Topic outline

  • Week 1: Towards being well in studying

    Welcome to the first week of the course!


    This week's materials and tasks are an introduction to the different parts of study-wellbeing. During the week, you get to reflect on not just the current but desired state of your own study wellbeing and study ability. How close are you to your desired study-reality? What would make you take a step closer for feeling well in your studies?

    This first week of the course starts with the start meeting of the course on Zoom https://aalto.zoom.us/j/68384456719 Mon 4.3.24 at 14:00-15:00. This is where you meet your peer group for the first time!


    Pausing in this moment

    Each course week will start with an invitation to pause in this moment. It means giving yourself a chance to calm down and become aware of what's going on with you right now, in this moment. This pausing can happen in many different ways, for example with a short guided relaxation-exercise or a relaxing stretching-break of a few minutes. For one person, for example, setting the phone to alarm in 3 minutes and just looking out of the window is very calming, while another may prefer to write down the thoughts running through their mind or maybe drink a cup of tea or coffee in peace without additional distractions. What could be a suitable way for you to pause?

    In the course, we offer one option to pausing, a possibility to try mindfulness, i.e. to practice conscious presence, through a recording. Hour-glass-exercise takes about 5 minutes, and it's great to repeat it at the beginning of each course week (or as often as you want!), but you can also choose one of your own favorite exercises, instead.

     


    This week's assignments are:

    • Kick-off meeting in Zoom and the first meeting of the peer-group
    • Orientate yourself to the week's theme: Which factors affect your own ability to study. Reply to Flinga!
    • Read and take notes: Perspectives on study ability.
    • Return individual assignments
    • Small group meeting (face-to-face or via video link) and returning the memo
    • My study wellbeing this week
    • Finally: What will you take away from this week?

    • Page icon
      Kick-off-meeting on Zoom (slides updated) Page
    • Page icon
      Orient yourself to the theme Page
    • Assignment icon
      Week 1 individual assignment submission
      Students must
      Make a submission
      Individual assignment (book 1-2h)

      Before starting with these assignments, read thoroughly the material and your notes for this week. Then answer the following questions in a free-form text. The most essential thing for you is to take the time to reflect on the questions on your own part.


      1. Review this week’s material. Which topics or issues rise as the central ones for you? Crystallize them as the 3-5 most important corner stones of your study wellbeing. 
      2. Write down at least three issues or parts of your life (related for example with studies, work, other projects, hobbies or personal relationships) which excite, inspire or interest you most at the moment. What things do you love to do for it’s own sake; what do you like to use time for? In case nothing feels like exciting at the moment, when was the last time something has excited you, and what was it? 
      3. Write down at least three frustrating, boring or least interesting things in your life at the moment. Think of why you chose specifically them. For example, have you faced assignments which are too easy and cause feelings of boredom, or assignments which are too difficult for your skills and cause feelings of frustration? 
      4. What do your responses to the questions 1-3 tell you of what things and situations motivate you, help you develop and succeed? What can you do for the least interesting things? Can you increase the level of requirements for the easy tasks yourself, to get more challenges? Can you concentrate better on the difficult tasks, to make your actions effective, also to increase your motivation? 
      5. How do you use your time and money at the moment? How would you like to use them? What do these tell you about your values and attractive parts of your life? 
      6. Imagine your future: think of yourself at the end of this course. Your studies have moved to a positive direction. What has changed; what has happened in your study life and studies? What have you done to reach this point?

      Submit your answer via the “Add submission” button below. The submission format is online text instead of file submissions, because of your privacy. Teachers can read online texts in MyCourses, while files must be downloaded for reading them. We still recommend you to save your texts for yourself in a suitable file format.

      Note that only course teachers can see your submissions. Please don’t include any sensitive information, such as time of birth, social security number or any personal health information, in your response.

      After submitting the assignment, pause for a while to reflect, and answer the questions for the week!

    • Assignment icon
      Week 1 group assignment submission
      Students must
      Make a submission

      Instructions for the Week 1 group discussion:

      First, introduce yourselves to each other. In case you meet online, please turn on your cameras, whenever possible. Agree on turns for keeping notes and submitting the memo after the meeting via the "Add submission" button below. One of the best practices is to rotate this task on weekly basis.

      Each of you is allowed to decide how much and at what level you want to tell about your individual assignment answers. The main point is that each group member has the opportunity to take part in the discussion and everyone is listened to. See the Guidelines for peer group discussions in the Orientation week material.

      After the introducing round and agreeing on practical details, open the Flinga - M&S Study ability, period 4 assignment which was filled in earlier during the week. Use some time to browse through what’s written there.

      Discuss in free format at least about the following topics:

      • What kinds of thoughts did this course week’s material and individual assignments provoke?
      • What kinds of factors does the ability to study and study wellbeing consist of, according to your group members? On what can you influence yourself and what can’t you?

      The note taker makes notes and in the end of the meeting, go through together the most important points in your discussion. The note taker writes these down and submits the memo as soon after the meeting as possible. There are no minimum or maximum lengths for the memo, but it should cover the topics you have discussed.

    • Page icon
      Links and extra materials Page
    • Page icon
      At the end of the week: Your key take-aways Page
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Orientation week
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Week 2: Meaningful use of time