Online in Covid Times
Ray Schroeder
UIS Associate Vice Chancellor
UPCEA Senior Fellow
First: A word about presentation format. For the past dozen years, we have been "power-point-less" at the UIS Center for Online Learning, Research and Service. Rather than using a static, aging format, we prefer to create Web pages for our presentations to assure that they are easily accessible, updatable, and always available. I will not be following every link, and I will not be playing any of the videos in our presentation on the 6th. The intent is that this will serve as a reference meta-site for you on the topic.
Please follow along on your own device (or visit at a later date) to delve more deeply into the links and videos that interest you.
Overview of Challenge
Worldwide, lives are stressed and strained by COVID-19. Nowhere is that more evident than in the lives of students, staff and faculty members engaged in the transformed role of online learning. As higher education adapts to teaching and learning at a distance, the workload and the learning load of adopting a new delivery mode is taking a huge toll on the lives of those in higher education. Burnout, loneliness, and domestic violence are on the rise as students and staff live in virtual isolation. This is an immense problem that is growing rapidly. While there are some students who are thriving through online learning, the toll of the virus, isolation, increased workloads and other associated effects are rising among many students, staff and faculty members. It must not be underestimated. Every institution must address these challenges that threaten the well-being of their constituents.
Sad article from December:
Suburban College Student Dies by Suicide -
After Struggling With Isolation
After Struggling With Isolation
...."His potential was immense," [his] mother said. "My boy could have been anything."
As a freshman living in a dorm at UIUC, the pandemic drastically changed life for the 18-year-old. "He was a social person, so being alone was not him,"
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Youth Suicide: A hidden Crisis
Youth suicide was already at a record high before the pandemic — with increases among teens every year from 2007 to 2017, it is the second-leading cause of death among high-school-aged students — and some researchers fear the mental health consequences of coronavirus restrictions on not only schools, but also sports, could help elevate those numbers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a survey recently asking young adults whether they had thought about killing themselves in the past 30 days; 1 of 4 said they had.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/12/16/teen-athletes-suicide
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Some students are harder hit than others - Politico article:
Pandemic collides with concerns about LGBTQ students' mental health
Pandemic collides with concerns about LGBTQ students' mental health
Some of them are grappling with having to reel back their gender identity and exploration while at home because they’re not out to their parents. Others are dealing with being misgendered or being called by the wrong name in virtual classrooms because the technology doesn’t allow them to change their legal name. Students are also unable to linger after class to develop relationships with teachers who often become some of their greatest advocates.
NIH Demystifying Medicine: Suicide and Depression in Time of COVID-19 - April 13, 2021
While depression, suicide and COVID clearly are associated in terms of public health, are they also linked mechanistically, particularly in regard to neurobiology? Are there genetic factors or biomarkers for susceptibility? The April 13 presentations will address both public health and neurobiology aspects of this complex situation.
Air date: Tuesday, April 13, 2021, 4:00:00 PM
Time displayed is Eastern Time, Washington DC Local
Views: Total views: 379 (348 Live, 31 On-demand)
Category: Demystifying Medicine
Runtime: 01:59:59
Description: Demystifying Medicine Lecture Series
Here is where we are today in the U.S.
First - We need to become educated on the disease, its direct effects and indirect effects among students, staff and faculty members. Here are some sources:
Published on December 11, is my column that includes some of the first peer-reviewed research on the impact of the Covid crisis on mental health. It portends a very dark epidemic that will shadow the Covid pandemic. This is a very dangerous time both in terms of the virus and of the companion mental health issues for our universities.
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As early as May of 2020 we began to realize that students, faculty and staff were experiencing negative effects from misuse and overuse of Zoom and associated conferencing technologies. In a presentation earlier this week, I addressed the challenge of Zoom Fatigue.
Peer Reviewed Research Just Emerging - looks dim
Of course, the peer reviewed research on the mental health toll of the pandemic is just beginning to emerge, given the time required for studies, peer reviews and publications. But the early findings are not good. In Prevalence of Depression Symptoms in US Adults Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic | Depressive Disorders | JAMA Network Open | JAMA Network a sharp increase in depression is reported.... depression symptom prevalence was more than 3-fold higher during the COVID-19 pandemic than before https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2770146
In the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, binge drinking is reported to have soared. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00952990.2020.1832508
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning of an increase in drug overdose deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of 38 jurisdictions for which synthetic opioid data are available, 37 reported increases in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids for this period; 18 reported increases topping 50%; and 10 western states reported an increase of 98% in synthetic opioid–involved deaths. For the 12 months ending in May 2020, roughly 81,230 people died of a drug overdose in the United States."This represents a worsening of the drug overdose epidemic in the United States and is the largest number of drug overdoses for a 12-month period ever recorded," the CDC says in a health advisory. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/942917?src=mkm_covid_update_201218_MSCPEDIT&uac=371076DK&impID=2746628&faf=1
The Journal of Medical Internet Research includes a study "Effects of COVID-19 on College Students’ Mental Health in the United States: Interview Survey Study that concludes "The findings of our study highlight the urgent need to develop interventions and preventive strategies to address the mental health of college students." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7473764/
The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry includes a study on the "Impact of COVID on College Student Mental Health and Wellness" that concludes "COVID and associated educational/governmental mitigation strategies had a modest but persistent impact on mood and wellness behaviors of first-year university students. Colleges should prepare to address the continued mental health impacts of the pandemic."
https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(20)31988-2/fulltext
April 6, 2021 Article
Most recently, the Lancet Psychiatry journal published a study showing that one out of every three patients who had contracted Covid also experienced neurological and psychiatric diagnoses in patients in the 6 months following a COVID-19 diagnosis.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(21)00084-5/fulltext
This is the online course 2020 needed
Victoria Masterson, World Economic Forum
Emotions can help and hinder attention, decision-making, relationships, health, and performance. So learning to manage them is vital – particularly for teachers and their students – and especially now, with the global pandemic fuelling anxiety. A third of people in the US have reported feeling stress, anxiety or sadness that was difficult to cope with since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. To help manage these feelings, a new 10-hour free online course called Managing Emotions in Times of Uncertainty & Stress is being launched by Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/12/yale-mooc-managing-emotions-uncertainty-stress/
More from the National Institute of Mental Health
April 5, 2021
Through seed money provided by foundations and donors, Carthage College is offering teletherapy to expand access to counseling services
Survey data from the Spring 2019 National College Health Assessment by the American College Health Association indicated that in the previous year, three out of five students experienced overwhelming anxiety, and two out of five students were too depressed to function. Many struggled with these and other mental health concerns, including substance abuse.
https://www.ecampusnews.com/2021/04/05/teletherapy-expands-access-to-student-mental-health-support/
In this November, 2020 study, statistics show that Covid-19 is much more likely among those with mental health issues; also may cause mental health issues.
The study, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal.... also found that people with a pre-existing mental illness were 65% more likely to be diagnosed with COVID-19 than those without... psychiatrists said on Monday, after a large study found 20% of those infected with the coronavirus are diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder within 90 days.... In the three months following testing positive for COVID-19, 1 in 5 survivors were recorded as having a first time diagnosis of anxiety, depression or insomnia.
https://ca.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-mental-illness-int-idUSKBN27P35N
Signs that your apathy is really pandemic burnout
By LINDSAY TIGAR, FAST COMPANY, SUCCESS
Reminder: What We Don't Know
The virus has been known for only slightly more than a year. Our collective knowledge continues to evolve, meanwhile the virus itself is evolving. We thought in the beginning that hand washing was the primary defense; now we know that inhalation rather than hand to mouth or eye transmission is the primary risk for contagion.
We still do not fully understand the indirect impact of the virus. We do not know the impact of isolation on students. We don't know the full impact on learning loss, social engagement loss, and what is coming in the years ahead. There is much more to learn.
Best Practices for Faculty in Covid Mindfulness
UC Irvine - 10 suggestions well worth sharing with faculty members https://whcs.uci.edu/sites/default/files/integratingwellbeingguide_onepage.pdf
7 Tips for Online Learning: How to Excel as an Online Student
The Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning has supported Yale’s remote learning model since March 2020 and has supported Yale’s online learning initiatives on Coursera since 2014. The Center has developed a list of seven strategies any learner can use to succeed in an online classroom.
The Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning has supported Yale’s remote learning model since March 2020 and has supported Yale’s online learning initiatives on Coursera since 2014. The Center has developed a list of seven strategies any learner can use to succeed in an online classroom.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, COLRS is sending a daily Teaching Remotely tip.
Earlier this summer, at the suggestion of Aaron Brower and Ryan Anderson of the University of Wisconsin Extended Campus, UPCEA led the crowdsourcing of resources to support higher quality remote teaching for the 2020-2021 academic year. The project was bold, audacious, and one that proved to be challenging for a host of reasons, mainly due to the limited time everyone had this summer to think about anything other than fall preparations and institutional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
https://upcea.edu/crowdsourced-resources-for-the-2020-2021-academic-year/
LEARNING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: IT IS NOT WHO YOU TEACH, BUT HOW YOU TEACH
National Bureau of Economic Research
Working Paper
Working Paper
We use standardized end-of-course knowledge assessments to examine student learning during the disruptions induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Examining seven economics courses taught at four US R1 institutions, we find that students performed substantially worse, on average, in Spring 2020 when compared to Spring or Fall 2019. We find no evidence that the effect was driven by specific demographic groups. However, our results suggest that teaching methods that encourage active engagement, such as the use of small group activities and projects, played an important role in mitigating this negative effect. Our results point to methods for more effective online teaching as the pandemic continues.
https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w28022/w28022.pdf
Sustaining Emotional Connections with Your Students in an Age of COVID19 (Part 2 of 2)
Remember to be flexible and empathetic. As one commentator noted, “College students taking classes this fall are likely to be unusually vulnerable and will need lots of support as they navigate financial, health, and safety concerns.” The students who were most disadvantaged before COVID are also most likely the students who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-related deaths and illnesses, financial challenges, and other stresses due to unfolding political events.
Writing in the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Bonny Barr of Creighton University says, “Providing online student services is an important component of these distance programs and is often required by accrediting bodies. Health and wellness services for online students are especially essential, as college students are accessing mental health services at increasing rates on college campuses.” .... To help faculty identify possible issues, Barr divides possible warning signs into three categories:
Atypical behaviors, which may be behaviors that are simply not typical for a particular student.
Unusual behaviors,which Barr defines as “behavior that is abnormal or bizarre, even in the college community; such as paranoia, ongoing magical or fantastical thinking, or actions which interfere with the learning atmosphere.”
Poor academic performance,which can lead to a downward spiral as emotional issues compromise academic performance, which causes greater distress and anxiety.
Beating the Online Learning Blues
BY HANSA D. BHARGAVA, MD
WEBMD.com
And then there is the issue of the lack of socialization. Schools being online and most activities being canceled means less socialization, less interaction with friends, and less peer support. Social isolation can contribute to mental health issues like anxiety and depression, and the constant bad news about the pandemic and other issues makes things worse. In fact, a recent APA survey of older gen Z (ages 18-23) showed that 7 out of 10 are depressed. And 50% of teens felt uncertain about their future. Depression, anxiety, and chronic stress mean even less focus and less ability to multitask, which becomes a vicious cycle. Our kids and we, as parents, are in a tough time. Period.
