Spring Quarter can be an exciting time, but also a stressful one, as students look forward to finishing the academic year (and seniors to graduation). Excessive stress on college campuses is more common than we think, with approximately 78% of college students reporting moderate to high levels of stress in the 2023 National College Health Assessment. Additionally, students may also contend with the imposter phenomenon, known to lead to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and a fear of being discovered as a "fraud," an experience more prevalent for students with minoritized identities (Bravata et al., 2019). Many of these factors are beyond our control, but instructors can help to mitigate unproductive stress and promote student learning and success within the classroom.
How can we continue to challenge students during high-stress times without causing undue anxiety? One option is to provide students more flexibility. The following strategies introduce flexibility and may reduce students’ stress levels:
- Allowing certain assignments to be submitted within a window of time to give students ownership of their busy schedules
- Dropping a lowest assignment score or allowing for resubmissions to reduce pressure
- Holding formal and informal check-ins with students through anonymous polling and chats outside of class or during office hours
For more information and concrete practices, we invite you to attend the upcoming Spring Pedagogy Symposium and visit the following resources: Expectations, Course Flexibility, and Student Engagement (CCTL), the Well-Being for Life & Learning Guidebook (University of Washington), and the Pedagogical Wellness webpage (UC Irvine). You can also schedule a pedagogy consultation with a CCTL staff member.