SETTLE DOWN: Preliminary investigations and development of an online toolkit to support student self-regulation in higher education

The impact of stressors on student wellbeing and academic performance is widely documented within the Higher Education (HE) sector, with student drop-out rates linked to poor wellbeing. Identified connections between attrition rates and the levels of support offered to students has led to concerted efforts to better support student wellbeing-particularly for those in the first year of study. The COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid and abrupt shift toward online learning has complicated how students manage stress by reducing students' access to the very resources that might otherwise buffer them (e.g., social connection) exposing them to risk factors (e.g., isolation and greater uncertainty). Accordingly, empowering students to better self-regulate during stressful times is, more than ever, essential to supporting the transition to the adult learning environment. The development of students' self-awareness and self-knowledge of the influences of being stressed on their engagement in study is an important adjunct to self-regulated learning. This nexus between psychology and education is a point for an interventive program that meets a gap in current support efforts, and that recognises the need for such endeavours that situate within the digital landscape of HE. In this paper we describe the groundwork of a single cohort case study that outlines a novel approach to student wellbeing. We discuss the design and development process of the SETTLE DOWN program;an evidence-based and clinically informed series of self-regulation workshops for undergraduate students, which aimed to foster student self-awareness about personal stress responses, facilitate a guided self-discovery of self-regulation techniques, and embed self-knowledge through reflection and practice. Preliminary pilot data is presented with respect to the intended purpose of assessing the suitability of the program material to achieve desired outcomes. The translation of these workshops into an online format to maximise accessibility for students and teachers is extrapolated in discussion of future-directions and next steps for the SETTLE DOWN program. The case study offers an example of the development of an evidence-based approach to ultimately support students with online availability of the necessary knowledge and skills to foster self-awareness and self-knowledge in the context of engaging in study under stress.

Knowing me, knowing you: Humanitas in work-integrated learning during adversity

Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) is a variety of learning opportunities that can extend beyond the application of theory to practice, to include complex situational, personal, material, and organisational factors. Central to forming successful WIL experiences is the partnership, support, and collaboration extended by all key stakeholders. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted WIL experiences, with many developed partnerships and sustained practices being abruptly impacted. In 2020, a multidisciplinary group of Australasian WIL academics, administrators and students joined in weekly virtual coffee chats to share concerns and experiences during this rapidly changing educational landscape. These conversations led to establishing a Small Significant Online Network Group (SSONG) and became the basis for this article. We explored the lessons learned from WIL practitioners to be better informed of the practice of WIL and, generally, to examine the role of collaborations in higher education. Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, this study incorporated written reflections on WIL experiences during COVID-19 lockdowns, followed by Zoom conversations to gain deeper insights. All data was aggregated and analysed thematically, both inductively and deductively, to interpret the practice experiences of individuals in their socio-cultural contexts. This article intends to demonstrate how creative solutions, such as adopting a HUMANE framework, become valuable paradigms. These enhance and nurture relationships between all WIL stakeholders, to enrich and sustain WIL experiences for all. Practitioner Notes 1. Successful WIL relationships rely on collaboration between all stakeholders to ensure sustainability. 2. Adopting a humanistic approach, in this case, the HUMANE framework, has positive outcomes for WIL stakeholders and higher education. 3. A SSONG is an effective mechanism for supporting collaboration in any educational context facing disruption. 4. Technology enables WIL stakeholders to connect globally, and through these connections, reflect on differing experiences to broaden creative responses to challenges. 5. The power of connecting and collaborating provides opportunities to work together and enhances agency, performance, and outcomes that benefit WIL and higher education. © 2021, University of Wollongong. All rights reserved.

GoodWIL placements: How COVID-19 shifts the conversation about unpaid placements

This paper discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic can shift the conversation of paid and unpaid placements from an economic to a pedagogical and goodwill perspective. During the pandemic lockdown many placements were cancelled or postponed. Some continued as agreed but with students working from home, while other placements became unpaid. We build on the pertinent literature that raises legal, ethical, economic and pedagogical implications of paid versus unpaid placement models and what motivates placement organizations to offer placements. Four interdisciplinary trans-Tasman case studies are discussed to better understand the complex situations for placement organizations and universities to sustain WIL placements during this pandemic. Conclusions include recommendations to be vigilant and ensure goodwill is not used to mask the exploitation of students, but rather, positively influence the motivation behind offering placements during these trying times and beyond. © 2020 International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning. All rights reserved.