WHAT TO DO WITH

THOSE RELUCTANT RS
SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH ANXIETY IN ONLINE
LEARNING
Craig Olson
Vancouver Island University
June 2015

WHO AM I
25+ YEARS OF WORKING WITH YOUTH
22 YEARS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION
15 YEARS SECONDARY TEACHING
10 YEARS ALTERNATE PROGRAM TEACHING
7 YEARS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION
2 YEARS IN ONLINE LEARNING AND TEACHING
PROGRAM WITH VIU

WHY AM I DOING THIS

-INCREASING NUMBER OF STUDENTS
ARRIVING IN MY PROGRAM EITHER HAVING
BEEN DIAGNOSED OR DESCRIBING
THEMSELVES AS HAVING ANXIETY
-MAINSTREAM SCHOOL NOT AN OPTION
-ONLINE LEARNING HASNT WORKED

WHO I AM NOT
A COUNSELLOR
A PSYCHOLOGIST
A THERAPIST
OR SOMEONE WHO HAS ANY INTEREST IN
BEING ANY OF THOSE THINGS

BUT
I HAVE CASE-MANAGED, SUPPORTED, AND
WRITTEN IEPS FOR DOZENS OF R AND H
DESIGNATED STUDENTS THROUGHOUT MY
TEACHING CAREER

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

http://www.anxietybc.com/parent/anxiety
.php

IS THIS JUST
BEING COOL OR
IS IT
SOMETHING
ELSE?

WHAT DO THE KIDS SAY

MY OBSERVATIONS
-STUDENTS WITH DIAGNOSES BUT
UNSUCCESSFUL TREATMENT END UP TRYING
DISTRIBUTED LEARNING AFTER LEAVING
MAINSTREAM SCHOOL
-SOME OF THESE END UP IN ALTERNATE
PROGRAMS AND TURN TO SELF-MEDICATING

CAN WE DO SOMETHING ELSE

IS THERE A WAY TO BETTER SUPPORT
STUDENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES IN
ONLINE LEARNING?

WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY

ABOUT MY OBSERVATIONS?
-between 10 and 17% of students in Canada
suffer from anxiety - (Tramonte & Wilms,
2010)
-Keeley & Storch (2009) estimate 20% in the
U.S.

BUT..
-up to 80% of social anxiety sufferers never
seek treatment (Yuen, 2014).

IMPACT AT SCHOOL
Nail et al (2014) found that among students
diagnosed with anxiety, concentrating on
work was the highest reported area of
difficulty

OTHER EFFECTS ON STUDENTS

Huberty (2010) and Salend (2011) both
describe the debilitating effects of test
anxiety and the need for schools to
acknowledge and address the condition

TEACHERS KNOW
Honkanen et al (2011) reported in a Finnish
study that teacher observations of student
difficulties at age eight strongly correlated
with mental health problems at age sixteen

TEACHERS AND FRIENDS MATTER

-Wit et al (2014) saw a correlation between
losing the support of teachers and
classmates when entering secondary school
and a rise in mental health difficulties

WHAT CAN TEACHERS DO?

-teachers can have a huge impact by
fostering positive relationships and making
appropriate referrals to counsellors and
mental health professionals - (Johnson et
al., 2011)

BUT WHERES THE TRAINING?

Rodger et al, (2011) found in a survey of
courses in Canadian teacher education
programs, only two of 700 could be
described as mental health literacy courses

STUDENTS FIND THEIR OWN

TREATMENTS
-a UBC study (Bottorff et al, 2009)
highlighted marijuana use amongst youth to
relieve stress, anxiety, and other difficult
feelings
-the youth described their use as helpful or
necessary and not abnormal nor
recreational

WHAT ABOUT ALCOHOL?

-an English study (Stewart et al., 2006)
found that undergraduates with social
phobia (social anxiety disorder) that drank
were more likely to have alcohol use
disorder

SOME 21ST CENTURY APPROACHES

-a meta-analysis by Ye et al. (2014) found
that in over 500 cases involving children,
youth, and young adults, online
interventions were not statistically
different from traditional treatments for
anxiety and depression

MORE ONLINE OPTIONS

-Clarke et al, (2014) found promising
results for online mental health
interventions for youth as well as the
effectiveness of online mental health
promotions

SOMETHING INTERESTING
-Yuen (2014) found that a sample of
American adults was effectively treated for
social anxiety disorder by meeting with a
therapist in a virtual online environment
called Second Life

SOMETHING HOPEFUL
-university students in Nova Scotia reported
diminished symptoms of anxiety and
depression after participating in an online
self-help program (Day, 2013)

NOW BACK TO OUR STUDENTS...

What can we do?
For those that are receiving treatment
...be aware and supportive
- they probably have an IEP or should

WHAT ABOUT.
Those that are diagnosed but are resisting
treatment.
Sometimes they say, I dont like the way
the medication makes me feel or I dont
like counsellors.

TEACHERS CAN...
Listen.
Sometimes students dont like medication
or counsellors but they trust you.
Perhaps, in time, you can influence the
student into seeking treatment.

TEACHERS CAN.
Promote awareness.
A colleague of mine, Toril Turner, has
students complete a well being checklist
and anxiety and depression research
activities for Planning 10.

TEACHERS CAN...
Allow for reflection.
Students may feel comfortable expressing
themselves in written reflection and start
to develop trust and awareness that way.

TEACHERS CAN...
Suggest resources.
Anxiety BC
-information and resources for youth
http://youth.anxietybc.com/

MORE RESOURCES.
heretohelp
-mental health and substance use
information
http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/

ANOTHER RESOURCE
Vancouver Island Crisis Line
As well as phone, callers can use chat and
text to communicate.
http://www.vicrisis.ca/

A NEW APPROACH
For students that are a little more tech
savvy, there are anxiety apps.
http://www.healthline.com/health-slidesh
ow/top-anxiety-iphone-android-apps

FINAL THOUGHT
Ive had students dealing with anxiety in
the past that I could have supported better.
I didnt have the awareness.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My colleagues at Glacier View Secondary
Centre in Courtenay for sharing their
research and resources.
My classmates in OLTD for ensuring my
mental health these last two years.

ENDING ON A POSITIVE NOTE