Lesson 3: Well-Being and Course Design
Lesson introduction
While no two individuals will bring the same stressors or experiences to bear on their classroom experiences, certain course design decisions can have a positive or negative impact on mental well-being for both students and instructors (Bair & Dyjur, 2018). And though there is no one-size-fits-all approach to enhancing well-being in course design, this lesson encourages instructors to reflect on their current course design decisions, and to consider possible alternatives, in five key categories: policies and values, academic expectations, learning environments and experiences, student assessment, and reflection and resilience.
Here you’ll find helpful explanations, reflection prompts, and suggested strategies for promoting well-being through course design, adapted from Dyjur et al.’s Using Mental Health and Wellness as a Framework for Teaching and Learning (2017) and Turner et al.’s Learning and Teaching Practices that Support Student Mental Health and Well-being (2022).
Lesson Checklist
At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:
- Describe how course design has the potential to impact on students’ and instructors’ mental health and well-being.
- Identify course design strategies that have the potential to promote mental health and well-being for both students and instructors.
Developing policies and values with well-being in mind
We recognize that not all course policies are within our control; those created at the department, faculty, or institutional level can be challenging to incorporate any flexibility. For example, each faculty has its own appeals procedure that governs how student academic misconduct is handled. And Student Accessibility Services provides a clear set of guidelines for how students can register with their office and obtain an Access Advisor. However, despite some rigid parameters limiting what policies instructors can and cannot adopt in their courses, addressing course policies and values with well-being in mind actually leaves ample room for flexibility and care. If you are an emerging instructor or new to your institution, reach out to your academic unit leaders to find out about which policies might have flexibility or options, in case you can incorporate flexibility with well-being in mind.
Setting academic expectations with well-being in mind
If you provide clarity in academic expectations, you can help alleviate student concerns about assessments and grades (Turner et al., 2022). Likewise, it is critical for instructor well-being to have academic expectations that are realistic in terms of the number of course credits, time allotted for the course, and what can reasonably be accomplished during that time.
Creating learning environments and experiences with well-being in mind
The learning environment and learning experiences are key to both student and instructor well-being. Factors such as social connectedness, or interaction between students as well as students and instructors impact mental well-being. It is critical to have a positive learning environment that allows everyone to feel safe and valued. Accessible and equitable learning experiences are important to mental well-being too.
Designing assessments with well-being in mind
Since student assessment is one of the major drivers of a course, it is often a main source of stress for both students and instructors. From high-stakes assessments to continuous feedback loops, unclear expectations and numerous graded activities that contribute little to the final grade, assessment design requires careful thought to ensure that student and instructor well-being are considered.
Encouraging reflection with well-being in mind
Reflection is an important aspect in student learning. As they reflect on what went well and what didn’t, they consider their role in the learning process and what they might do differently next time. Instructors can reflect on course reflections, how things went, and modify the course going forward. Self-compassion is important for both, remembering that nobody is perfect. Students sometimes receive poor grades, instructors get poor evaluations, and reflection, perseverance, and a growth mindset can help both of them to learn from these experiences for next time. Consider incorporating opportunities for reflection, for both you and your students, at various points in the term.
Learning activity
Use this course workload estimator template developed by Dr. Jacob Lamb, Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, for a course you are teaching. In the section on ‘Course Tasks’, don’t forget to include things such as course readings, research and writing, discussion board posts, and time for study.
Reflection questions
- How do you mitigate student anxiety around assessment?
- What strategies do you have for when students fall behind?
- Sometimes students feel lonely, even in face-to-face classes. How might you incorporate student interaction and collaboration into your course?
- How do you balance student needs for feedback with ensuring you are not creating too heavy a workload for yourself?
References
Bair, H., & Dyjur, P. (2018, October 22). Promoting Reflection and Resilience through Course Design. Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning. https://taylorinstitute.ucalgary.ca/resources/promoting-reflection-and-resilience-through-course-design
Dyjur, P., Lindstrom, G., Arguera, N. & Bair, H. (2017). Using mental health and wellness as a framework for teaching and learning. Teaching and Learning Subcommittee of the Campus Mental Health Strategy, University of Calgary. https://taylorinstitute.ucalgary.ca/sites/default/files/Content/Resources/Mental-Health/20-ADV-169050-TI-Resources-for-Educators.pdf
Turner, N., Drew, M., Hedley, P., & Roberts, R. (2022, January). Learning and teaching practices that support student mental health and well-being (vers. 10). University of Saskatchewan. https://governance.usask.ca/documents/council/committee/TLAR/reports/2022-23/wellness-strategy-report-final-for-webpage-aug-2022.pdf
Lessons
Lesson 1: Introduction to mental health and well-being in the classroom
Lesson 2: Indigenous conceptualizations and approaches to well-being
Lesson 3: Well-being and course design
Lesson 4: Trauma-informed teaching
Lesson 5: Supporting student well-being in the classroom
Lesson 6: Instructor well-being in the classroom
Authors
Dr. Patti Dyjur, PhD
Educational Developer
Dr. Sreyasi Biswas, PhD
Educational Developer
Jaclyn Carter PhD (c)
Educational Developer
Dr. Tyson Kendon, PhD
Digital Learning Platforms Team Lead
Dr. Christine Martineau, PhD
Educational Developer
Dr. Anna Pletnyova, PhD
Educational Technologist