S2E6: Supporting Student Well-being and Learning
The pandemic has placed a considerable burden on students, not only resulting in learning loss but also causing documented mental health challenges. The transition to emergency remote teaching restricted students’ access to resources, as highlighted in an NIH study conducted in 2020 (Zhaia & Dub, 2020). The study identified issues such as loneliness, isolation, and limited access to counseling services, intensifying psychological symptoms and increasing the risk of suicide and substance abuse among affected students.
Even when students do not openly express their mental health conditions, research suggests that they grapple with coping with coursework and the pressure to excel in school, especially as priorities shifted towards maintaining personal relationships and mental health (Ezarik, 2022). A study analyzing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student well-being found elevated rates of anxiety, loneliness, and depression among young adults completing their degrees (Lee,Solomon, Stead, et al. 2021). Students in this study also displayed increased stress and a lack of motivation toward educational goals due to strained family dynamics resulting from pandemic-related stay-at-home orders.
To effectively facilitate learning within this context, it is crucial to prioritize mental health and well-being in the classroom, aligning with Georgetown’s Jesuit mission of “Educating the whole person.” This episode of What We’re Learning about Learning emphasizes how staff and faculty at Georgetown have fostered trust and a sense of belonging in the backdrop of pandemic-driven teaching and learning. The episode delves into faculty approaches that motivate students by creating a shared space of vulnerability and whole-person learning.
Bios
Featured in the episode:
- Durriya Meer, Director of CAPS and Licensed Psychologist
- Carol Day, Director of Health Education Services and Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Nursing and Health Studies, Human Science
- Huaping Lu-Adler, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy
- Sarah Stiles, Teaching Professor, Department of Sociology
- Andreas Kern, Associate Teaching Professor, McCourt School of Public Policy
- Statements from “The Engelhard Project 2005-2015: Voices From a Decade of Connecting Life and Learning” video
- President John J. DeGioia, 48th President of Georgetown University
- Heidi G. Elmendorf, Associate Professor, Department of Biology and Senior Advisor to the President for Equity in Education, Director of the Regents Science Scholars Program
- Edilma Yearwood, Associate Professor, Professional Nursing Practice Academic Department
- Jason Tilan, Associate Professor, Human Science Academic Department
- Alisa Carse, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy and Faculty Affiliate of the Kennedy Institute for Ethics
- John Wright, Director of Student Life, Georgetown University Qatar
Resources
- The Engelhard Project 2005 – 2015: Voices From a Decade of Connecting Life and Learning
- Teaching Well-Being
- Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS)
- Georgetown’s Mental Health, Wellness, and Health Care Resources
- Georgetown’s Student Outreach and Support (SOS Care Team)
- Georgetown’s Mission and Information about Cura Personalis
- The Engelhard Project at Georgetown University
- The Prospect blog
- Carol Day’s Syllabus for Crisis Management in College Health
References
Educating the whole person: Georgetown. Georgetown University. (2022, August 5).
Ezarik, M. (2022, April 18). Survey: College students reflect on Mental Health and Campus help. Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs.
Lee, J., Solomon, M., Stead, T., Kwon, B., & Ganti, L. (2021a, June 8). Impact of covid-19 on the mental health of US college students - BMC psychology. BioMed Central.
Zhai, Y., & Du, X. (2020, June). Addressing collegiate mental health amid covid-19 pandemic. Psychiatry research.
Additional research
- Lee, J., Solomon, M., Stead, T. et al. Impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of US college students. BMC Psychol 9, 95 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00598-3.
- A Pedagogy of Vulnerability for Troubled Times, (James Madison University, October 2021).
- The Unlonely Project
- Resilient Teaching
- Teaching Through the Mental Health Crisis on Campus (Slate, 2/15/22)
- Leveraging the Neuroscience of Now: Mays Imad Explores Seven Ways Professors Can Help Students Thrive in Class in Times of Trauma (Inside Higher Ed, 6/3/20)
- Student Mental Health Status Report: Struggles, Stressors, and Supports (Inside Higher Ed, 4/19/22)
- What Does Trauma-informed Teaching Look Like? (Chronicle of Higher Education, 4/4/20)
- Research on Depression, Anxiety, and Loneliness in College Students (The Brink, 2/17/21)
- Values in Action (VIA) Questionnaire