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Wellbeing in Teaching

Wellbeing in teaching entails both teacher and student perspectives. How can the wellbeing of the teachers and the students be taken into account simultaneously? How do they affect each other? These pages serve as a teachers' reference and study package for improving wellbeing in teaching and studies at Aalto.

FROM STUDENTS TO TEACHERS

"The teacher has an open "office" in his course with a remote connection (zoom, teams, etc) once a week for approx. 30 minutes, where you can stop by and ask about the lecture / the arrangements of the course, etc...."

Student, spring 2022

FROM STUDENTS TO TEACHERS

"The importance of managing expectations and communication at the beginning of the course (and a continuous feedback channel open during the course): what is coming, why, what is expected of the students, why e.g. presence, interaction... the importance of pedagogical metatalk!"

Student, spring 2022

FROM STUDENTS TO TEACHERS

"Team Finnish students with foreign students for team work, so that they will get to know each other."

Student, spring 2022

According to several studies, the wellbeing of the teacher and the students are inextricably linked. Teaching and learning are not separate things - rarely one exists without the other. The essence of working as a teacher is about daily encounters with students and other teachers. A teacher's wellbeing has effects on the quality of the teachers' work as well as support to student wellbeing. And vice versa. Teaching, where students feel like they are part of it and the dialog is open and two-way, can support the wellbeing of students.

An individual who is doing well, is better able to regulate stress, and more likely able to recognize their own values and ways of thinking. They are also likely to take action in these issues, and hence support the wellbeing of their social environment. In teaching, this happens, e.g., through positive incentives, empowering students and through supporting experimentation and participation.

Instead of consentrating on suppporting individual wellbeing only, we need to think of community wellbeing. Multidimensional understading of wellbeing enables different lifestyles, empowers and supports agency. When social and structural challenges are solved in the community, they do not become individual challenges.

The Wellbeing in Teaching Toolbox is produced by Aalto Oasis of Radical Wellbeing, Aalto HR and Aalto Learning Services.

Supporting wellbeing in teaching -toolkit

Wellbeing in teaching can be promoted on several different levels. On an individual level, teacher is able to reflect on their own teaching and think about methods that support students learning. At the level of planning, e.g. consideration of study time allocation is important for the work of both the student and the teacher. From a community perspective, it is important to think about the goals we set for the programme and how they support the progress of studies and wellbeing. What kind of working methods in teaching support wellbeing.

We gathered activities that promote wellbeing at different levels together.

A calming exercise helps you to stop

With the help of mindfulness and other exercises that calm the mind and brain, we can return to the present moment, stop with our own thoughts and body, but also get in touch with the environment. Use the exercises to support your own wellbeing or make them part of the teaching. For example, a calming exercise at the beginning of a teaching session helps you and your students stop and focus on the moment. Read more.

Opettaja ja opiskelija opetustilanteessa

Well-formed intended learning outcomes support wellbeing on a course level

A well-formed intended learning outcome (ILO) tells the student what they are expected to learn during the course and helps the student to focus on what is essential. It enables support during the course and serves as a basis for evaluation. Communicating ILO's to students and talking about them during the course supports wellbeing. See here tips for formulating intended learning outcomes.

Time allocation is an important part of course design

Allocating enough time for studying is an important part of planning your teaching. Study time allocation is used to ensure that a sufficient amount of time is reserved for the student to achieve the intended learning outcomes (ILO) and for high-quality, comprehensive learning. It is good to look at the time needed also from the point of view of the teacher's work. A well-done calculation makes it possible for teaching and studying not to burden anyone too much. Read more

Data supports development

At its best data can support development and help the education programme to support wellbeing. Familiarize yourself with the AllWell results of your programme and the teacher's guide on how to improve teaching. Guide and the instructions how to use PowerBI can be found here

Levels of wellbeing: Individual and community

Community wellbeing. Reflect wellbeing in your community:

What would improve your wellbeing?
How could you support the wellbeing of others? Who makes up your immediate community?
How could the wellbeing of your immediate community improve?
What could the Aalto community do to improve wellbeing?

The teacher(s) and students building community wellbeing together

The feeling of belonging to a community is one of the most important things that support well-being. This can be supported by both the teacher and the students in the group. Read more about how you support inclusion and a sense of belonging in your teaching. Read more

Feedback as a tool for development and a part of community wellbeing

Collecting feedback as part of teaching, also during the course, is one of the most important ways to ensure and support the learning of the student and the student group during the course. In addition to traditional feedback surveys, course discussions and short surveys, e.g. In MyCourses, teachers have a chance to make sure that students can follow their teaching. Read more

Ability to study means a student’s ability to work

Personal resources, study skills, teaching and counselling, and a supportive study environment all have significant impacts on how well a student performs. Strengths in one or more areas may help to maintain a student’s ability to study even when there are problems in other areas. Study progress can be improved by addressing all the different aspects of ability to study.