20_03_24_EDU

"In this quarantine status and teaching at a distance, the emotional state and expectations of the students must not be forgotten. The teacher must transmit tranquility and certainty with his behavior. Becoming, now more than ever, a mentor that supports the process, also emotionally". So says this psychologist educational of the University of Navarra Jesús de la source, reflecting on the moment that teachers and students are living with the status generated by the coronavirus.

Jesús de la source Arias, Associate Dean of research of the School of Education and Psychology and director of the Master's Degree in General Health Psychology of the University of Navarra, provides other guidelines addressed to academic staff: "Maintain a regulating environmental design that favors the perception of control and continuity in the students of their subjects and exercise an external regulation to help the students in their learning process".

He also stresses that maintaining the usual schedule , with the appropriate technological means, financial aid to keep up with the pace of the subject and lower the anxiety level of students. Not making abrupt changes, although adjusting to the status, will contribute, in his opinion, to the students' perception of "normality and a sense of control". In addition, he advises that the professor "plan messages and general periodic help to students, so that they feel that the process of teaching-learning continues with a certain degree of normality".

On the other hand, the financial aid through personalized on-line tutoring for students who require it is an aspect emphasized by the source . The Full Professor of the University of Navarra points out as a strategy to detect needs among all students, to have a direct contact with the course delegates; and thus "periodically reevaluate if students need adjustments in materials, homework, etc.".

Advice for students and the general public

Regarding students, he states that "the body's circadian rhythm, that is, 'the rhythm to which the body is accustomed' and habits help a lot to maintain the sequence of action, to self-regulate and not to lose motivation. For this reason, maintaining the same schedules is fundamental".

Equally important is to control and achieve a positive emotional state and that young people "self-dispensing positive emotions" through rewarding experiences every day, at home. In his opinion, distress, understood as a diffuse negative emotion and discouragement, can be caused by sudden changes in the daily rhythm, or the feeling of loss of control and uncertainty.

Regarding the general population, the professor of the source advises to plan every day objectives, times and actions, with flexibility but also with systematicity; to exercise control over behavior, forcing yourself to work, but also to stop and have leisure time; as well as to perform relaxation activities. He also points out that it is not a good time to deal with complex pending issues in your environment, unless you perceive stress in yourself or in your surroundings. It is necessary to "take advantage of this time to carry out pending tasks".