Description of a New Me Online Course

New Me Online Course - integrating life skills toward strengthening personal well-being.

Being a working woman with more than 17 years of working experience in various fields, I could observe how my colleagues and I are facing challenges at the workplace that could lead to work dissatisfaction or even burnout (Lomas, et al., 2018; Kersemaekers, et al., 2018). Different pieces of research have proven that workers’ well-being might depend on in-balanced work-life attitudes and lifestyles (Slutsky, et al., 2018; Crain, 2017; Krasner et al., 2009). A possible remedy to decrease work-related stress is to encourage employees to take part in mindfulness training. According to research “mindfulness interventions, which aim to foster greater openness to present moment experiences, are being increasingly applied to workplace settings (Good et al., 2016, cited in Crain et al., 2017, p1; Slutsky, et al., 2018). And as a consequence participants’ welfare increases due to conscious living, non-judgmental attitudes towards oneself and others, effective time and stress management, as well as increases life and work productivity (Slutsky, et al., 2016; Bond and Bunce, 2000; Tsutsumi, et al., 2009; Spies 2020; Tonio-Barrios and Pitt 2021). 

Most research suggests that high-dose mindfulness courses of 6 or 8 face-to-face sessions with a trainer guiding constantly throughout the training, showed a meaningful positive shift to overcome stress-related issues like depression, anxiety, and psychological distress (Slutsky, et al., 2016; Kabat-Zinn, 2017). However, a low-dose mindfulness online training program of 3 to 4 sessions under the remote trainer's guidance has proven to be effective too. Research proves that having access to the course material at any suitable time for participants has an advantageous effect on mindfulness formation. Working participants having time pressure with a need to meet deadlines and multitasking might find it hard to participate in a 6-week or 8-week face-to-face course, thus it conveys the impression of being applicable to participate in a less time-consuming and result-effective training of 3 or 4 weeks (Querstret and Fife-Schaw, 2018; Zhang, Xue and Xue, 2020; Spijkerman, Pots and Bohlmeijer, 2016; Sommers-Spijkerman et al., 2012).  

Taking all the above-mentioned features of effective mindfulness courses, I have decided to develop an online 3-week mindfulness course with the main goal of providing assistance to working adults in developing and practicing stress management skills. In addition, the course has been developed with the aim to propagate mindfulness awareness and self-control of thoughts, emotions, and behavior. Finally, the mindfulness course is targeted at new healthy habit formation, like setting and achieving goals without being stressed out, focusing on success, and practicing meditation on a daily basis. Even though the course is aimed to decrease or even eliminate work-related stress, there is a high possibility that participants of the New Me course can have a “spillover” effect, as “work and non-work domains are highly interrelated and moods, values, skills and behaviors” developed throughout the course can be applied in a nonworking environment too (Crain et al., 2017, p2).

Mindfulness definition could be found complex, but one of the most suitable definitions in the context of the mindfulness course which I have developed would be the one given by Kabat-Zinn “mindfulness is paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and, non-judgmentally” (1994, p4).

The development of the New Me online 3-week mindfulness course took me approximately 9 weeks. Before starting to create the course I asked myself “What are the areas of my life where I face challenges as a professional? And how can I overcome those challenges?”. After discussions with my colleagues and sharing ideas with my Innovating Learning and Teaching (ILT) group mates about the creation of a course that aims at integrating life skills towards strengthening personal well-being, I could notice their interest and enthusiasm, which in turn inspired and affirmed me in designing of the mindfulness course. Thus, the rationale for developing the New Me online course is to equip employees with practical tools to sustain mindful life with work and life balance. Participants might be from different companies, cities, or countries. The main requirements for the trainees are to be working adults 18+ years old with Internet access and with a desire to start living a more mindful life. 

Having rationale and the target audience which are communicated above, the next step was to create graduate attributes which are the core of any learning design. Graduate attributes address the long-term and enduring aims of educational activities (Carrington, 2016).

