University students are a high risk population for mental health problems, yet few seek professional help when experiencing problems.

This study explored the potential role of an online intervention for promoting wellbeing in university students, by investigating students' help-seeking behaviour, intention to use online interventions and student content preference for such interventions; 254 university students responded to an online survey designed for this study.

As predicted, students were less likely to seek help as levels of psychological distress increased. Conversely, intention to use an online intervention increased at higher levels of distress, with 39.1%, 49.4% and 57.7% of low, moderate and severely distressed students respectively indicating they would use an online program supporting student well-being.

Results suggest that online interventions may be a useful way to provide help to students in need who otherwise may not seek formal help.

Universal online interventions might engage psychologically distressed university students who are unlikely to seek formal help

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1467-842X.1999.tb01559.x

Why weren't we told? A personal search for the truth about our history

Perceptions of dual career development among elite level swimmers and basketball players

A holistic perspective on career development in UK female soccer players: A negative case analysis

Universities are dynamic environments. But university life presents challenges that may affect the mental health of its community. Higher education institutions provide opportunities to promote public health. Our objective is to summarise the current evidence on strategies to promote mental health at the university, following a setting-based model. We conducted a systematic literature review following standard methods. Published literature that evaluated structural and organizations strategies to promote mental health at the university was selected. 19 papers were included. The majority of the studies were targeting the students, with only four aiming to promote employees’ mental health. The most promising strategies to promote mental wellbeing included changes in the way students are taught and assessed. On the other hand, social marketing strategies had not impact on mental health. There is inconclusive evidence related to the effectiveness of policies to promote mental health. Universities should invest in creating supportive physical, social and academic environments that promote student and staff mental wellbeing. However, the current body of evidence is scarce and more research is needed to recommend what are the best strategies.

Setting-based interventions to promote mental health at the university: a systematic review

High performance school-age athletes struggle to balance the demands of their sporting and educational roles. They are like “hyphenated” individuals striving to deal with more than one life. This investigation examines the views of talented athletes who are full-time school students to elicit their perspectives of how they deal with the pressures to perform in these two different arenas. Previous published research on this topic has not included athletes’ views or “given voice” to school-age high performance athletes’ perceptions of how they balance two full-time lives. This study incorporated a cross-sectional design using qualitative techniques in an interpretivist paradigm. Data collection was through interviews using Livescribe™ pen. NVivo 9.2™ was used to analyse interviews from nine current and 10 former school-age high performance athletes (n = 19) across a range of sports. Findings were categorised into five themes: physical, social, educational, psychological and economic issues. In particular participants in this study identified specific problems they experienced with physical and social issues of: tiredness, nutritional awareness, procrastination, and personal sacrifices. All participants indicated they wanted to pursue both their education and sport, reinforcing the Element theoretical construct that doing both connects their sense of identity, purpose and well-being. Implications for policy and practice in schools and in sports are discussed with a view to identifying the characteristics that define an ‘athlete friendly school’. Research findings from this study also provide suggestions about how these young athletes, their parents, and teachers can optimise the dual-demands and pressures on these athletes’ lives.

Pressures to perform: An interview study of Australian high performance school-age athletes’ perceptions of balancing their school and sporting lives

Marking-criteria rubrics are commonly used to judge the quality of student work, but few students receive instruction to effectively use and apply rubrics. This study investigates an intervention designed to encourage effective utilisation of rubrics. The study, completed over two years (2011: n = 189 respondents; 2012: n = 464 respondents) in a large first-year course, explored how five instructional activities, used formatively and sequentially impacted student learning. This intervention comprised: (1) deconstruction of the rubric and standardising the marking method; (2) examples and exemplars; (3) peer review; (4) self-review; and (5) a reflective diary. Results showed an increase in student confidence with marking criteria and assessment (89% in 2011) and a statistically significant improvement in marks. Most students (77% in 2011 and 90% in 2012) rated each intervention as useful. Student feedback indicated that substantial changes occurred between initial drafts and final submission, which...

Demystifying the rubric: a five-step pedagogy to improve student understanding and utilisation of marking criteria

This article describes the findings of an action research project which examined the link between academic self-efficacy and the study behaviours of students in a tertiary bridging program at a regional university in Australia. It describes the gap which exists between students' instruction in, and knowledge of, being a self-directed learner and the enacting of study behaviours which demonstrate that instruction and knowledge. The intervention employed in the study resulted in significant improvements in many areas of academic self-efficacy and study behaviours and demonstrates the effectiveness of the tertiary bridging program in this regard. The appropriateness of using traditional forms of assessment in tertiary bridging programs is discussed.

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Investigating the influence of teacher strategies on academic self-efficacy and study behaviour of students in a tertiary bridging program

This study examines the academic performance of students in a first year undergraduate mathematics course at a regional university.  A custom designed questionnaire which assessed study behaviours, staff support and peer and family relationships and the levels of mathematics efficacy and anxiety was completed by 162 students.  The study established a wide range of mathematical efficacy based upon the number and type of mathematics courses completed at the secondary level of education and identifies this as the primary factor in student failure in the course.  The need for institutions to acknowledge the diversity of student preparedness in mathematics at the first year undergraduate level and respond through the use of academic staff with appropriate educational training and a caring and supportive teaching pedagogy is described.  The capacity of a single one-size-fits-all mathematics course in the first semester of undergraduate study to meet the needs of all students is discussed.

/pdf/first-year-mathematics-at-a-regional-university-does-it-3fo8y2juxl.pdf

First Year Mathematics at a regional university: Does it cater to student diversity?

Little is known about Australian high-performance school-age athletes’ experiences as victims of the tall poppy syndrome. Tall poppies are successful individuals bullied by those who are less successful in order to “normalize them.” Nineteen current or previous national or international high-performance school-age athletes were interviewed (12 females and seven males). NVivo 10 was used to analyze interview data. Findings indicated all 12 females were bullied at school and this had a detrimental impact on their school life and well-being. No male athletes reported being bullied and their failure to mention this warrants further investigation. Parents and teachers require a greater awareness of tall poppy syndrome behaviors, and schools should promote an antibullying culture that includes resilience training for talented individuals.

Bill Allen

Papers

Pressures to perform: An interview study of Australian high performance school-age athletes’ perceptions of balancing their school and sporting lives

Demystifying the rubric: a five-step pedagogy to improve student understanding and utilisation of marking criteria

Investigating the influence of teacher strategies on academic self-efficacy and study behaviour of students in a tertiary bridging program

First Year Mathematics at a regional university: Does it cater to student diversity?

Tall Poppies: Bullying Behaviors Faced by Australian High-Performance School-Age Athletes