Edited by Annie Storkey, Friday, 29 Oct 2021, 16:28
I realise that my last few blogging attempts might have given the impression that I am currently dwelling in a well of despond but really, nothing could be further from the truth. I want my reflections to be accurate accounts of my feelings about my research studies and consequently they can seem to be focused on how I might overcome challenges. But my research is actually something that brings me fulfilment and satisfaction, as I discover more aspects about a subject I feel passionate about; student mental health.
So today I would like to share how wonderful it was to attend a workshop yesterday looking at emotional resilience in students as part of current research focused on exploring how students might be supported when studying emotive and sensitive content. I won't discuss the research itself as it is still a work in progress but what was heartening was to see colleagues (and some students) from a variety of disciplines coming together to share ideas on a subject which is much neglected and urgently needs addressing. The fact that emotional resilience in online learning is a neglected territory has parallels with my own research into the support needs of online students with mental health challenges, and I found hearing about this research personally encouraging and it made me think about my own investigations; I will need to follow up this study when it is completed. I think this research study is one of the most important in educational research in the last few years and I was left feeling very positive at the end of the workshop about the future of learner support.
The joy of like minds
I realise that my last few blogging attempts might have given the impression that I am currently dwelling in a well of despond but really, nothing could be further from the truth. I want my reflections to be accurate accounts of my feelings about my research studies and consequently they can seem to be focused on how I might overcome challenges. But my research is actually something that brings me fulfilment and satisfaction, as I discover more aspects about a subject I feel passionate about; student mental health.
So today I would like to share how wonderful it was to attend a workshop yesterday looking at emotional resilience in students as part of current research focused on exploring how students might be supported when studying emotive and sensitive content. I won't discuss the research itself as it is still a work in progress but what was heartening was to see colleagues (and some students) from a variety of disciplines coming together to share ideas on a subject which is much neglected and urgently needs addressing. The fact that emotional resilience in online learning is a neglected territory has parallels with my own research into the support needs of online students with mental health challenges, and I found hearing about this research personally encouraging and it made me think about my own investigations; I will need to follow up this study when it is completed. I think this research study is one of the most important in educational research in the last few years and I was left feeling very positive at the end of the workshop about the future of learner support.
Annie