Overview of University Stress

Sticky Post

There is no doubt that university students experience mass amounts of stress. Over 60% of university students report experiencing above-average to tremendous levels of stress (Naz Böke & Heath, 2020). Based on our own experiences as university students and literature, the four main types of stress university students handle daily are the stress of moving away from home, meeting new people, the pressure to succeed, and financial stress (Learning Centre, 2022).  

Here is what will be discussed throughout this lesson:

  1. To begin the discussion, stress will be defined using easy-to-understand language. Here the signs and symptoms of stress are presented. A review of stress will help ensure a concrete understanding of stress, laying the groundwork for success in the following topics.
  2. The stress of moving away from home will be discussed, and coping strategies will be presented.
  3. Meeting new people can be daunting; therefore, we will discuss techniques for managing the stress of meeting new people.
  4. We will highlight students’ unbearable pressure to do well and succeed in their university studies. In conjunction, strategies will be discussed to manage the weight of the expectations we may impose on ourselves or that others may impose on us.
  5. Lastly, we will explore financial stress and the steps we can take to reduce this stress. 

To aid in your understanding of stress, there is a curated list of content to read and watch before reviewing the content modules.

Upon completion of the Read and Watch materials and the content, there are activities that must be completed for each module:

  1. A true-false quiz and matching activity
  2. The praise challenge
  3. Stepping out of the zone
  4. Think-pair-share
  5. Case study group discussion.

Each activity corresponds to its respective subtopic.

To summarize the lesson, students will complete a blog post responding to a reflection question and interact with another student’s blog post with a substantive comment.

Each task that must be completed can be found in the “To-Do This Week” section. 

Overall, this lesson teaches university students about stress, the signs and symptoms of stress, the most prevalent types of stress university students face, and management techniques. Our goal is to give students the tools to understand and manage stress to prevent long-term issues.

References

Academic Pressure: How to Deal with it – Graduate Coach. (2021). Retrieved 6 November 2022, from https://graduatecoach.co.uk/blog/academic-pressure/ 

American Psychological Association, (2019). How stress affects your health. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress. 

Bates, A.W. (2019). Teaching in a Digital Age – Second Edition. Vancouver, B.C.: Tony Bates Associates Ltd. Retrieved from https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/teachinginadigitalagev2/

Davis, J. R. (2014). A Little Goes a Long Way: Pressure for College Students to Succeed. The Journal of Undergraduate Research, 12(1), 2. https://openprairie.sdstate.edu/jur/vol12/iss1/2/ 

D’Souza, C., Singaraju, S., Halimi, T., & Sillivan Mort, G. (2016). Examination of cultural shock, inter-cultural sensitivity and willingness to adapt. Education & Training (London), 58(9), 906–925. https://doi.org/10.1108/ET-09-2015-0087

Learning Centre. (2022, July 25). College stress. Learning Center. Retrieved October 30, 2022, from https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/managing-college-stress/ 

Naz Böke, B., & Heath, N. (2020). Surprising findings on student stress and coping. https://www.mcgill.ca/savc/files/savc/advising_day_2018_naz_boke_and_nancy_heath-1.pdf. Retrieved November 3, 2022. 

Regehr, C., Glancy, D., & Pitts, A. (2013). Interventions to reduce stress in university students: A review and meta-analysis. Journal of affective disorders, 148(1), 1-11.

Salleh, M. R. (2008). Life event, stress and illness. The Malaysian journal of medical sciences: MJMS, 15(4), 9–18.

