Many student leaders across the nation, including our own Student Advisory Board, have voiced concerns regarding how challenging these past and current semesters have been from a mental health perspective. Students are not alone, as both faculty, staff, and health professionals have discussed these same concerns during this pandemic. The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) recently produced an infographic on ten pedagogical tips to reduce student anxiety.
In this quick reference, CTE provides ten practical suggestions for changes to course design that can have a positive impact on everyone. The tips can be easily implemented, from asking students how they feel about the course, to communicating expectations, or breaking down deliverables. While we are past the halfway mark for the semester, one could still implement them in future terms—even if there is not a pandemic. There is always time to still check in with students and be both flexible and understanding.
The Ten Pedagogical Tips To Reduce Student Anxiety Infographic and other resources can be downloaded from SMU’s Keep Teaching site.
