Fighting Zoom fatigue: Evidence-based approaches in university online education

As the world has rapidly transitioned to virtual platforms for education due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a new phenomenon known as "Zoom fatigue" has emerged. This term refers to the exhaustion associated with the extensive use of virtual communication platforms. In this context, the present study investigates the effects of different virtual class settings on cognitive load and fatigue. Four interventions were examined: self-view on vs. self-view off, focus-view function vs. grid-view function, activating a virtual background vs. natural background, and active participation vs. no active participation. The results suggest that turning off self-view can significantly reduce both cognitive load and fatigue. However, the effects of focus-view function vs. grid-view function did not reach significance for either cognitive load or fatigue. Similarly, using a virtual background vs. a natural background did not significantly affect fatigue, but it did influence cognitive load, with higher values for virtual backgrounds. Lastly, active participation in classes was associated with decreased fatigue and lower extraneous cognitive load compared to no active participation. The findings highlight the importance of considering both technological aspects (e.g., self-view, background settings) and pedagogical approaches (e.g., active participation) in online teaching to promote a more engaging and less fatiguing learning environment.