Scholarship America. (2019). Financial stress prevents college students from graduating. What can we do? Retrieved https://scholarshipamerica.org/blog/financial-stress-prevents-college-students-from-graduating-what-can-we-do/

Zwart, H. (n.d.). Financial Stress in College Students. Retrieved from: https://www.betteryou.

ai/financial-stress-in-collge-students/

The Emotion stress of moving: coping tips to manage moving stress: https://kentuckycounselingcenter.com/emotional-stress-of-moving/

Moving from fear zone to the growth zone: https://www.succeedonpurpose.com/post/moving-from-the-fear-zone-to-the-growth-zone

Learning Theories and Multimedia Principles

According to Ertmer and Newby, learning theories “are a source of verified instructional strategies, tactics, and techniques” (2013). However, to ensure effective learning design, one must be able to appropriately select the ideal method of instruction for specific groups of learners (Ertmer et al., 2013). Considering our multimedia project topic of stress and the target audience being university students, we will base our project on the constructivism learning theory.

The constructivist learning theory adopts a subjective view where learners draw on their own experiences to create knowledge; constructivists contend humans do not acquire meaning but rather create meaning from experience (Ertmer et al., 2013). We decided to base our project on the constructivism learning theory due to the nature of our activities. For instance, one of the activities in our project is a group discussion based on a case study where students will share different situations in which they have experienced stress. As a result, students are given an opportunity to form connections between the course material and their personal experiences. Further, stress is considered a subjective state of emotion (Porter, 2019); therefore, this makes constructivism a suitable learning theory for our topic, for constructivism “equates learning with creating meaning from experience” (Ertmer et al., 2013).

In addition to our activities and topic, we also based our project on the constructivism learning theory due to Merrill’s first principles of instruction. These principles state learning is promoted when learners apply newly acquired knowledge to their existing mental models and when learners share or reflect on their personal experiences (Merrill, 2018); therefore, this further supports constructivism as an appropriate learning theory for our multimedia project. More specifically, we have employed Merrill’s Engagement Principle. For example, it’s best to use smaller, more informal assessment forms to ensure student learning and understanding. The activities we have chosen will help increase student engagement and interaction, thus promoting active learning and adhering to Merrill’s principle of Engagement (Mathers, 2017; Merrill, 2002). 

We have also used various of Mayer’s principles, such as the Signalling and Coherence principles. According to the Signalling and Coherence principles, it is essential to ensure that the most important thing on our slide is the most prominent and to use contrast to move the audience around the information on the slide (Mayer, 2014). Therefore, we have arranged all fonts and colours to be clearly visible, and the spacing between all of our content elements makes the modules easy to follow. 

Further, according to the planning decisions at the core of instructional design, it is important that students know the learning outcomes or objectives to attend to the key information throughout the lesson (Kurt, 2015). In our multimedia project, we have included an introduction of the topic, big ideas, and learning outcomes, which are aligned with the assessment activities throughout the overall design. Overall, this adheres to instructional design principles and Mayer’s Coherence principle (all information fits together like pieces of a puzzle; Kurt, 2015; Mayer, 2014). 

Design for Inclusion

We have designed our resource with the knowledge that students who are colour-blind and English-language learners will participate, thus maximizing its potential for inclusion (Vinney, 2021). Firstly, there will be no activity that relies on colour selection or identification. Further, the text and foreground in all of our content have high colour contrast. All colours used are not difficult for those with colour blindness to differentiate.

Secondly, all language used throughout the resource will use age-appropriate vocabulary and will be clear, slow, and easy to understand. This will ensure that all English language learners can understand the material (Jungles and Patel, 2019). Additionally, during discussions, English language learners will be given the option of having a speech-to-text and translation program in front of them to ensure they can still follow the discussion if it becomes more fast-paced.

Our resource has the option of being taught online or in the classroom. For example, students can access our website online, meet on Zoom, and on Zoom, students can be placed into breakout rooms with regular check-ins from the instructor for the smaller group activities.

Assessment Plan 

For each topic in our assessment plan, there are 1 to 2 learning outcomes. There are small, formative assessments in each topic to check for understanding and to verify students have met the anticipated learning outcomes. As stated within our course, school and assessment can be stressful for people; therefore, we want our assessment methods to be discrete and non-stressful. To do this, we included non-standardized assessment methods, such as class discussions and compare/contrast charts. Further, instead of giving letter grades or percentages, we will only mark the students’ assessments as either complete or incomplete and provide qualitative feedback. We also included a blog post and comments as a summative assessment to ensure students have the opportunity to express their understanding of the topic of stress after completing the course. 

