The landscape of education in America was transformed and forced into new online realities because of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Graduate school here at The Seattle School was no exception, and now we are working and learning in a mixed-modality context. Whether you have recently been studying or coming back to school is new for you, it can be helpful to think through what your own learning needs are as we start the 2023-2024 Academic year. Figuring out how to learn and engage in online contexts, while also processing the emotional weight of deeply personal content is a skill. Here are some guiding questions, suggestions, and resources to help you consider what you may need as you dive into online, relational learning.
What do you need in order to be present?
While the idea of connecting relationally to people virtually was once unimaginable, it is more and more a part of our lives. As you are entering into this learning community where significant parts of your studies will be done online, consider what you need to be present both with yourself and others. Here are some points for your consideration:
- How will you prepare to be present?
- Create rituals or a space that helps you “get in the zone”. E.g., light a candle before you start class.
- Create a study space that fits your body in an ergonomic way to support your participation over long hours.
- How will you deal with zoom and screen fatigue?
- Find a way to connect with nature. E.g., find a spot to sit that is near a window, so you can give your eyes and imagination breaks from the computer screen
- Take small, frequent breaks to take care of yourself.
- Consider if there are nourishing snacks or beverages you can have nearby that will help you stay energized and motivated.
- Develop grounding practices that help you feel present in your own body. E.g., pay attention to your breath; try closing your eyes for a moment and taking
deep breaths when you need to recharge.
- What do you need in order to digest all the learning you will be doing?
- Consider asking close friends, partners, or mentors to be conversation partners with you in your learning process.
- Create space for creativity or contemplation that helps you metabolize both the information and feelings that will surface throughout your studies.
- Create and negotiate boundaries (both professional and personal) that will help you both engage and find regular rhythms of rest from the deeply emotional work you will be diving into.
What are you here to learn and how will you do it?
Starting the learning venture of graduate school is a big deal. Between the workload, normal life responsibilities, and the volume of information that is a normal part of graduate school, it can be quite overwhelming. Listening to what you need to learn and how you will go about doing that is an important skill. It will aid you in focusing and prioritizing your work here. Consider:
- Prioritizing readings, research, and experiences that matter most to you–seek to find the sweet spot of your curiosity, with required course assignments and your own capacity.
- Build collaboration.
- Your professors and future colleagues (fellow students) are full of resources that will enrich and enliven your learning experience!
- Share resources, learnings, and information with others.
- What can you do to help others? What do you need that others can help you with?
- What types of interactions feel connective to you?
- Group Chats? Video calls? Study groups? Consider connecting with other students in a way that promotes communication, collaboration, and relationships.
What technology and study needs do you have?
Depending on your particular personality, needs, and context, how you will study and what form that takes will change greatly! Processing, prioritizing, and planning skills are influenced by so many things, including but not limited to emotions, energy levels, neuro-divergence, home living environment, and society. Think about what your particular needs are and how best you can create systems that will work for you and support you.
- Develop a filing and note-taking system that makes sense to your brain. You will be engaging and reading an enormous amount of information, and having a way to keep track of what you are studying will save you time and frustration for when you need to refer to it. It may take some fine-tuning to develop a system that works for you, but it’s worth it!
- Use study management software: Evernote or Microsoft’s OneNote are great note-taking options. Larger project management platforms like Notion or Asana can work for planning out school-related tasks including meetings, research or writing projects, and class assignments.
- What do you want to do electronically vs. physically? Most textbooks are available electronically and can be found to be a bit cheaper than print versions. However, some prefer a physical copy to read.
- If you are an auditory learner, utilize Text-to-Speech technology. Consider using a page reader like naturalvoice.com or your computer or phone’s built-in text-reading accessibility software.
- Watch this video on reading and writing tips for graduate students.
Learning Resources at The Seattle School
- Writing Center – full of resources to help you improve and fine-tune your writing. Get helpful links of writing standards, as well as schedule a call with one of The Seattle School’s great Writing Center Consultants!
- Writing Workshop – This optional seminar-style class provides a foundational understanding of the writing process and standards at The Seattle School. This is a great low-stakes option to help you dive into writing, without adding a ton of additional work onto your plate. Register for this class in Populi!
- Framework and Intersections Course – All incoming students are automatically registered for this non-credit course! It’s a great starting place to orient you toward the systems, resources, and learning methods utilized here at The Seattle School. If entering back into a formal learning environment feels daunting for you, this course will be helpful in orienting you to graduate school.
- Accessibility and Student Needs – For students who need accommodations assistance for academic disabilities, contact Daniel Tidwell-Davis (dtidwell@theseattleschool.edu). Daniel can walk you through the steps of documenting your accessibility needs and linking you with helpful resources.
- Contact Student Support – You can fill out this form to directly communicate what your needs are, and Student support will be in contact with you!
- Research & Library Assistance – The library is full of resources and tools to help you in your research process. Consider scheduling an appointment with one of our amazing librarians to answer particular questions or help orient you to the research and academic work available to you!
- Instructional Assistants (IA)- For a few select courses, you’ll have access to Instructional Assistants, and they’re like Teaching Assistants for The Seattle School. These are oftentimes alums of the school who are now working in the field, and also seek to continue to have a pulse on the academic threads of both theology and psychology. They understand what’s being asked of students, and have the heart and energy to provide support, clarity, and guidance, be it through particular assignments, or through broader questions about being a graduate student at The Seattle School. They will list their office hours on the course syllabi, and / or offer up their contact information / calendar links. This is all to say: they are making themselves available to you because they deeply love and understand this work. Take advantage of their wisdom! Don’t be shy!
- Faculty – Somewhere the idea arose that faculty are “too busy” or “unavailable” for students, and this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Faculty are teachers because they love this work. Like IA’s, they will provide their office hours and contact information on their course syllabi. If we can offer one nugget of advice: Take advantage of faculty office hours. They are knowledgeable, experienced, and passionate. They are just waiting to get to know you, we promise.