Keep your cool - stress and learning
Featured in the Learning to Learn training manual
By Aileen Goodman
Category: Learning Methodologies
Credit price: 3 download credits (Single user)
The world seems to be becoming a more complex and stressful place. Changes seem to happen more and more often. New developments affect both home and work life and it is sometimes difficult not to feel under constant pressure. There are many ways of responding to stress. Once we have identified what triggers our stress (the stressors) we are a step nearer to being able to manage it and prevent distress.
Participants start by expressing how they feel now and how they want to feel at the end of the training activity. They then brainstorm what they think stress is and move on to use balloons to explore further learning about stress. Small groups work to define common stressors at home and work and then individuals respond to a questionnaire on personal stressors. Next, working in pairs, they use structured questions to make decisions about possible change. Participants’ complete individual learning logs, and then a guided exercise helps them to relax. The training activity ends with participants revisiting how they originally wanted to feel at the end of this activity, and deciding whether they are happy with how they actually feel now.
Who is it for: This training activity is intended for use by trainers to improve participants’ understanding of stress and their ability to manage its effect on their learning.
| Resource Type: | Activity |
| Min Group Size: | 12 |
| Max Group Size: | 20 |
| Typical Duration: | 02:20:00 |
| No of Pages: | 14 |
Resources: View standard resources for Fenman training activities
Additional resources: Balloons (one per participant and spares), Tape recorder or CD player and baroque music (optional), Pre-recorded relaxation exercise (optional).
Purpose: As part of a learning to learn programme this training activity helps participants focus on stress and learning. However, the exercise can be used for any programme dealing with stress.
Download the training activity, Keep your cool - stress and learning as featured in the Fenman training manual; Learning to Learn