Assumption University Graduate School of Psychology Mental Health Awareness Day 2016 "Psychological First Aid"

Assumption University Graduate School of Psychology and Assumption University Counseling Services held the annual World Mental Health Day at the University's Bangna Campus on the 13th of October 2016. The goal of this event is to spread awareness on the importance of mental health and help reduce stigma so that people can have access to mental health care as soon as possible and be able to improve their lives.

This year's theme "Psychological First Aid" is very timely in connection to the various crisis and challenges we face in our world today. And although going through difficult as well as confusing times is but very common in our lives, this should not hinder us from living  our lives to the fullest. Mental health care is important because it helps us make better choices and supports us become resilient in times of crisis.

As school counselors we are also aware that one of the most challenging part of a person's life is going through the demands and pressure of being a student in keeping up with the University's expectations and standards. And although a great number of students are coping well with these demands and have maintain a positive outlook in life, others need support specially with learning how to adapt positive coping skills.

Thus, giving importance to the mental health of the students is important so that they can be guided through self discovery and become aware of their strength as individuals and be able to positively cope with the challenges they face.

The annual Mental Health Awareness Day provided an opportunity for students and non-student participants a chance to an open conversation about mental health. And the school psychologist together with the interns provided information on the common mental health problems such as anxiety, stress, positive psychology as well as other issues students face in their daily life.

Different types of psychology testing were also available such as the Career Interest Survey, Right/Left Brain Dominance Test, the VAK Learning Style Self-Assessment Questionnaire, and the Cohen Perceived Stress.

The counseling psychologist and the interns also provided information on the test results and invited the students and participants to visit the school counseling center to talk more regarding their concerns and the benefits of mental health care.

The event turn out to be a success and a huge number of students came and took the psychological test and also participated in an interactive dialogue with the counselors.

The event was also graced and honored by the presence of  Bro. Dr. Bancha Saenghiran, President-Rector of Assumption University of Thailand. Bro. Bancha shared his insights about life and also inspirational thoughts for a better life.

The event was made possible because of the support and leadership of the graduate school of psychology students, faculty and staff, Assumption University Suvarnabhumi Campus staff and the Assumption University Counseling Center Services interns.

Lastly, a peaceful and balance life is possible. And know that help is always available. It is very important that you seek professional mental health care and know that there is dignity in reaching out for help. Let me encourage you to talk to your psychotherapist or counselors about your concerns and learn more about the importance of mental health in your life.

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Bridging the Void: Teaching the Digital Natives

Nowadays, students have all the tools to access information. The internet plus the availability of various digital tools had provided them with information they can access anywhere, everywhere and anytime. And it shows that teachers are no longer the main source of information. Suddenly, we realized that our classroom orientation which used to focus on content, theory and information became the thing of the past. Google had successfully took us over.

Indeed the emergence of social media, google, podcast, blogs, youtube and smart phones had created a paradigm shift in the role of teachers and the education system. Our students learning dynamics and their learning style had changed and had taken flight to the rapid evolution of the internet and technology. Mark Prensky on his essay on Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants said that "our students have changed radically. They are no longer the people our education system was designed to teach."

So what does it mean to be a teacher in today's generation of students? We become the filter. Contrary to the general notion that the internet and technology is a disruption to learning, we need to teach them how to use it to their advantage. We should teach them how to use the available resources and tools to gather,collaborate, communicate, leverage, synthesize and validate these information.

Our curriculum should no longer focus on facts and content but on the skills our students need to learn. The questions that we ask our students should no longer be the what of things but how things work. They should be able to communicate, connect and adapt learning to live sustainably. Furthermore, students must be taught how to process information, be critical thinkers and be creative. The goal is to encourage them to create, evaluate, analyze and understand.

So as teachers how do we benefit from technology?

Communication skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) - We can teach our students how to use social media to enhance their communication skills. We can show them how to write blogs, read and comment on relevant issues on social media, create appropriate videos to communicate with other people as well as listen to relevant issues on youtube, TedEX, podcast or any educational sites and comment or write a feedback.

Knowledge Acquisition - We can teach them how to search and locate information efficiently. We can introduce them to different databases and online library or how to determine information that are relevant.

Data-Sharing skills - We can teach our students to find and share relevant information to others who shares their interest. We can also introduce internet etiquette and exercise better judgement on what to share online.

Critical Thinking and problem solving - This is the area where we teach our students to use logic to enhance their decision making skills. They will learn how to evaluate whether the information are valid and reliable.

Independence, self-direction, and goal orientation - technology allows students to work alone, therefore we need to encourage them to be confident. Working alone should be able to motivate them rather than disengage. They should be reinforce to complete their task independently and be satisfied with the outcome.

Team or group work - students are taught to work together and collaborate through online communities. Project and group assignments can be done online through synchronous or asynchronous virtual environment. We can integrate the use of social media or web boards to create interaction between the students.

Social Skills - Students are taught how to practice personal responsibilities and ethics when socializing online. Students should be taught etiquette of electronic communication. They are also taught how to formulate sentences to avoid misunderstanding.

Creativity - students are encourage to express themselves and share information through different domains. They can channel their creativity by creating blogs, podcast, animation, planning, recording, programs and design. The internet has been a crowded source of inappropriate information. Therefore teachers should encourage the students to create educational materials related to their coursework to be able to develop their creative skill in a positive way.

Openness to Change - The lesson we can get from technology is that nothing stays the same forever. However the development and evolution of technology will create a desire in students to be open-minded and ready to adapt to change. And with the skills they learn they will be able to apply it to their lives and be flexible to the changes around them.

Hence teaching in the 21st century isn't really that complicated. And technology and the internet is our friend. So as teachers, we just need to re-evaluate how we accommodate these tools to create a meaningful and effective learning environment.


Reference

Dunn D. S. (2011) Best Practices for Technology-Enhanced Teaching and Learning Connecting to Psychology and Social Sciences. Oxford University Press
Prensky M. (2001) Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants, MCB University Press Vol. 9 No. 5

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