References

Ertmer, P. A., & Newby, T. J. (2013). Behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical features from an instructional design perspective. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 26(2), 43-71.

Jungles, A., & Patel, C. (2019, June 24). What is universal design for learning?YouTube. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdmoBl3Z75I 

Kurt, S. “Instructional Design Models and Theories,” in Educational Technology, December 9, 2015. Retrieved from https://educationaltechnology.net/instructional-design-models-and-theories/Dr. Serhat Kurt, Instructional Design Models and Theories. Sept 28, 2022. 

Mathers, B. (2017). Wikipedia – Active vs Passive learning. https://bryanmmathers.com/wikipedia-active-vs-passive-learning/CC-BY-ND (images for Active/Passive Learning interactivity)

Mayer, R. E. (Ed.). (2014). Principles for Reducing Extraneous Processing in Multimedia Learning, from The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp 279 – 315

Merrill, M. D. (2002). First Principles of Instruction. ETR&D, 50, 3. pp. 43-59.

Vinney, C. (2021, August 5). Universal vs. Inclusive Design: What’s the difference? Career Foundry. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://careerfoundry.com/en/blog/ux-design/universal-vs-inclusive-design/ 

University Stress Modules

To complete the activities on the T0-Do List, review all the Read and Watch materials and the material in each module.

Module 1 – Stress and the Signs and Symptoms

Module 2 – The Stress of Moving Away From Home

Module 3 – The Stress of Meeting New People

Module 4 – The Pressure to Succeed

Module 5 – Financial Stress

Happy learning! 🙂

Matching Activity

Complete the following matching activity:

Big Ideas

  1. What is stress, and what are the signs and symptoms?
  2. What types of stress do university students face?
  3. How can university students improve their quality of life?

Stress the Signs and Symptoms True and False Activity

Complete the following true and false questions based on the content, read, and watch material.

Reflection Questions

  1. What is your definition of stress? How do you judge or weigh your stress levels? What signs and symptoms do you experience when you are stressed? What signs and symptoms do you notice in other people when stressed?
  2. Name three things that worried you most when you moved away from your home. Did the techniques mentioned in this lesson help you solve these stresses? Why or why not?
  3. Do you find your life more enriched after stepping out of your comfort zone?
  4. How do you feel seeing someone else achieve their academic goals? Does this cause stress or pressure on you to also reach a particular goal? Did you notice any similar situations revolving around pressures to succeed within the course content that can be found in your own life? 
  5. List the challenges preventing you from meeting new people. How might you face them?
  6. What advice or suggestions would you give to people who are not confident while meeting new people? 
  7. What are your current financial stresses? What approach will you take to address your financial stress? Can you control your spending to stay within your budget?
  8. How does stress, in general, affect your life? How does each type of stress mentioned in the content affect your life, and how do you manage/resolve that stress?

To-Do List

  1. Review everything in the Read/Watch materials and in each module.
  2. Complete the True/False and Matching activities for Module 1.
  3. Record the things you attempt to step out of your comfort zone. Record the difference before and after you used the techniques and whether they helped ease stress. Post your observations in the comments of Module 2.
  4. Join the Discord channel.
  5. For Module 3, create and post your praise challenge screencast on Discord and comment on other partners’ screencasts.
  6. Sign up for a group and participate in the Think-Pair-Share activity on Discord for Module 4.
  7. Sign up for a group and review your group’s assigned case study and prepare two possible solutions for Module 5. Post your two solutions in the Case Study Discussion on Discord.
  8. Set up your WordPress OpenEd blog site if you have not already.
  9. Complete a blog post (350 words maximum) in response to one or more reflection questions. Post this to your blog site and submit the link on the Blog Posts Discord channel.
  10. Post one comment on another student’s blog post (ask questions and add to the discussion). Submit the link on the Blog Posts Discord channel.

