Examining the impact of Covid-19-related disruptions, dislocations and stressors on the academic performance of undergraduates at a diverse public university

Objective: Investigate the influence of the stressors caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on the academic performance of undergraduate students, and their ability to concentrate on schoolwork.Participants: 1,806 students attending a racially diverse 4-year university with a high rate of first generation college students.Methods: An online survey utilizing measures of depression (PHQ-9), generalized anxiety (GAD-7), faculty and academic advising support, economic insecurity, studying conditions, family conditions, trouble concentrating on schoolwork, and academic performance. OLS regression is used to explain academic performance and trouble concentrating. Results: Four of five students reported trouble concentrating, and trouble concentrating strongly decreased academic performance. Faculty and peer advising support and adequate studying conditions improved academic performance. Depression strongly increased trouble concentrating. Adequate studying conditions and academic advising support improved concentration.Conclusions: In the upcoming year, faculty and student support services should highlight mental health issues and services, and increase supports for students experiencing distress.

What Goes Down When Advice Goes Up: Younger Advisers Underestimate Their Impact

Common wisdom suggests that older is wiser. Consequently, people rarely give advice to older individuals—even when they are relatively more expert—leading to missed learning opportunities. Across six studies ( N = 3,445), we explore the psychology of advisers when they are younger (reverse advising), the same age (peer advising), or older (traditional advising) than their advisees. Study 1 shows that advisers avoid reverse-advising interactions because they perceive that their relative youth makes them less effective. However, when compared to advisees’ actual perceptions, reverse advisers are misguided, as they underestimate their effectiveness when giving general life advice (Study 2a–2b) as well as tactical advice (Studies 3–4). This misperception is in part driven by advisers’ beliefs about their own competence and others’ receptivity. Finally, we demonstrate an intervention that mitigates advisers’ misguided beliefs (Study 5). Contrary to advisers’ own perceptions and popular belief, these findings illustrate that being relatively young can also mean being an impactful adviser.

In-Training Advising Sessions for New Peer Advisors: Impacts and Benefits

This paper will describe the impact a series of advising sessions had on two university students being trained as peer advisors during the first half of a peer advising training course conducted at a self-access center in the Republic of Turkey. The author provides the rationale for developing the peer tutoring program, the selection procedure, and aspects of the training course. The paper will then focus on the learner development that occurred as a result of the trainees experiencing three advising sessions. The paper explores key training experiences, including insights and observations made by the trainer and trainees to illustrate how the development of the peer advisors was affected.