Graduate Attributes of the New Me Mindfulness Course:

1.     to maintain mindful life with the ability to notice daily success
2.   to maintain mindful life with the ability to be present in the moment
3.   to maintain mindful life with the ability not to be judgmental towards oneself and others.

Setting appropriate learning outcomes (LOs) which align with graduate attributes was the next stage. According to the online Cambridge Dictionary, a LO is a written statement of what a student is expected to achieve by the end of the learning episode (Online Cambridge English Dictionary, 2023). I am assured that participants can have a better understanding of the course and have more benefit from it when comprehensive statements of what they will achieve after the learning episode is complete are clearly stated.

LOs of the New Me Mindfulness Course:

1. to become aware of one’s emotional and mental state
2. to reflect on one’s changes daily (focus on success)
3. to switch from a survival mode to a thrival mode
4. to apply strategies for sustainable self-development
5. to set and achieve goals (WOOP tool)
6. to celebrate new achievements, and improve continuously.

 After creating graduate attributes and LOs the choice of the platform was an essential decision. In one of the ILT seminars the lecturer introduced a Google Classroom with a course developed for teenagers (Teens’ English 6). Trying various activities created on the platform, and observing how easy they were to operate and navigate, I decided to utilize exactly Google Classroom for the development of my online course. This platform is free of charge both for participants and educators, it is easy to access and it can be used on any electronic device (PC, laptop, tablet, and/or smartphone). What is more, it is user-friendly and even if any of my future participants might be first time introduced to the Google Classroom, with little guidance they can be easily navigated and accustomed to it.

My teaching context is 18+ working people from various social, economic, cultural, and educational backgrounds. I have also taken into consideration a variety of theories like Taba’s (1971) design of the curriculum and practical fulfilment of the educational process, Bloom's Taxonomy (1956), Gardener’s Multiple Intelligence theory (1983), Piaget's Constructivism theory (1964), and the Connectivism theory introduced by Siemens in 2005.

In particular, Taba specified 7 features of successful and effective development of material with an emphasis on higher-order thinking skills, focusing on comprehensive skills, with open-ended questions, targeted at peer learning with room for discussions before any final conclusions are drawn by an educator (1962). Her grass-roots framework could be observed throughout the whole course, as needs assessment was done prior to the beginning of the creation of the course (see the link of the needs assessment https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1TQE71j8_-IXA_itad7te_RmZUWlBPkukdB7OWGBwfAc/edit), then the objectives have been formulated, the selection and organization of the content were done. Then the types of activities were chosen, created, and incorporated, and finally, after the course completion participants were asked to evaluate not only their own progress but the course as well (here is the link to the New Me Course evaluation https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1wxHdohwHtDRA2Mg5YLW4xIWcf96J2w0yvrxIavCkHj8/edit). 

After mentioning Taba’s theory I would like to emphasize the importance of Bloom’s Taxonomy as back in 1956 Benjamin Bloom developed a Taxonomy with the main target of promoting higher-order thinking skills. The Taxonomy initially had six grades where at the very top was “Synthesize”, but later in 2001 Anderson and Krathwohl suggested replacing “Synthesize” with “Create”. I fully support the change they introduced, and taking into consideration the significance of Bloom’s Taxonomy, I kept my focus on the productivity skills of the New Me course participants. For example, one of the first home tasks was to listen and practice 5-minute breathing meditation, but then the learners were given a task to reflect in their journal on the experience and observations, here I believe their productive skills were introduced. 

I understand that each learner has various approaches to learning and Gardener’s Multiple Intelligence theory (1983) proves that. Thus, I varied my course with different activities like reading materials from a chapter of the book "From Here to Greater Happiness" written by Joel Marie and Champion Kurt Teutsch (1988). Or the variety of YouTube videos that assisted in comprehending sessions' materials. As well as the tasks where students either individually or in small groups needed to record themselves. For example, a Vocaroo.com voice recorder was used as the very first activity in session one with the purpose of introducing themselves. 

