academic courses as outreach: teaching as a model of outreach delivery tom golightly, ph.d. dallas...
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Academic Courses as Outreach: Teaching as a
Model of Outreach Delivery
Tom Golightly, Ph.D.Dallas Jensen, Ph.D
Counseling and Psychological ServicesBrigham Young University
Provo, Utah
CAPS MissionCounseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
offers preventive education, consultation, individual, group and couples counseling (as well as referrals to other agencies which provide similar services) for developmental, emotional or interpersonal difficulties that arise during the educational process. We espouse a Counseling Center philosophy recognizing that our mission is to assist student in fulfilling their educational goals by helping them overcome obstacles that interfere with their ability to succeed in college.
Teaching Fits the MissionPsychological Difficulties/Personal Development
Impede academic performance and progressBuilding character/Life skillsIncrease retention
Academic/Learning ConcernsImpedes academic performance, related to
retention
Career Concerns Related to academic progress, lifelong
service, character building, life roles after college
Other Factors Worth Noting
BYU students: 10.5 semesters to graduate.University interested in matriculation
Surveys of Student Needs, Reported problemsObstacles of freshmen: poor study skills (60%), time
management (67%), fear of failure (40%) poor concentration (41%)
On warning/probation (<2.0): 43% sensitive concerns/depression/anxiety; double typical student.
80% of students enrolled indicated they needed to improve study skills, more than 50% high school did not prepare them for college-level work.
Current Teaching Program: 34 courses offered
Life Planning and Decision Making: Student Leadership Development, Individual Development, Positive Psychology/Living, Performance Psychology, Developing Personal Character, Tutoring
Career Exploration/Career Strategies: Employment, Graduate School, Pre-Law, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Dentistry, Pre-Health Professions, Exploratory Internships
Essential College Skills: Effective Study and Learning, Surviving and Thriving at the University, Test Preparation, Advanced Reading Strategies, Financial Management
Enrollment in StDev Courses (University Enrollment – 32,000)
Year/Term
Fall Winter
Spring/Summer
Total
2015 --- 3150 545 6,500 < n < 6,700 (est.)
2014* 2832 3034 421 6287
2013* 2923 3144 558 6625
2012 3023 3137 500 6660
2011 3003 3078 241/228
6550
2010 3032 3098 403 6533
2009 2943 2730 390 6063
*- years University enrollment was between 27,000 – 28,000 (-12%)
Fall 2015 offerings:•122 sections•33 courses
What students are saying… This has been the most useful and applicable course I have taken at
BYU. This course should be a must for any student. The principles I learned in this class have made the college workload far more manageable and I thoroughly enjoyed every class period. I actually looked forward to Mondays because of this class.
Thanks for a great semester of learning about myself and the importance of being myself in my career exploration. I will continue to use the tools I have developed to further my education.
This class changed my outlook on life and hopefully I'll continue applying these things for the rest of my life.
This course opened my mind to many ideas. It definitely helped me develop as a student. Because of it I am much more confident about my future, both in academics and ultimately my career.
Really great professor. Is very passionate about the subject matter and provided a lot of real world experience. He also made the class very applicable to our every day lives. Loved the meditation/relaxation segments.
Course Examples
StDev 109: Effective Studying and Learning
Availability for 325 students
Some students referred by academic support units and other advisors
Some students are under university academic sanction
Content
StDev 117: Career Exploration
(subsets)
Availability for 437 students
One section for int’l students and two for women
Typically under-classmen
Wide ranges of career maturity
Content
2 Additional Examples
StDev 247: Performance Enhancement
Students in performance arenas (student-athletes, music, dance, theater arts, academic performance, etc.)
Experientially-based course
Heavy focus on CBT techniques
Content
StDev 358: Leadership Training
Akin to paraprofessional training
Knowledge and practice-based course
- Focus on identification/recognition and beginner counseling skills
- Strategies for self-care also taught
Content
Sample Activity
Adjusting to your populationMindfulness (Here and Now)
Positive Psychology – Flow
Drilling Down:The Example of SPoPL
Student Development 214R: “The Science & Practice of Positive Living”
Since 2010Twice/semester; Fall and Winter20/25 students
What I Hope to Share:
One example of ways to take expertise out to the campus community via a course/workshop format
How the course worksBasic philosophy IngredientsProcess
What I Hope to Share:
The utility of measuring the effectiveness of what we’re doing
What the data says
Ideas to get you thinking about outreach in a class or extended workshopCreative ways to meet demandNot just a ‘reactive’ service
Development of the Course
Intent: create a combination of intellectual + experiential learning about increasing well-being…
…that also happens to yield a grade, and course credits…
…and meshes with aims of outreachPrevention, educationMental health professionals for the campus, not just
clients in our offices
Development of the Course
What can I offer?
What have I enjoyed teaching?
How can I use what I’m interested in to enhance the mental health of the campus?
The pitch to the higher-ups: Create a vision for what the course could offer Show how it could be good use of resources
Night class?
