Dialogue series explores student well-being in learning environments

By Melissa Lafrance

A dialogue series that considers how student-learning experiences can play an important role in positive mental health is launching today at SFU.

SFU Health Promotion, in partnership with UBC Health Promotion and Education and BCcampus, is hosting Thriving Beyond Campuses: Well-being in Learning Environments, a four-part dialogue series as part of SFU’s Well-being in Learning Environments initiative.

This free, virtual event aims to connect post-secondary faculty, educators and staff from across the province around how learning environment culture, course design and instructors themselves, have the ability to impact student well-being, which is associated with deep learning.

Through interactive keynotes, panels and roundtable sessions, (between Nov. 10, 2020 and March 2021), attendees will learn about best practices and theories to create conditions for well-being in learning environments. They will share their own practices and experiences and connect with other like-minded faculty and staff. Attendees will also consider students’ point of view, institutional support and campus experiences, while providing input on how institutions can better support well-being in learning environments.

“What started as a collaboration with the Centre for Educational Excellence and SFU Health Promotion has expanded to the University British Columbia, and now other post-secondary institutions in the province with the help of BCcampus,” says Yuna Chen, acting associate director of SFU Health Promotion.

“We are so grateful for the champions, faculty, instructors and staff that have supported this initiative and created a culture of well-being in their learning environments and beyond.”

The first event will focus on cognitive bandwidth depletion and recovery and its relation to mental health and well-being in learning environments. It begins with a keynote by Cia Verschelden on Nov. 10, followed by a keynote commentary with local student, staff and faculty panelists on Nov. 12.

The second event on Dec. 3 will feature roundtable presentations by SFU and UBC faculty and staff that showcase promising learning environment practices that enhance student well-being. View the upcoming sessions and register now on the BCcampus website.

Financial support for this initiative is provided by SFU’s Student Experience Initiative and collaborators, UBC Health Promotion & Education and BCcampus.