SOCIAL WELLBEING AND DIGITAL EMPATHY AMONG PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS IN KOZHIKODE DISTRICT

Abstract

This study looks into the social well-being and digital empathy of pre-service teachers in Kozhikode district, examining variances based on gender and location and the relationship between these concepts. The study used a stratified random sample of 300 pre-service teachers and validated questionnaires to measure social wellbeing and digital empathy, with data analyzed using SPSS v.27. The findings show that female pre-service teachers have much greater levels of social well-being and digital empathy than males. Also, rural pre-service teachers scored higher on social well-being, although urban peers demonstrated stronger digital empathy. A high positive association (r = 0.61) was found between social well-being and digital empathy. These findings show that digital empathy is critical for promoting social well-being in digitally mediated educational environments. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating digital empathy training into teacher education programs alongside social skills development in order to prepare instructors for effective interpersonal involvement in both physical and virtual classrooms. Limitations include a regional sample focus, which suggests additional research in varied contexts. This study contributes to our understanding of the intersection of social and digital competences, which is critical for contemporary teacher development.