Philosophy of the Course
Enhance well-being/emotional health in 15 weeks
More than one way to balance a scaleThe absence of disease =/= health
Educate, invite new perspectives, discuss...not therapy
Perhaps more palatable for some students? feels different than a focus on pathology, distress
Hammer HARD on discarding the typical mentality when they walk in the classroom door
Shawn Achor talks (very fast) about happiness
Course StructureExperiential learning
Biggest ROI
Supported by science/research
Cemented by writing, discussion
Basic process of the course: “Science of ______”Experiential Assignment Record thoughts/feelingsDiscussion & Follow-up Rinse & repeat
Mar 2 The Science of Interpersonal Connections
Mar 7 Discussion & Follow-Up
Mar 9 The Science of Happiness: What is it, anyway?
Mar 14 Discussion & Follow-Up
Mar 16 The Science of (Di)Stress Management
Mar 21 Discussion & Follow-Up
Mar 23 The Science of Decision Making: Dealing with Ambiguity
Mar 28 Discussion & Follow-Up
Mar 30 The Science of Mindfulness
Apr 4 Discussion & Follow-Up
Ingredients
12 Modules, topics related to well-being and mental/emotional health
Media presentations by students
A sprinkling of readings, quizzes
Discussion groups
Investment Points (self-graded)
Final synthesis paper
What kinds of topics?
Happiness
Savoring
Stress Management
Mindfulness
Decision Making
Exercising Will
Others
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Purposes and values
Character Strengths
Gratitude
Self-Compassion, Awe, Empathy, Altruism
Example Module: Purposes & Values
Research on values, meaningfulness
How aware? (Values sort)
How engaged?
What do you want to be about?
Can you start living in those directions?
Two assignment options, journal, discussion, wrap-up
Sample Experiential Assignment: Gratitude Gratitude II Experiential Assignment: Gratitude Letter
Think about the people in your life that have significantly contributed to you in some way. Consider those who have been especially kind to you but may have never heard you really express your gratitude.
Write a Gratitude Letter to one of these individuals describing in concrete terms why you are grateful. The letter needs to be in-depth and concrete: name specifics the person did for you, and exactly how it has affected your life. Perhaps share what you are doing now and how you often remember their efforts. Make it come alive. Note: this is a letter, not a text, tweet, facebook message, or thank-you note.
Once you have written the letter, the next step is to deliver the message. You have some options here—the first two are more challenging but more rewarding, the third one may be easier but you’ll miss out on some of the rewards. It’s up to you which one you choose but I want to invite you to push yourself.
Options
1. Deliver the letter in person and read it to the person.
2. Call the person if they are too far away to visit, and read them your letter over the phone.
3. Send your letter through regular mail/email.
Make sure to note thoughts/feelings/reactions about your experience, and its effects on you and the other person, in your course journal. For the discussion groups, be prepared to share a bit about who you thanked and why, and what kinds of things you included in your letter.
Discussion Groups
Small groups
Takes some initial coaching
Provide some back-up questions
Everyone share their experience
Students write about these groups in their final papers
Investment Points
Completed at the end of each unit
Experience 30
Journal 10
Discussion 10
50 x 12 = 600 of the 1000 possible points
Assessing Effectiveness:Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Just Measure Something
Pilot study
Pre/Post for several semesters (Fall ‘12 – Winter ‘14)About 140 total
How do I want to measure it?Some qualitative, some quantitativeSome ambitious, because research studySome quick and easySimple pre-to-post changeAdministrators like number-y things
Gaining Campus Commitment to Outreach
Tools Used:
Psychological Well-Being Scales Autonomy Environmental Mastery Personal Growth Positive Relations Purpose in Life Self Acceptance
Life Orientation Test-Revised
Outcome Questionnaire 45.2
Self In School
Mindful Attention Awareness Scale
Savoring Beliefs Inventory
Gratitude Questionnaire-6
Subjective Happiness Scale
Approaches to Happiness Questionnaire
So…Does It Work?Pre Mean Post Mean Difference t p
Psychological Well Being- Autonomy 56.36 58.47 -2.11 -3.112 0.002
Psychological Well Being- Environmental Mastery 57.77 61.97 -4.2 -5.612 < .001
Psychological Well Being- Personal Growth 69.63 70.83 -1.2 -2.073 0.04
Psychological Well Being- Positive Relations 63.23 65.88 -2.65 -3.582 < .001
Psychological Well Being- Purpose in Life 66.34 68.67 -2.33 -3.471 0.001
Psychological Well Being- Self Acceptance 60.42 65.51 -5.09 -6.419 < .001
Psychological Well Being- Total 373.75 391.33 -17.58 -5.345 < .001
Life Orientation Test 20.99 22.77 -1.78 -6.018 < .001
OQ Symptom Distress 32.2 27.86 4.34 4.532 < .001
OQ Interpersonal Relations 11.65 9.65 2 4.716 < .001
OQ Social Role 10.92 10.28 0.64 1.928 0.056
OQ Total 54.78 47.78 7 4.539 < .001
Self in School 85.26 87.35 -2.09 -2.26 0.025
Approaches to Happiness- Meaning 22.3 23.31 -1.01 -3.541 0.001
Approaches to Happiness- Pleasure 18.47 18.73 -0.26 -0.747 0.456
Approaches to Happiness- Engagement 16.74 17.28 -0.54 -1.95 0.053
Gratitute Questionnaire 37.53 38.09 -0.56 -1.849 0.067
Subjective Happiness Scale 19.71 21.53 -1.82 -5.994 < .001
Mindful Attention Awareness Scale 3.75 3.76 -0.01 -0.03 0.976
SBI- Savoring the Moment 4.82 5.04 -0.22 -2.623 0.01
Paired Samples t-test
Bonferroni's Correction: Bold = sig at p < .004
So…Does It Work? (MANOVA highlights)
Pre Mean
Post Mean f p
Psychological Well Being- Total 373.75 391.33 7.78 0.006
Life Orientation Test 20.99 22.77 10.1 0.002
OQ Total 54.78 47.78 6.59 0.011
Subjective Happiness Scale 19.71 21.53 8.15 0.005
So…Does It Work?
