Identifying the influence of teaching practices on undergraduate students' mental health and wellbeing in the Faculties of Arts and Science

TitleIdentifying the influence of teaching practices on undergraduate students' mental health and wellbeing in the Faculties of Arts and Science
Faculty/College/UnitVP Students
StatusCompleted
Duration2 Year
Initiation04/01/2015
Completion09/30/2017
Funding Details
Year 1: Project YearYear 1
Year 1: Funding Year2015/2016
Year 1: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 1: Principal InvestigatorMichael Lee
Year 1: Funded Amount26,988
Year 1: Team Members

Core Group:

Steven Barnes, Psychology, Faculty of Arts
Patty Hambler, Student Development and Services
Mineko Wada, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine

Staff and Faculty Advisory Group:

Sunaina Assanand, Faculty of Arts
Dan Cox, Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, Faculty of Education
Marlee Groening, School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science
Andrea Han, Curriculum Services, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Paul Harrison, Faculty of Science
Tal Jarus, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
Philip Loewen, Mathematics, Faculty of Science
Christie Newton, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
Melinda Suto, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine

Student Advisory Group:

Mona Maleki, Chair, Mental Health Network
Aqsa Malik, Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine
Danielle Sanders, Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Sneha Shankar, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine

Year 1: Summary

Based on students’ perspectives, we will identify teaching practices (e.g., teaching environment, pedagogy, grading, etc.) that positively influence undergraduate students’ mental health and wellbeing in the Faculties of Arts and Science at UBC. Examining the Undergraduate Experiences Survey data in February 2015, we will ascertain practices and instructors that students identify as fostering their mental health and wellbeing. We will then conduct focus groups to explore student experiences with these practices and instructors, and interview identified instructors to learn about their teaching practices. Finally, in collaboration with CTLT, we will develop a set of guidelines and encourage faculty and Teaching Assistants to integrate the findings into their teaching practice; findings will be broadly disseminated to the teaching community at UBC. This two-year pilot project can serve as a model for future investigations and development of best practices to support student wellbeing across all faculties and levels at the university.

Year 1: TLEF ShowcaseYear 1: TLEF Showcase
Year 2: Project YearYear 2
Year 2: Funding Year2016/2017
Year 2: Project TypeSmall TLEF
Year 2: Principal InvestigatorMichael Lee
Year 2: Funded Amount23,012
Year 2: Team Members

Core Group:

Steven Barnes, Psychology, Faculty of Arts
Patty Hambler, Student Development and Services
Mineko Wada, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine

Staff and Faculty Advisory Group:

Sunaina Assanand, Faculty of Arts
Marlee Groening, School of Nursing, Faculty of Applied Science
Andrea Han, Curriculum Services, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology
Paul G. Harrison, Faculty of Science
Tal Jarus, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
Philip Loewen, Mathematics, Faculty of Science
Christie Newton, Family Practice, Faculty of Medicine
Melinda Suto, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
kele fleming, Associate Director, Teaching and Learning Professional Development, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology

Student Advisory Group:

Christina Campbell, Faculty of Arts
Amika Shah, Faculty of Science
David Livingston, Faculty of Science
Shelby Marozoff, Faculty of Arts
Jodie McCormick, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
Erin Rissling, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine
Sneha Shankar, Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine

Year 2: Summary

The goal of this project is to identify teaching practices that promote students’ mental health (year 1), and translate these findings into recommendations that will be disseminated widely (year 2). In year 1, we analyzed data from the Undergraduate Experiences Survey, and are conducting student focus groups and instructor interviews to learn about teaching practices that support well-being in the Faculties of Arts and Science at UBC. In year 2, we will collaborate with CTLT to develop recommendations for teaching practices that promote student wellbeing. The recommendations will be disseminated to the teaching community at UBC through reports and publications; presentations delivered to UBC departments, at CTLT Institutes, and academic conferences; and by integrating recommendations into existing CTLT professional development curricula. This two-year pilot project can serve as a model for future investigations and development of best practices to support student wellbeing across all faculties and levels at the university.

Year 2: TLEF ShowcaseYear 2: TLEF Showcase
Project ReportFinal-Report-2016-TLEF-SP-Lee.pdf