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Reviewed:
May 28, 2025
First Published:
August 16, 2022
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Faculty have a unique opportunity to support student well-being in both classroom and clinical settings. This can include using clear and flexible teaching approaches, offering regular check-ins to help students reflect on their personal and academic experiences, and creating a welcoming learning environment. These strategies can help students stay engaged, especially when they are facing challenges such as academic pressure, long commutes, health concerns, or difficulties related to housing, food, or finances. In many cases, students may need support beyond what faculty can provide. Being ready to connect them with available resources—such as counseling services, Learning Specialists, Student Success Resources, the Campus Cupboard, or local shelters—can make a meaningful difference in their ability to succeed.
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Use the comments section below to let us know how you think about student well-being.
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Balancing pedagogical needs with feasibility, accessibility, and transparency in assessment supports student wellbeing and can contribute to an overall culture shift towards wellbeing in a university setting.
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Jones, E., Priestley, M., Brewster, L., Wilbraham, S. J., Hughes, G., & Spanner, L. (2021). Student wellbeing and assessment in higher education: the balancing act. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 46(3), 438-450. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2020.1782344
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The climate of a learning environment plays a large role in supporting student wellbeing in terms of factors such as self-esteem, feelings of belonging, and confidence.
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Using weekly five-minute check-ins can help learners feel connected to faculty and ease into professional educations settings.
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Cox-Davenport, R. A. (2017). “The five-minute check-in” intervention to ease the transition into professional education: A descriptive analysis. Nurse Education Today, 50, 25-28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.12.014
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Use transparency and clear communication: Help students feel more secure and confident by being transparent about your expectations, assignments, and feedback. Share clear learning objectives, explain how and when feedback is given, and provide rubrics for assessments. When flexibility is limited, explain your reasoning to build trust and clarity.
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Be flexible when possible: Consider incorporating reasonable flexibility in your course—for example, allowing deadline extensions or penalty-free late submissions in certain cases. Open communication around course policies helps reduce stress and supports well-being.
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Incorporate student check-ins: Use regular check-ins to understand how your students are doing—both personally and academically. Decide on your goal for each check-in (e.g., gauging general well-being, stress around a major assignment, or reaction to recent events), and choose a format that works for your setting. Options include in-class verbal check-ins, anonymous surveys using Microsoft Forms, or visual tools like mood boards or the Fist-to-Five technique.
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Invite student input: Involve students in shaping elements of the learning experience. This might include feedback on the syllabus, course structure, or classroom norms. Giving students a voice can enhance their sense of agency, well-being, and connection to the course.
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Share student support resources: If students bring up challenges—whether during check-ins or in one-on-one conversations—be ready to refer them to appropriate campus or community services. These might include counseling services, Learning Specialists, Student Success Resources, the Campus Cupboard, or local shelters. Remember, your role is to guide students toward help—not to take on the role of a counselor yourself.
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