Online students

The online environment presents different challenges to managing students’ mental health and wellbeing. For a start, there are often no visual or auditory cues, and it is said that over 90% of our communication is non-verbal. If you notice behavioural change in your student, it is far harder to determine the cause of this change in the online environment. So you may not know what’s happening unless they choose to tell you.

Online students can be less inhibited under the cloak of relative anonymity. Depending on the structure of the course, they may or may not seek support or connection with their fellow online students. Connection is important so if there’s an opportunity at the beginning of your course for students to get to know one another, that usually proves helpful. It can save time if students turn to one another for clarification rather than constantly emailing you.

​Students choose to study online for various reasons. Often the choice involves other pressures in their lives: family, work, travel or their own mental health. Students who are anxious may prefer the online environment where they don’t have to interact face to face with people. They may believe that it will be easier to disengage without being noticed.

What can I do to help?
  • It is helpful if you ensure that all your correspondence is very clear. The student should know what is expected of them because all your instructions are unambiguous. Confirm that they have understood.
  • Encourage the students to build their own online peer support network. Sometimes they may create their own Facebook group.
  • Feedback can be a source of stress. Ensure your feedback is clear, specific and constructive. Give examples where appropriate.
  • Follow up on students who are absent (for example, from online chatrooms, not submitting work or not completing quizzes).
  • If appropriate, remind your class of other aspects of their lives which are important, apart from study, and encourage them to put effort into connections which have some meaning and value to them.
  • Sometimes an online student may make comments where the tone appears to be aggressive. Don’t ignore this. If you feel frustrated, take a break before you respond. Remove their posts from the Discussion Board. Then explain what is unacceptable and remind them that everyone at UON needs to abide the Code of Conduct. Consider further disciplinary action if the content and tone of their online contributions don’t improve.
  • If emails or discussion posts are confused, bizarre or inappropriate, you can consult UON Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) or Campus Care for further advice.
  • Consider creating a ‘Student Wellbeing’ or ‘Need Help’ button on Blackboard that includes UON wellbeing initiatives, student service contacts and tips from experienced online students about coping with stress and maintaining positive mental health.

Sometimes our online students are unaware of the online counselling services offered by UON CAPS via phone, zoom and skype.

Services include Skype Drop In Sessions via Skype text. No appointment is required.

CAPS can assist students to access a range of online mental wellbeing tools and apps, and to connect with mental health services in their local areas.

(Link https://www.newcastle.edu.au/current-students/support/personal/counselling/online-counselling)

Students can also contact the UON After-Hours Support Line – students can talk to a counsellor outside of office hours (5pm-9am Mon-Fri and 24hrs weekends and public holidays. Ph: 1300 653 007 or SMS: 0488 884 165.