② LO#2: Design to Support Student Mental Health

Supporting Student Mental Health

Designing courses with mental health impacts in mind can help create a college experience for our students that stretches their minds without crushing their souls.

~ Hunsaker, Moon, & Eaton, 2023

 

What is it? 

Supporting students' mental health (such as considering design elements that may cause undue stress) through course design refers to intentional, deliberate, and thoughtful planning to promote a positive learning environment for students.

 

Why use it? 

In 2021, the US Surgeon General's Advisory called "a mental health pandemic" for young adults (Office of the Surgeon General, 2021, p. 40). Intentionally designing courses with students' mental health in mind can decrease student stress, and minimize anxiety and depression. Designing with wellness in mind can impact students' well-being and academic performance. 

 

How do I use it?

Susan Ambrose and her colleagues (2010) describe extraneous load as “aspects of a task that make it difficult to complete but that are unrelated to what students need to learn” (p. 106). An example of this is an assignment which may cause undue stress such as oral presentations. Many students struggle with public speaking, evaluation, and/or social anxiety. They may also lack confidence and/or fear performance perfectionism. One student population in particular are those who have cultural and/or language barriers.  

There are a variety of intentional approaches that can be used in course design to create a more supportive and less stressful learning environment. These principles represent Quality Teaching practices that should be used with all students but provide neurodivergent students with additional support structures.

 

Quality teaching practices

clear communication
realistic workload
varied assessment methods
flexibility
supportive learning environment
mindful scheduling
feedback and reflection
accessibility

Stress-reduction techniques

mindfulness exercises
relaxation techniques
opportunities for physical activity
education on stress management strategies and resources available
accessible materials to ensure all students can fully participate

 

Simplification

To simplify a course or an assignment without sacrificing academic rigor the following four questions may function as a guide to analyze the pedagogical benefits and mental health costs (Hunsaker, Moon & Eaton, 2023).

1. What is the impact of this practice on students with mental health challenges?
2. How central is it to my course outcomes?
3. Are there any less agitating alternatives that could achieve the same outcomes equally well or even better?
4. If not, are there some ways to knock off the rough edges of this practice?

 

 

References   Ambrose, S. A., Lovett, M., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. Jossey-Bass. Eaton, R. (2023). Boosting learning and decreasing stress through intentional course design. The Teaching Professor.  LastingLearning.com. [LastingLearningcom]. (2015, October 27). Using desirable difficulties to enhance learning, Dr. Robert Bjork Links to an external site. [Video]. YouTube. Office of the Surgeon General. (2021). Protecting youth mental health: The U.S. surgeon general’s advisory Links to an external site.. US Department of Health and Human Services.