Financial Stress

Ohio State University reported that 70% of college students worry about financial issues. University students must pay tuition fees, rent, textbooks, and other living expenses. Increasing rent, tuition fees, and other expenses leave students anxious, confused, and frustrated. Financial pressures make many things seem difficult to accomplish and require a high level of risk-taking when making decisions.

Zwart (n.d.) states that financial stress can lead to mental health problems, academic challenges, increased dropout rates, and overwork among university students. Dropping out of the university may solve financial problems in the short term, but it seems detrimental to one’s academic and career path in the long term.

Students face many problems when trying to solve their financial problems. Firstly, entry-level jobs usually do not pay well, and some students work many part-time jobs to get a good credit report. Spending too much time and effort on a part-time job can affect academic performance at university. Secondly, some students take out loans. Scholarship America (2019) points out that many students worry about how they will pay their tuition fees and how they will be able to repay these debts in the future. Thirdly, many students have lost their jobs because of the pandemic. It not only adds to the financial stress of the students but also the psychological stress.

In this lesson, students will learn how to manage expenses and find techniques to address financial stress.

Activity – Case Study Discussion

Join the Discord Server and follow the case study group discussion instructions in the case study discussion channel.

The Pressure to Succeed

No one wants to be a failure. Beginning your studies at a university is already demanding, and students are burdened by the amount of time and effort required to reach academic objectives (Graduate Coach, 2021). There is a ton of pressure to know what you want to do with your life, and watching other people move on and achieve their goals can be hard. When a person enrolls in college, their parents, friends, and teachers pressure them to do well in their classes (Davis, 2014). Your self-imposed academic pressure may result in your performance. When pressure overwhelms the mind and body, anxiety levels can rise, and performance can suffer (Davis, 2014). There is a concept called stereotype threat, which “is when someone has a negative belief about themselves, and they are worried that they will confirm this negative stereotype about themselves or their own group” (Davis, 2014. p.3). This implies that believing and feeling you will fail will cause you to fail. 

Pressures to perform well can contribute to stress, anxiety, sadness, and a lack of confidence (Graduate Coach, 2021). Some people think your grades define who you are, but that is not true. We tend to be hard on ourselves and forget to reflect on our true skills, personality traits and interests within our lives away from school. It is recommended to focus on extracurricular activities to help you enjoy all your studies (Graduate Coach, 2021). That could be cooking, reading, playing sports, or creating art. The desire to pursue a particular job that needs a certain set of grades can also pressure a person to achieve. Higher grades should provide more employment possibilities after graduation if you are unsure about what you want to pursue (Graduate Coach, 2021). Even while your loved ones are supportive and want you to succeed, you will likely experience disappointment if you fall short of their expectations. Remember that it is your life, not theirs (Graduate Coach, 2021). 

Exam and deadline pressure coupled with the pressure to excel in school is another element that plays a role. When deadlines approach, a person’s mental health and well-being may suffer, therefore, it is advised to work smarter rather than harder (Graduate Coach, 2021). Students may discover that a certain subject is more challenging than others, and some courses may have specific grades that must be met (Graduate Coach, 2021). Being in constant rivalry with your friends’ academics and comparing yourself to others might pressure you and negatively impact your scores. Friendly competition and drive are present, but it can be detrimental to your mental health to feel depressed even though you are working harder and still not achieving your goals (Graduate Coach, 2021). Forming study groups or finding a tutor can help you achieve your academic goals healthily. Being alone and keeping up with the demand for higher grades is stressful. Finding a partner or friend to study with provides reassurance you are not alone. 

Activity – Think-Pair-Share

Join the Discord Server and follow the instructions posted in the Think-Pair-Share activity channel.

Page 1 of 2

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén