Welcome back to Part 2 of our series on helping exhausted students. In the first part of our exploration into the challenges of student exhaustion, we explored the data from Ball State University’s Student Satisfaction Survey, shedding light on the prevalence and nuances of student exhaustion. Now, we dive a little deeper into understanding the underlying causes of student exhaustion and unveil strategies to support students facing these challenges.

Switching from High-demand, Low-resource to Low-demand, High-resource 

As discussed in the first part of this blog entry, student burnout can be viewed in the Job Demands-Resource (JD-R) model, a theoretical framework offering insights into the interplay between demands and resources in shaping student experiences. Demerouti et al. (2001) proposed that this model elucidates how high demands coupled with limited resources precipitate burnout, engendering disengagement and distress.

Unmasking the Demon of Student Exhaustion 

In ancient times and some great classic horror movies, there was a belief that knowing the name of a demon confers a measure of control over it. Bringing student exhaustion to the forefront of the conversation. Normalizing student exhaustion removes the stigma and encourages students to seek support, fostering a collaborative environment for proactive strategies to manage workloads and prioritize well-being. It shifts focus from blame to solutions and reduces pressure on students to be superhuman. This approach allows students to prioritize their health without compromising academic performance, resulting in a more supportive and successful learning experience.

Similarly, understanding the specific causes of student exhaustion can empower educators to address these challenges more effectively. By identifying the demons of exhaustion—whether they manifest as academic pressures, financial burdens, or social stressors—teachers can gain insight into the unique struggles their students face.

Causes for Exhaustion 

Before we move forward, let’s explore some of the most common causes behind student exhaustion.

Institutional and Systemic Factors

Let’s talk about the deep-rooted problems lurking within educational institutions, holding students back and draining them dry. It’s not just about the lack of resources or support services; it’s the systemic barriers that make students feel like they’re swimming against the current. The campus climate, administrative red tape, and the suffocating academic culture all add up, leaving students drowning in exhaustion.

Social and Personal Challenges

Beyond the classroom walls, there’s a battleground of social pressures, relationship dramas, and personal complexities waiting to pounce on students. Loneliness, isolation, and the weight of interpersonal conflicts—they’re like vultures circling, ready to tear down mental health and drain every ounce of energy.

Work and Financial Pressures

Picture this: students stretching themselves thin, working tirelessly to make ends meet while trying to keep up with their studies. The burden of covering tuition and rent and drowning in student loan debt—is a relentless storm that leaves them battered and worn out.

Caregiving Responsibilities

Some students aren’t just balancing textbooks; they’re juggling family obligations, such as caring for children, elderly relatives, or siblings. It’s a tightrope walk between academic duties and caregiving responsibilities, draining every ounce of emotional and physical energy, leaving nothing for themselves.

Health and Wellness

The toll of poor physical health, sleepless nights, and neglecting self-care—it’s a recipe for exhaustion. Chronic illness, sleep disorders, and unhealthy habits—they’re like chains dragging students down, leaving them gasping for air in a sea of fatigue.

Academic Demands

The relentless onslaught of heavy workloads, unforgiving course work, and merciless deadlines—it’s a battlefield where students fight tooth and nail just to stay afloat. Juggling multiple classes, drowning in assignments, and facing exams—it’s a pressure cooker that saps every last drop of energy. (Córdova, et. al. 2015)

Sleep Problems

Sleep—the elusive elixir of life—is shrouded in darkness as students burn the midnight oil, trying to cram in every bit of knowledge. But the consequences are dire—cognitive function is impaired, mood swings like a pendulum, and stress levels are off the charts. It’s a vicious cycle fueled by late-night studying and the cacophony of noisy environments, pushing students deeper into the abyss of exhaustion. (Pagnin, et al. 2014)

So, What Can We Do to Prevent Student Exhaustion? 

As we know, many of the causes of student exhaustion exist in a higher sphere where faculty members have no influence. BUT that doesn’t mean we’re going to shrug our shoulders and move on. There’s a specific area where we can make a difference… How we design and teach our courses.

Here are some strategies you can implement to reduce student exhaustion in your class and transition from a high-demand, low-resource scenario to a more sustainable low-demand, high-resource environment:

Streamline Course Requirements

• Critically evaluate your course’s essential learning objectives and assessments, like replacing multiple small homework assignments with a comprehensive project that integrates various concepts (Lang, 2016).
• Eliminate unnecessary assignments or readings that do not directly contribute to the core learning goals, such as assigning a few critical analysis papers throughout the semester instead of requiring weekly reading responses (Nilson, 2016).
• Provide clear guidelines and rubrics to minimize confusion and unnecessary effort for students, like specifying the essential components and expectations through a clear rubric for a research paper (Lang, 2016; Nilson, 2016).

Incorporate Active Learning Strategies

• Implement collaborative learning activities, such as group discussions, problem-solving exercises, and peer review sessions, like dividing students into groups to analyze case studies and present their findings to the class in a biology course (Freeman et al., 2014).
• Encourage student engagement through interactive lectures, flipped classroom approaches, and technology-enhanced learning tools. For example, flip a marketing course by having students watch pre-recorded lectures and use class time for discussions, problem-solving, and interactive activities (Prince, 2004).
• Foster a learning environment that promotes critical thinking and application rather than rote memorization, like leveraging a classroom response system like Poll Everywhere in a history course to engage students in real-time quizzes and discussions (Prince, 2004).

Promote Time Management and Study Skills

• Provide resources and guidance on effective time management strategies for students, such as creating a module or resources in your LMS with tips on effective note-taking, prioritizing tasks, and avoiding procrastination (Hartwig & Dunlosky, 2012).
• Share study tips and techniques to help students optimize their learning efforts, like inviting a guest speaker from the academic success center to share time management strategies and study techniques in your introductory course.
• Encourage students to seek support from academic advisors, tutoring services, or peer study groups if needed. For example, encourage students in a writing-intensive course to form peer review groups and provide feedback on each other’s drafts (Zimmerman, 2002).

Leverage Technology and Online Resources

• Curate relevant online simulations, tutorials, and interactive resources to supplement in-class activities, like incorporating relevant online simulations and tutorials for a physics course.
• Encourage the use of digital note-taking tools, collaboration platforms, and productivity apps to streamline workflow, such as employing collaborative note-taking tools like OneNote or Google Docs in a seminar course to facilitate shared note-taking and real-time collaboration (Means et al., 2009; Siemens, 2005).

Foster a Supportive and Inclusive Learning Environment

• Establish clear communication channels and office hours for students to seek help or clarification, like implementing a “question of the day” routine in a computer science course, allowing students to ask questions anonymously and address common concerns.
• Promote a sense of community and belonging within the classroom, encouraging peer support and collaboration, such as encouraging students in a foreign language course to share their cultural backgrounds and experiences, fostering cross-cultural understanding (Tinto, 1997).
• Be mindful of diverse learning styles and accommodate different needs through various instructional methods and accessible materials, like providing alternative format materials (e.g., audio recordings, closed captions) for students with disabilities in an online course.

Provide Flexibility and Accommodations

• Offer alternative assignment options or deadlines for students facing extenuating circumstances, such as providing an alternative project option for students in a graphic design course who may have limited access to specific software or hardware (Graham et al., 2013).
• Collaborate with student support services to ensure resources and accommodations are available for students with disabilities or other special needs, such as working with the disability resource center to provide accommodations, like extended time on exams or note-taking assistance, for eligible students in your courses (Burgstahler, 2015).

By implementing these strategies, we will create a supportive learning environment that prioritizes student well-being alongside academic success. How can we continue to adapt and improve our approach to ensure that every student’s unique needs are met?

References