Nabila Rosnanda Amelia Fatiha, Muhammad Amin, Lalu Thohir

Emotional Dynamics and Potential Burnout of Indonesian Digital Native EFL Teachers amid Uncertainty in Curriculum Change

Introduction

Emotional dynamics and potential burnout of indonesian digital native efl teachers amid uncertainty in curriculum change. Study emotional dynamics & burnout in Indonesian Digital Native EFL teachers amidst curriculum uncertainty. Reveals impact on performance & highlights need for institutional support.

Abstract

This study investigates the emotional dynamics and potential burnout of Indonesian Digital Native EFL teachers amid uncertainty in curriculum change. The research aimed to examine teachers’ emotional responses, the impact on professional performance, and the relationship between curriculum uncertainty and burnout. This study employed an embedded mixed methods design involving 48 Digital Native EFL teachers from West Nusa Tenggara. Data were collected through Likert-scale questionnaires and open-ended responses and analysed using descriptive statistics, thematic analysis, and Spearman correlation. The findings revealed that teachers experienced both positive and negative emotions, with hope and optimism emerging as dominant responses, while anxiety and frustration were reported at moderate levels. Curriculum uncertainty affected lesson planning, teaching clarity, and motivation. The correlation analysis indicated a strong positive relationship between curriculum uncertainty and teacher burnout. Qualitative findings further revealed coping strategies such as peer collaboration and professional development, alongside stress caused by unclear curriculum direction. The study concludes that curriculum uncertainty influences teachers’ emotional wellbeing and professional performance. Institutional support and clear guidance are essential to reduce burnout risk and maintain instructional effectiveness.

Review

This study tackles a highly pertinent issue concerning the emotional wellbeing and professional sustainability of Indonesian Digital Native EFL teachers navigating curriculum uncertainty. The chosen embedded mixed-methods design, combining quantitative measures from Likert-scale questionnaires with rich qualitative insights from open-ended responses, is a significant strength, allowing for a nuanced exploration of a complex phenomenon. Investigating the interplay between curriculum change, teacher emotions, and the critical issue of burnout provides valuable insights into the contemporary challenges faced by educators in evolving pedagogical landscapes. The focus on a specific demographic (digital natives) within a particular national context (Indonesia) further enhances the study's relevance and potential for targeted interventions. The findings provide a compelling picture of teachers' emotional landscape, revealing a co-existence of hope and optimism alongside moderate levels of anxiety and frustration. A key contribution is the clear demonstration of how curriculum uncertainty concretely impacts professional performance, specifically in areas such as lesson planning, teaching clarity, and motivation—aspects crucial for instructional effectiveness. Crucially, the study establishes a strong positive correlation between curriculum uncertainty and teacher burnout, underscoring the severe implications of poorly managed educational reforms. The qualitative data enrich these findings by identifying practical coping strategies like peer collaboration and professional development, while also highlighting the persistent stress from unclear curriculum direction. The actionable recommendations for institutional support and clear guidance are well-justified and critically important for mitigating burnout risks. While the abstract presents a robust and insightful study, the full paper would benefit from elaborating on certain aspects. Given the emphasis on "Digital Native" teachers, a deeper exploration of how this specific characteristic influences their emotional responses or coping mechanisms, perhaps in contrast to non-digital natives, could further strengthen the unique contribution. Additionally, while "uncertainty in curriculum change" is a central theme, providing more specific details on the nature of this uncertainty and its perceived sources could offer more granular insights for policymakers. Future research could explore the long-term emotional trajectories of these teachers through longitudinal studies or investigate the effectiveness of specific institutional support mechanisms suggested by the participants, thereby moving from identification of issues to evaluation of solutions. These elaborations would further solidify the study's theoretical grounding and practical impact.

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