I also see the importance of Constructivism theory elements to be incorporated into my course. As Constructivism suggests learners create knowledge as a possibility to comprehend their own experience. Thus, I have developed the course in a way that participants would dig into their inner selves to build new concepts based on their prior knowledge (Piaget, 1964). A good illustration of that could be a goal-setting survey (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdxu0AVSxsvHJk4dvLKuuDa-4u7hBmmdHLc1NXhVeYe4qw3jw/viewform) which was incorporated in session 3, step 2. I realize that non of the New Me course participants are empty vessels, and all of them have certain knowledge and experience in setting and achieving aims. However, there is always room for growth, and there might be a case when people face some stagnation in setting and attaining goals. Thus,  with the purpose to overcome that stagnation, I introduced the WOOP  strategy, which could be beneficial only in the context of understanding learners' own needs, and then based on that further specific steps could be taken by them. 

However, I also realize that we live in the technological Era and a new theory called Connectivism has become one of the most important foundations for my course development. According to Siemens “Connectivism is the integration of principles explored by chaos, network, and complexity and self-organization theories. Learning is a process that occurs within nebulous environments of shifting core elements – not entirely under the control of the individual” (2015, p5). So, Connectivism is a learning model where the educational process is no longer an inner, individualist activity, learners can also develop through interaction constructing their new understanding based on other people’s experiences (Kleiner, 2002). It is impossible for a learner to experience everything, and that is why other human beings might become a surrogate of knowledge.  And as knowledge keeps progressing the access to what is necessary becomes more significant than what an individual currently knows. Our functioning and productivity are being constantly changed due to new tools being employed (Downes, 2008). As this integration occurs quite gradually, both learners and educators might not notice the importance of effectively and timely incorporating advanced technologies in the academic environment. Thus, I have tried to recognize and hopefully effectively integrate new technologies in my teaching and learning practices that include curricular and course development. For instance, in session 2, step 5, students were given a task to watch other groupmates' videos uploaded to Eddpuzzle.com and provide comments on a Padlet platform. Here my main goals were to ensure that participants of the course collaborate (recording a video needed to be done in small groups of three) and learn from each other (watching another group's video was a must), and finally provide their comments on the watched video, here the evaluative learning from other people's experience was introduced.  

Finally, in order to implement all the theories and assist course participants to achieve graduate attributes and LOs the activities needed to be thoroughly considered and developed. A SAMR model served me a lot when I was creating activities for the course. Substitution in my course has been presented in various ways. For example, printed handouts have been replaced by “Wordwall” games. Or giving comments on a “Padlet” platform instead of providing oral comments. As well as having online sessions at Google Meet instead of conducting face-to-face lessons in a classroom. Augmentation has been incorporated by the encouragement of my students to do slightly more than just reading, but also based on that reading start noticing their daily success rather than keep being judgmental towards themselves and/or others. As well as students would need to become reflective learners, I have designed each home task with the aim to reflect in their journals. Modification activities of my course are those where participants would need not only to watch YouTube videos, read and see cases of other peoples’ implications of Emotional Intelligence (EI) but to work in groups of three and record a video of them role-playing, then uploading videos on the Eddpuzzle.com. In addition, after watching a YouTube video about the WOOP tool, the participants' task is to download the WOOP App and start targeting their goal with the assistance of a new tool. Redefinition in the context of my course is an activity where students would use a Vocaru.com tool to introduce themselves before the beginning of the course. What is more, I have pursued the aim of keeping my learners motivated. Thus, plenty of autonomy has been provided, clear purposes have been set from the very beginning of the course, and room for them to master current skills and abilities has been given. And in the final assessment of the New Me course, students are to create Google Slides to show their progress in the form of an online presentation. 

I believe that the course that I have designed might be of great assistance to those who choose to live a purposeful and mindful life enjoying every moment of it.

 

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