The following case studies offer examples of curriculum designers rethinking how to better support students’ mental wellbeing. In each case, the innovation described was designed to address signs that substantial numbers of students were experiencing psychological distress – signs such as:
- students appearing to be disengaged, overwhelmed or emotionally ‘fragile’
- students under-performing, or being unable to cope with challenging or unfamiliar tasks
- students exhibiting high levels of anxiety about course requirements or results
- students feeling isolated and disconnected, with high absenteeism and attrition.