DIGITAL INTENSIFICATION AND TEACHER BURNOUT: EXPERIENCES OF HUNGARIAN SECONDARY EFL TEACHERS IN RAPIDLY CHANGING EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS
Veronika Csilla Derecskey*
School of Psychology, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, United Kingdom
∗ Correspondence: derecsroni@gmail.com
Abstract
Teacher burnout has become an increasingly significant concern within contemporary educational systems, particularly as schools navigate rapid technological and organisational transformation. Although digital technologies have created new opportunities for teaching, communication, and professional development, they have simultaneously introduced additional demands that may con-tribute to occupational stress and burnout. While considerable research has examined teacher burnout in general educational set-tings, relatively little attention has been devoted to understanding how digitalisation shapes burnout experiences among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers. This study explores the experiences of Hungarian secondary school EFL teachers working within digitally changing educational contexts and investigates how technological, organsational, and emotional demands contribute to burnout. Drawing on qualitative interview data collected from 31 Hungarian secondary school EFL teachers, the study employed thematic analysis to examine participants’ lived experiences. The findings reveal that burnout emerged through the interaction of traditional occupational stressors and technology-related demands, including increasing administrative workload, constant digital availability, technological adaptation pressures, and the erosion of work-life boundaries. Participants reported emotional exhaus-tion, diminished pedagogical creativity, declining professional fulfilment, and tensions between professional ideals and workplace realities. The study highlights the dual role of digitalisation as both a professional resource and a source of occupational strain. The findings contribute to current discussions surrounding teacher wellbeing, technostress, and educational change while offering prac-tical implications for teacher education, professional development, and educational leadership.
Keywords: teacher burnout, digitalisation, technostress, EFL teachers, teacher wellbeing, secondary education, Hungary