Techno Trend Awareness and Its Attitude Towards Social Connectedness and Mitigating Factors of COVID-19

Abstract

While COVID-19 has taken a toll on many professions and livelihood of all walks of lives, technology has amplified its intrusion to ease the necessities. Innovative technology, therefore, has improved the glitches and provided the software to adhere to these new normal. However, individuals' awareness and attitude toward the advancements of these technological trends need to be addressed. Although the government has taken measures to prevent and curb the growing cases for COVID-19 with the help of technology, the support from the individuals would depend mostly on their level of awareness and the attitude toward those measures. The present qualitative study explored the techno trend awareness, perception and attitudes of techno experts and technical professionals toward social connectedness and mitigating factors of COVID-19. Besides, it also explained individuals' shift toward virtual interaction to maintain social connections during the pandemic. The thematic analysis generated four prominent themes. Social Connectedness, emphasized on the emotional connections that created a positive feeling of belongingness. Technological Advancement provided three sub-themes highlighting perception, techno trend awareness and desirable attitudes toward the mitigation of COVID-19. The categories under Treatment and Preventive Measures indicated the enhanced self-care of individuals and also the tendencies to minimize the spread of diseases. The emergence of the theme Inclination toward Indigenous Knowledge, which is an important finding, indicated the techno-experts inclination toward the indigenous knowledge amid vague scientific shreds of evidence.

Mental health at the COVID‐19 frontline: An assessment of distress, fear, and coping among staff and attendees at screening clinics of rural/regional settings of Victoria, Australia

“…33 In a recent paper, Pandey et al noted that digital interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic assisted in mitigating boredom, loneliness, and irritability caused by lockdowns or quarantining at home. 34 As this study focused on a rural and regional area, self-reliance for social connection and physical geographical distance was the nature of those environments and possibly those attributes might assist in higher coping and resilience during a pandemic.…”

“…While this survey did not ask about social media use, some research suggests that engaging with social media may have adverse effects on well‐being, and other research reports social media producing positive outcomes 33 . In a recent paper, Pandey et al noted that digital interactions during the COVID‐19 pandemic assisted in mitigating boredom, loneliness, and irritability caused by lockdowns or quarantining at home 34 . As this study focused on a rural and regional area, self‐reliance for social connection and physical geographical distance was the nature of those environments and possibly those attributes might assist in higher coping and resilience during a pandemic.…”

Why All the Hype about ChatGPT? Academics’ Views of a Chat-based Conversational Learning Strategy at an Open Distance e-Learning Institution

“…TECHNO-TRENDS AWARENESS THEORY Pandey et al (2021) define technology trend awareness (TTA-theory) as "the skill of an individual to be aware and mindful of new and popular technology that has been gaining widespread acceptance across concerned industries or markets" (p. 2). This view implies that a person has acquired digital literacy knowledge and skills, an awareness of how digital platforms or devices work or artificial intelligence tools operate as a critical 21st-century skill, and a sense of experience in effectively using the basics of technologies.…”

“…This view implies that a person has acquired digital literacy knowledge and skills, an awareness of how digital platforms or devices work or artificial intelligence tools operate as a critical 21st-century skill, and a sense of experience in effectively using the basics of technologies. Several scholars have underscored the awareness of new technologies to foster positive attitudes among users toward the rapid adoption of technology (Dinev & Hu, 2007;Pandey et al, 2021). In addition, Carpenter et al (2022) reveal that teacher educators must be aware of innovative technologies to implement innovative pedagogies in their classrooms.…”

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“…It encompasses the ability to recognize and comprehend the practical applications and advantages of these technologies for achieving business success. Being aware of technology trends is crucial for individuals to adapt, make informed decisions, and leverage these advancements to stay competitive in their respective fields (Pandey et al, 2021). The concept of "digital awareness" encompasses individuals' experiential understanding, comfort level, and proficiency in utilizing basic and advanced technologies.…”