When More Input Becomes Less Intake: A Phenomenological Study of Digital Cognitive Overload in Second Language Acquisition Among Filipino Generation Z Freshmen
Keywords:
digital cognitive overload, second language acquisition, Generation Z, cognitive load theory, self-regulated learning, generative AI, phenomenology, PhilippinesAbstract
Context: Generation Z learners now acquire second languages within a dense ecology of search engines, video platforms, translation tools, and generative artificial intelligence (AI).
Purpose: This study explored how Filipino Generation Z freshmen experience digital cognitive overload during second language (L2) acquisition, the conditions that make it difficult, the strategies they use to manage it, and the insights they draw from it.
Method: A descriptive phenomenological design was employed. Fifteen purposely selected freshmen aged 18–20 from four higher education institutions in Cotabato Province, Philippines, participated in semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were analysed through thematic analysis, and the resulting themes were interpreted through Cognitive Load Theory, Robinson’s Triadic Componential Framework, and self-regulated learning theory.
Findings: Twelve themes emerged across four domains. Participants assembled multi-platform learning ecologies (YouTube, Google, Google Translate, online dictionaries, language-learning applications, AI chatbots, and social media) that supported vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and communication. However, multi-source input frequently produced confusion, conflicting explanations, reliability doubts, connectivity-related frustration, and interference in retention, a pattern this study terms the input–intake paradox. Learners managed overload through strategic pausing, single-source focus, environmental curation, note-taking, and spaced review, and came to value selective, quality-focused, and critically verified use of digital and AI resources.
Contribution: The study offers a phenomenological account of digital cognitive overload in L2 acquisition among Filipino Generation Z learners and maps learner experiences onto task complexity, task conditions, and learner factors. It provides empirically grounded directions for curating digital input, teaching source evaluation and AI literacy, and embedding self-regulation in language curricula.
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