A roundtable discussion from experts in mental health about best practice for managing student anxieties in an uncertain world.
It is well-known that humans learn best in social groups. The shift back to campus-based teaching in 2023 has brought with it some anxiety around in-person interactions, over and above the general stress of the times, both due to the need to learn or adapt to social etiquette, and to manage crowd interactions amidst ongoing health concerns such as COVID.
This roundtable discussion will hear from some experts in mental health (including some from RMIT's Mental Health Innovation Network) about best practice for managing student anxieties in learning environments, and for student well-being in an uncertain world.
In this roundtable discussion, the focus will be on mental health, and particularly around the issues of the general return to campus and the social interactions that this requires. Some key questions here include:
Questions for the panel will be sought in advance and during the session and will be selected and managed by the moderator (and a support team).
Following past practice, a discussion paper summarising the discussion will be produced and made available after the event itself.
Each speaker will present their perspective on this topic and later will participate in an exciting panel session, which will be facilitated by Distinguished Professor Magdalena Plebanski, Director, Biomedical & Health Innovation Enabling Impact Platform.
Join us and contribute to the panel session with your questions to our panel via this registration form or on the day through the Teams Live Q&A.
The Digital Education Engagement Initiative is a group of academics in STEM which arose out of the ReStart Initiatives program developed by the Enabling Impact Platforms at RMIT University. This group has organised a number of events each year since 2020 on topics of interest, usually in the format of a roundtable discussion with 3 or 4 participants (either from RMIT or elsewhere). The event is run by a moderator and largely driven by questions from the audience (either live or submitted in advance). The most recent event in June 2023 was "Key skills sought by employers following the global pandemic".
In 2022, the DEEI organised a series of webinars that discussed the challenges RMIT staff and students faced and were continuing to experience during and after the COVID pandemic lockdowns. Such issues looked at disruption, isolation, and uncertainty with the instability of returning to campus.
The first event in this 2022 series, addressed similar issues from purely a student perspective, while the second event looked at similar issues from purely an academic teaching or research staff perspective. The final and third event hosted professional staff and provided an opportunity for them to express their views on what the future of the campus would look like from a provocative angle that would challenge any status quo.
This event is organised by:
This event is supported by the RMIT University's STEM College, Biomedical and Health Innovation, Information in Society, Advanced Materials, Manufacturing and Fabrication Enabling Impact Platforms.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.