Generative artificial intelligence, workload and professional well-being in university teachers in Ecuador
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47606/ACVEN/PH0576Keywords:
generative artificial intelligence, workload,, professional well-beingAbstract
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is transforming higher education; while it raises expectations of reduced workloads, it also introduces new cognitive and ethical demands. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between the use of GenAI tools and the workload and professional well-being of university faculty in Quito, Ecuador. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design with a training intervention (QUANT1-QUAL-QUANT2), the researchers administered questionnaires (NASA-TLX, UWES-9, MBI) and conducted focus groups with 280 faculty members from three types of universities. The results indicate that GenAI usage predicts higher workloads, emotional exhaustion, and lower vigor. Training significantly reduced mental demand (d=0.56) and exhaustion (d=0.45). Qualitative analysis revealed three key mechanisms: cognitive intensification, ethical-identity tension, and the institutional gap. The study concludes that GenAI does not automatically reduce workload; critical and supported integration is essential to preserve faculty well-being.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sandra Elizabeth Cevallos Suárez , Mayra Verónica Lara Llumiquinga , Adriana Cecilia Racines Orbe , Renato Matías Torres Montaño

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