scholarly journals Exploration of Factors Affecting Post-Secondary Students’ Stress and Academic Success: Application of the Socio-Ecological Model for Health Promotion

Author(s):  
Konrad T. Lisnyj ◽  
David L. Pearl ◽  
Jennifer E. McWhirter ◽  
Andrew Papadopoulos

Overview: There has been an increase in the frequency and severity of stress experienced by Canadian post-secondary students, which has adverse implications on their academic success. This work applied the socio-ecological model for health promotion to explore the contextual factors that influence this relationship at the individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and public policy levels. Methods: Using a qualitative, phenomenological approach, we conducted 38 semi-structured interviews with undergraduate students and on-campus staff who provide services to this population at a post-secondary institution in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Thematic analysis inductively identified overarching themes among participants’ perspectives. Results: Several positive and negative factors were identified at each socio-ecological model level, demonstrating the complex interplay of demographic, psychological, emotional, social, physical, and academic factors impacting students’ academic stress. Conclusions: A lack of communication and knowledge seems to underlie many factors, highlighting the need to strengthen communication strategies to promote awareness, accessibility, and availability of services and programs on campus. Results also pointed to focusing on proactive, resilience-focused, upstream mental health promotion efforts at post-secondary institutions to reduce stress and improve academic success. This knowledge can help Canadian campuses better address students’ needs.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richa Sud

This qualitative research study explores the experiences of post-secondary students with Learning Disabilities (LDs). Using phenomenology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four university students from Southern Ontario. The study discusses the strengths, challenges, commonalities and differences between the students‘ academic experiences through which they have derived current academic success. Data analysis draws from Critical Theory of Education, Social Model of Disability and Goffman‘s analysis of Stigma. The findings in this study provide insight into the classroom experiences of the students with LDs in elementary, middle and high schools. Further, they help understand ways adapted by students to navigate the education system through each of their varied experiences. This paper will conclude with implications and suggestions for social work professionals working with students who have LDs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (03) ◽  
pp. 343-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinh T. Nguyen ◽  
Rebecca Hite ◽  
Tommy Dang

Web-based virtual reality (VR) development tools are in ubiquitous use by software developers, and now, university (undergraduate) students, to move beyond using, to creating new and energizing VR content. Web-based VR (WebVR), among other libraries and frameworks, have risen as a low-cost platform for users to create rich and intuitive VR content and applications. However, the success of WebVR as an instructional tool relies on post-secondary students technological acceptance (TA), the intersectionality of a user’s perceived utility (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU, or convenience) with said technological tool. Yet, there is a dearth of exploratory studies of students’ experiences with the AR/VR development technologies to infer their TA. To ascertain the viability of WebVR tools for software engineering undergraduates in the classroom, this paper presents a 3-case contextual investigation of 38 undergraduate students tasked with creating VR content. In each use case, students were provided increasing freedom in their VR content development parameters. Results indicated that students demonstrated elements of technological acceptance in their selection of webVR and other platforms, and not only successfully creating rich and robust VR content (PU), but also executing these projects in a short period (PEOU). Other positive externalities observed were students exhibitions of soft skills (e.g. creativity, critical thinking) and different modes of demonstrating coding knowledge, which suggest further study. Discussed are the lessons learned from the WebVR and VR/AR interventions and recommendations for WebVR instruction. This work may be helpful for both learners and teachers using VR/AR in selecting, designing, and developing coursework materials, tools, and libraries.


Author(s):  
Mahitab Hanbazaza ◽  
Maryam Kebbe ◽  
Arnaldo Perez ◽  
Geoff Ball ◽  
Anna P. Farmer ◽  
...  

Enrollment of international post-secondary students is increasing across Canadian campuses. International post-secondary students may experience challenges in accessing nutritious foods that meet their dietary needs and food preferences. These challenges can pose negative impacts on their health, well-being, and academic achievement. Our aim was to describe international post-secondary students’ perceptions of (1) challenges to attaining food security and (2) consequences of food insecurity on the university experience. We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with 11 international post-secondary students who had food insecurity, were enrolled at a public university in Canada, and who had requested emergency foodhampers from the on-campus food bank. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using manifest, inductive content analysis. International post-secondary students reported several logistical issues related to obtaining sufficient food, including a lack of time, limited family support, modest food preparation skills, and low knowledge about supportive services and resources. Students also faced challenges in sourcing culturally appropriate foods, including issues related to food availability, accessibility, acceptability, and affordability. Further, they perceived food insecurity to negatively influence their academic performance through compromised concentration, reduced class and exam attendance, and adverse mpactson physical, mental, and social well-being. Some students reported extreme food deprivation, resulting in hunger. Our results revealed the negative impacts that food insecurity can have on international post-secondary students. Findings underscore the imperative to minimize the occurrence of food insecurity while studying in Canada by introducing and enhancing support systems on campus and in the community to enable food security.