https://blogs.webmd.com/webmd-doctors/20201103/beating-the-online-learning-blues
Burned Out: Stories of Compassion Fatigue
Patrice Prusko and Whitney Kilgore, EDUCAUSE Review
The unpredictable world that we currently inhabit has turned many lives upside-down, with everyone needing help, feeling stressed about what's been lost, and just needing someone to listen and care. On top of the already extensive list of job responsibilities that make us feel like a Swiss Army knife, we have now added to our emotional labor by becoming caregivers at a time when we most need care ourselves. For many of us, this has led to compassion fatigue.3 The instructional designers we spoke with mentioned the difficulties they have in balancing work and life. "It's hard to say no, because faculty are stressed and we care. How do you say no?" pondered Robert. An unexpected outcome of our current role is emotional labor.4
https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2020/12/burned-out-stories-of-compassion-fatigue
A Few Examples of University Covid Health Resource Sites
University of Minnesota https://med.umn.edu/covid-fatigue
University of California Irvine https://whcs.uci.edu/facultyresources
Butler University https://www.butler.edu/health-promotion/online-wellness-resources
University of Maryland https://www.faculty.umd.edu/main/resources/faculty-wellness-during-coronavirus-emergency
Case Western Reserve University https://case.edu/wellness/facultystaff/covid-19-wellness-resources
Penn State University https://news.psu.edu/story/639330/2020/11/17/campus-life/wellness-testing-and-transition-resources-available-students
Where Are We Going from Here?
Next Winter May Be Rough: Models Predict 'Considerable Surge' of COVID
Ken Terry, Medscape
April 12, 2021
It's likely the United States will see another surge of COVID-19 this winter, warned Christopher Murray, MD, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington in Seattle.... The IHME predicts that the percentage of Americans who usually don masks will decline from 73% today to 21% by August 1. With a rapid decline in mask use and a rise in mobility, there will still be more than 1000 deaths each day by July 1, Murray said. In a forecast released the day after Murray spoke, the IHME predicted that by August 1, there will be a total of 618,523 US deaths from COVID-19. Deaths could be as high as 696,651 if mobility among the vaccinated returns to pre-pandemic levels, the institute forecasts.
Most Important Caution !
For most of us, we must remember that we are not mental health professionals. We cannot diagnose or prescribe treatment of the virus or impact of the virus.
We can, however, be mindful of the dreadful impact.
We can, however, be good, active listeners.
We should be to understanding and compassionate in our understanding.
We can be alert to changes that call for referral or intervention by health professionals.
Summary of Response Priorities:
Understanding, Compassion, Active Caring
Understanding, Compassion, Active Caring
Remind yourself at the beginning of each day, "we are in the middle of an historic pandemic - the worst in a century or more - treat yourself and others with an understanding that these are not 'normal' times." The impact has resulted in nearly 600,000 (and rising) deaths in the US and some 25,000 in Illinois alone! We are working in life and death territory
The mental health impact of the pandemic will not end when the deaths subside; we will confront continuing and lingering higher rates of anxiety, depression, burnout and other mental health issues for years to come!
By comparison, grades in a course, submisson of assignments on time, etc. are inconsequential.
Understanding
Understanding includes active listening to comprehend the stresses, losses, pressures, and pains that others are feeling. Give them the "over and above" support that may not be expected.
Compassion
Compassion, in this case, is providing a supportive environnent that provides a kindness, empathy, and sympathy for students, co-workers, and others who all are suffering losses - many that are hidden - in this disaster.
Active Caring
Active caring means that we proactively monitor behavior and attitudes among our students and co-workers. We must be vigilant to pick up on subtle differences. We should inquire or act with compassion and care.
How can you keep up with the daily developments and trends?
Online: Trending Now: Ray's bi-weekly columns in Inside Higher Ed
https://www.insidehighered.com/users/ray-schroeder
Ray's Daily Curated Reading Lists and Social Media. Blogs with daily updates on the field of online / continuing learning in higher education
UPCEA Professional, Continuing and Online Education Update http://continuingedupdate.blogspot.com/
Online Learning Update http://people.uis.edu/rschr1/onlinelearning/blogger.html/
Recession Reality in Higher Education http://recessionreality.blogspot.com/
UIS OER Blog https://uisoerblog.blogspot.com/
Twitter @rayschroeder https://twitter.com/rayschroeder
Contact Ray
rschr1@uis.edu ~ rayschroeder@gmail.com - ray@upcea.edu
Associate Vice Chancellor for Online, Professor Emeritus
University of Illinois Springfield
Senior Fellow, University Professional and Continuing Education Assn.
217-206-7531
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