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Exploring the Ripple Effect of ‘Always On’ Digital Work Culture in Secondary Education Settings

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Handbook for Online Learning Contexts: Digital, Mobile and Open

Abstract

The impact of technology within second-level education has been widely examined in regards to the effects it has on teaching and learning outcomes (Montrieux et al., PloS One, 10(12):e0144008, 2015; Marcus-Quinn et al. 2020). The extent to which this impact can be described as largely positive or negative is complex and nuanced. However, a relatively under-explored area regarding the proliferation of technology within the sector has been the extent to which it has impacted temporal aspects of school and home life. The aim of this chapter is to explore the extent to which technology has facilitated an erosion of boundaries between work and home not just for teachers, but the ripple effect of this practice on students and parents. In doing so, we draw both on work extension and technostress literature. We conclude by examining whether a ‘right to disconnect’ is arguably now a legitimate requirement for multiple stakeholders in the secondary education system. The chapter contributes to occupational literature on the impact of technology on educational roles, and to contemporary debates on the changing nature of education. The chapter also considers the impact of the first Covid 19 lockdown on secondary education in Ireland and its consequent impact on work–life balance for educational stakeholders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland

    Caroline Murphy, Ann Marcus-Quinn & Tríona Hourigan

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  1. Caroline Murphy
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  2. Ann Marcus-Quinn
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  3. Tríona Hourigan
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Correspondence to Caroline Murphy .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Culture and Communication, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland

    Ann Marcus-Quinn

  2. Department of Education and Skills, Department of Education, Ireland, Dublin, Ireland

    Tríona Hourigan

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Murphy, C., Marcus-Quinn, A., Hourigan, T. (2021). Exploring the Ripple Effect of ‘Always On’ Digital Work Culture in Secondary Education Settings. In: Marcus-Quinn, A., Hourigan, T. (eds) Handbook for Online Learning Contexts: Digital, Mobile and Open. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67349-9_23

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67349-9_23

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