95/133 people started in the clinical range on the OQ = students that need help may be self-selecting into
the class
Post-hocs: more advanced students benefited a bit more from the class
No difference between in therapy/not in therapy at time of classBut those with previous therapy differed significantly
from those without
What Do Students Say?Snippets from papers, course evaluations:
(Prevention/Education?)
“Yes, I have to admit this 2 credit course is probably the easiest ‘A’ I will ever receive, but it has been the most impactful 2 credits of my college career.”
“To be honest I thought the class would be something I could blow off and get an easy A. As the semester progressed I realized this class was what was holding me together.”
“I signed up to take this class because I needed two extra credits I needed to fill in and learning how to positively live sounded really interesting. I did not really know what I was getting myself into.”
“Prior to this class I had never paid much attention to what I feel in a given moment, or what happiness really means to me.”
Student Reactions(Maintenance/Intervention?)
“My reasoning behind taking this class was due to how difficult last year was for me. I went through a lot of trying personal experiences. Overall I was not happy with who I was or where my life seemed to be heading.”
“I elected to take this course during a pretty tough time in my life….I feel that I can walk from this class with mental and emotional tools.”
“I have become more understanding of myself and less frustrated or intolerant of the emotions that I have that I do not control.”
“This class has really changed me and I am sure will keep changing me.”
“Going in to see a therapist? Yeah, that was something that I would never do. Yet, here I was, discussing with my parents whether I needed to seek professional help. I had been suffering from depressed thoughts and feeling extremely forgotten….I am here to say that this positive living class helped me learn coping strategies that eventually helped me overcome some of these depressed thoughts.”
More Student Reactions
“One thing I really didn’t expect but loved was how much we were expected to apply what we learned.”
“With an observing mind I’ve come to understand more about myself than I could ever have done without. Mindfulness in itself has been a useful tool, but combined with value-oriented motivation, willpower, and all of the other concepts I’ve practiced throughout the semester, I feel that my capacity to live happily has improved substantially.”
“While I had hoped to enjoy this class, I must admit I am surprised by how effective it has been in changing my life for the better. Specifically, practicing mindfulness, assessing my values, and savoring things have led me to experience a more full and positive life.”
“This class teaches so much more than textbook. It teaches how to improve your life. I think a lot more education needs to be like this.”
Acknowledgments, Caveats, and Various ‘Yeah, buts….’
Self-selecting students?
Full semester course may or may not be a forum that you have available to you on your
Usual obstacles—getting the word out, filling
Limits on scope (25 students x 15 weeks)
Support from administrators
Yes, this IS outreach!
Sneak in some education/prevention, engage students in actual practice of attending to their psychological health, without it being therapy
Maybe doesn’t look like the first image we get in our heads when we think ‘outreach’
Proactively taking our expertise as mental health professionals out to the campusvs. waiting for students to come to us in distressNot just a ‘reactive’ service
Factors contributing to success
Student Life/Development: Equivalent to an academic college (UCC, FAC, FDC, VP position)
Clinicians have faculty status, expectation to teach
History: Since 1970’s
Word of mouth
Buy-in of faculty/clinicians, Hours to teach
Support of broader administration/mandate
Liaisons w/ Advisement Centers
Difficulties and Complications
‘Filler’ class, easy? Making courses academic
How to grade ‘personal development’
Lack of faculty interest/buy-in at times
Balance with clinical demands
Difficulty assessing outcomes/effectiveness
Clinical training vs. student development training
Respect from academic areas
Credit vs. required vs. elective
Effectiveness?Consistent student contact:
Do students who take the classes use therapy less or more?
Answer: More 11% to 7%. Explanation.
Course Evaluations: Higher than average on campus for course and instructor
Continued enrollment (levels up from other colleges)
Improved Liaisons with departments, agencies, colleges (e.g., Athletics, Residence Life, General Education, Advisement Centers, Deans)
Students complete requirements for graduation one semester before others.
Suggestions For building a programTailor to mission of college/university and center
Must have buy-in of clinicians—teaching meets a need.
Present case to administration (with data)
Start small, one class. Experimental/activity classes
Gather data: Needs assessment and outcomes of course(s)
Spread the workload
Market skills of PhD-level clinicians as clinicians, teachers, researchers.