact their wellbeing. This focus group study explored the impact that virtual learning environments (VLEs) may have on undergraduate students’ mental wellbeing. Forty-four undergraduate students from on-campus courses at three UK universities participated in 12 focus groups in 2020. Using reflexive thematic analysis with an inductive approach, three themes were generated: (1) lecturer VLE-use supports or undermines students’ mental wellbeing; (2) access to the VLE affects students’ productivity, academic performance, and mental wellbeing; and (3) students’ mindset towards the VLE impacts their studies and mental wellbeing. The dominant pattern across the data set was that the way lecturers used the VLE impacted students’ motivation, ability to think clearly about their studies, and could provoke strong emotions. We discuss how the mechanisms described in self-determination theory and the technology acceptance model might explain how the VLE could impact student mental wellbeing.