Proposal Title

Creating a learning environment that is firm but fair: maintaining academic rigor while prioritizing mental health

Session Type

Workshop

Room

FNB 2240

Start Date

5-7-2019 10:30 AM

Keywords

academic rigor, wellness, support, depression, stress, anxiety, compassion, mental health awareness

Abstract

Mental health is a priority for many post-secondary institutions because of the rise in students seeking support services for mental health problems, including anxiety, stress, and depression. The underlying basis of the emerging mental health crisis among scholarly young adults is often based on conjecture and attributed to the pressure to succeed, transition in expectations, or information overload. Although underlying issues are complex and diverse, we believe that instructors can design and operate courses while prioritizing mental health. A common barrier for educators is the ability to convey compassion to students while maintaining high expectations for academic rigor. In this pilot project, we sought to identify practical ways curriculum designers and instructors can proactively promote healthy mental habits for their learners. It is our opinion that when learners are physically and mentally well, they are more likely to engage meaningfully and achieve deeper learning. Some examples we will address are flexible assessments, multiple attempts at new tasks, scaffolding, and peer review. We will also discuss how we create supportive learning environments where students and instructors build professional relationships based on trust and respect.

Elements of Engagement

Participants in this workshop will be surveyed throughout the session to engage in discussions surrounding the topic of balancing academic rigor and mental health awareness. Participants will also be working in groups to navigate hypothetical case studies addressing strategic course design and building supportive student–instructor relationships.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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Jul 5th, 10:30 AM

Creating a learning environment that is firm but fair: maintaining academic rigor while prioritizing mental health

FNB 2240

Mental health is a priority for many post-secondary institutions because of the rise in students seeking support services for mental health problems, including anxiety, stress, and depression. The underlying basis of the emerging mental health crisis among scholarly young adults is often based on conjecture and attributed to the pressure to succeed, transition in expectations, or information overload. Although underlying issues are complex and diverse, we believe that instructors can design and operate courses while prioritizing mental health. A common barrier for educators is the ability to convey compassion to students while maintaining high expectations for academic rigor. In this pilot project, we sought to identify practical ways curriculum designers and instructors can proactively promote healthy mental habits for their learners. It is our opinion that when learners are physically and mentally well, they are more likely to engage meaningfully and achieve deeper learning. Some examples we will address are flexible assessments, multiple attempts at new tasks, scaffolding, and peer review. We will also discuss how we create supportive learning environments where students and instructors build professional relationships based on trust and respect.