Abstract
The first part of this presentation will discuss learning and stress. Learning results from repeated application of attention to educational materials. One way of focusing student attention is by adding stress: deadlines, grades, and other factors can make students worried about what might happen if they do not attend to their studies. But excess stress can impede a student's ability to learn, and not all students have the same level of background stress in their life nor take the same amount of stress from the same instructor-provided stimuli. How does stress effect learning? How does stress vary between students? How is this related to student identity, culture, and disability?
The second part of this presentation will discuss various practices instructors can use to better manage student stress and its impacts on student performance. No one practice is the perfect choice for all instructors and courses, so we will share several. In particular, we will discuss (1) short-term stress reduction, (2) helping students feel welcome and safe, (3) multiple-chance assessments and alternative grading, (4) universal design for learning; time permitting, we may also discuss (5) removing selective triggers, (6) explicit protocols and expectations, and (7) removing the need for stressful actions. Participants will come away with several specific changes they can make to their course and teaching to keep from over-stressing the students with the highest background stress and stress susceptibility.
Recording