Author(s):  
Konrad T. Lisnyj ◽  
Nafisa Gillani ◽  
David L. Pearl ◽  
Jennifer E. McWhirter ◽  
Andrew Papadopoulos

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richa Sud

This qualitative research study explores the experiences of post-secondary students with Learning Disabilities (LDs). Using phenomenology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with four university students from Southern Ontario. The study discusses the strengths, challenges, commonalities and differences between the students‘ academic experiences through which they have derived current academic success. Data analysis draws from Critical Theory of Education, Social Model of Disability and Goffman‘s analysis of Stigma. The findings in this study provide insight into the classroom experiences of the students with LDs in elementary, middle and high schools. Further, they help understand ways adapted by students to navigate the education system through each of their varied experiences. This paper will conclude with implications and suggestions for social work professionals working with students who have LDs.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Alayne Armstrong ◽  
Mirela Gutica

Drawn from an investigation of the emergent technological practices of post-secondary students with mathematics learning disabilities, this case study employs an enactivist framework in considering the bootstrapping processes our participants report engaging in when using personal electronic devices for academic support. Video-recorded, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine post-secondary participants with mathematics learning disabilities in two western Canadian urban centres. Findings suggest that participants used technology to control and improve sensory input in order to better access mathematics course content and monitor the accuracy of their work, engage with alternate presentations of mathematical concepts to enhance their level of understanding, reduce workload, and improve organization. We discuss how their strategies in using technology relate to Bereiter’s categorization of bootstrapping resources (1985), including imitation, chance by selection, learning support systems, and piggybacking. Grounded in a “learner’s perspective,” this case study identifies technological adaptations and strategies that may be helpful to others with mathematics learning disabilities.


Author(s):  
Chantal Faucher ◽  
Wanda Cassidy ◽  
Margaret Jackson

This paper discusses solutions to cyberbullying posed by post-secondary students from four Canadian universities. The qualitative data used in this analysis were drawn from one open-ended question on an online student survey completed by 1458 undergraduate students, as well as 10 focus group transcripts involving a total of 36 students. Seven key themes emerged: awareness and education; policy; protecting one’s privacy; technology-based solutions; empowering better choices and responses; university culture; and disciplinary measures. The findings show that post-secondary institutions need to make preventing and curtailing cyberbullying more of a priority within their campus communities, including engaging in responsive consultation with key stakeholder groups, such as students, to develop meaningful solutions.


2021 ◽  
pp. 108705472110367
Author(s):  
Colin Henning ◽  
Laura J. Summerfeldt ◽  
James D. A. Parker

Objective To improve on several methodological issues regarding current literature investigating the relationship between ADHD symptomatology and academic success in adults and examine the relative contributions of specific dimensions of ADHD symptomatology (i.e., inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity) to post-secondary academic success. Method A large sample of 3,688 post-secondary students were examined using a longitudinal design. The Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scale (CAARS) was used to assess adult ADHD symptoms and academic success was assessed using students’ official academic records (e.g., final GPAs and degree completion status). Results Students with greater inattention symptomatology at the start of their academic program showed consistently poorer long-term academic success (i.e., lower GPAs, higher dropout rates), regardless of gender. Conclusion Inattention symptoms are the primary driver of the relationship between ADHD symptomatology and academic underachievement in adults. Post-secondary education institutions should target and prioritize educational programming for inattention symptoms of ADHD in at-risk post-secondary students.


Author(s):  
Simran Purewal ◽  
Paola Ardiles ◽  
Erica Di Ruggiero ◽  
John Vincent L. Flores ◽  
Sana Mahmood ◽  
...  

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly forced Canadian post-secondary students into remote learning methods, with potential implications on their academic success and health. In recent years, the use of social media to promote research participation and as a strategy for communicating health messages has become increasingly popular. To better understand how the pandemic has impacted this population, we used social media platforms to recruit students to participate in a national bilingual COVID-19 Health Literacy Survey. The purpose of the survey was to assess the health literacy levels and online information-seeking behaviors of post-secondary students in relation to the coronavirus. This paper outlines the social media recruitment strategies used for promoting participation in the survey among Canadian post-secondary students during the pandemic. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts were created to promote the online survey. The objective of this paper is to examine the use of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter as survey recruitment strategies tailored to students. Data analytics from these platforms were analyzed using descriptive statistics. We found that the most commonly used platform for survey dissemination was Twitter, with 64800 total impressions recorded over 3 months. The use of social media as a survey recruitment strategy showed promise in the current context of COVID-19 where many students are participating in online learning and for a study population that actively uses these platforms to seek out information.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Knutson ◽  
Em Matsuno ◽  
Chloe Goldbach ◽  
Halleh Hashtpari ◽  
Nathan Grant Smith

Nearly 50% of graduate students report experiencing emotional or psychological distress during their enrollment in graduate school. Levels of distress are particularly high for transgender and non-binary graduate students who experience daily discrimination and marginalization. Universities and colleges have yet to address and accommodate the needs and experiences of transgender and non-binary graduate students. Given the multitude of challenges these students may face, educational settings should not present additional barriers to educational success and well-being. In an effort to improve graduate education for transgender and non-binary students, we add to the existing scholarship on affirming work with transgender undergraduate students by addressing the unique concerns of graduate students. We utilize a social-ecological model to identify sources of discrimination in post-secondary education and to provide transgender- and non-binary-affirming recommendations at structural, interpersonal, and individual levels. For practitioners who wish to do personal work, we provide guidance for multicultural identity exploration. A table of recommendations and discussion of ways to implement our recommendations are provided.


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