On Track with Microsoft EDU: Mental Health is Mainstream Not Taboo

When is the last time you talked to your students about their #mentalhealth or strategies to improve mental health? According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), one in five #college #students experience mental health issues. Mental health issues can not only have a significant impact on a student's academic performance but also their overall college experience. I went to a majority male institution for my undergrad, so I couldn't show "weakness" by talking about my mental health to anyone. I had to stay strong and stay focused - that is how I thought I would be #successful. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), women are more likely than men to experience common mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety. In fact, depression is the leading cause of disability among women worldwide. This is something to keep in the front of our minds, especially during #womenshistorymonth.

This slide was shared in a current Women at Microsoft webinar, and it really hit home for me. We all need to practice more #selfcompassion and be kinder to ourselves during times of emotional distress or struggle. This goes for people in higher education and beyond!

If #faculty created more opportunities for open and honest conversations with students about mental health, it could help reduce the stigma and encourage students to #seekhelp when needed. This can lead to a healthier and more supportive learning environment for all students. All fine and well, but how do we do this? What are some strategies that we can bring into the classroom? You are in luck because I interview Heather Frederick below so we can all learn more about this topic!

Connect: Heather Frederick, Expand Your Happy!

A first-generation college student, Heather Frederick received her?B.A. from San Diego State University and Ph.D. in Psychology from Brandeis University. An expert in doctoral education, she is the host of the Happy?Doc Student podcast and author of The Happy Doc Student Handbook: 7 Steps to Graduating with your Sanity,?Health, and?Relationships Intact. When she’s not working on her mission to change the way doctoral education is delivered and experienced (by students, faculty, and administrators) you’ll find her walking outside barefoot, dancing to live music (usually 80’s tunes), dreaming about raising Nigerian dwarf goats, and making memories with her favorite people. Learn more at expandyourhappy.com.?

Apply: Microsoft Technologies

Microsoft has a plethora of technologies that can support faculty in their pursuit of creating a healthier and more supportive learning environment for students. Check out the 5 quick examples below that you could apply in your practices today!

1. Microsoft Teams: Teams is a collaboration platform that can be used for virtual mental health counseling sessions, online support groups, or even for remote wellness challenges and programs.
2. Microsoft Viva Insights: This tool provides insights and recommendations to help individuals and organizations better understand their work patterns and take proactive steps to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
3. Microsoft Cognitive Services: This suite of tools includes a range of AI-powered solutions that can be used to develop mental health apps and tools, including sentiment analysis, language processing, and emotion detection.
4. Microsoft Power Apps: This low-code platform allows users to develop custom mental health apps and tools without requiring extensive programming knowledge.
5. Windows 11: The latest version of Windows includes a range of accessibility features, including the ability to adjust color contrast, font size, and screen magnification, which can be helpful for individuals with mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.

Learning: Events, Webinars, and Communities to Get You Connected

#MicrosoftEDU?has a lot of learning opportunities for?#highereducation?over the coming months! So much in fact, that we curated everything in one place. We are actively updating this Sway with learning opportunities, so bookmark it to refer back for this spring. Take a look at all that is going on at?Higher Ed Learning Opportunities - Spring 2023. I am looking forward to seeing you at these amazing events!

Did you know?#MicrosoftEDU?has a community or office hour for pretty much every role within?#highereducation? Join one or all of these office hours at?Microsoft EDU Office Hours. Each hosts unique conversations with peers from across the country and experts from across Microsoft. There is no better recipe than one that mixes all of that goodness together!

Are you part of the Microsoft Higher Education Teaching, Learning, and Student Success Community LinkedIn Community yet? Join now! This group will provide a global audience of higher education professionals an opportunity to connect on a peer-to-peer basis to share best practices about the use of #MicrosoftEDU resources to achieve their teaching, learning, and student success goals.

A BRAND NEW AI for Educators Community has just been released. It is a chance for you to contribute your feedback to the development of new products and features powered by AI. We are grounded in the reality that we need to learn from the real world and real customers while we maintain safety and trust by building with the community. Your feedback is valuable, and we hope to see you in our future weekly?forums.?