Do you have a group of friends that you would do anything for? Perhaps you have a favourite student, one that you know has a story that’s not being shared, who struggles to pay attention or always seems tired. Have you had a student, family member, or colleague struggle with anxiety?
Anxiety can come in several different forms and there is no rationale as to why some people seem to suffer from anxiety while others do not. What is known, is that life events such as stress from school or work can be a trigger. Divorces, unhealthy relationships, and bullying as well as events like the pandemic, political unrest, or loss of a loved one can also play a role in triggering anxiety.
My forecasting assignment identifies a gap in available mobile technologies that anxiety sufferers would find of use and something that we, as educators, mentors, and confidants could recommend or utilize as a support tool. Those that suffer from anxiety often also deal with forgetfulness and concentration issues, and the ability to break projects down into manageable tasks. Imagine being able to simplify life by having a single mobile app that incorporates support for all aspects of anxiety: support groups, self-help resources, and wellness support, but also includes journaling, time management is something that does not exist.
Hello Nicole,
Your application is relevant and meets a growing need for several years in the world of education and more recently with the global pandemic. As an educator, I witness this whirlwind of panic attacks and anxiety attacks with my students who are barely 14 years old. The concern for performance is too present and they compare themselves by always wishing for higher results than the neighbour. A failure is not a learning opportunity, but rather the trigger of an anxiety that upsets the emotions. I would like to change this perception of assessment and abolish traditional exams to have a more student oriented approach, as in Finland, but the complete reform of an education system is a social project. Your application, with its interactivity, certainly offers a simple mobile tool, accessible at all times, to get out of a dark period more easily. Have you thought about offering the possibility of recording the reflection aloud instead of writing it down? I think of my students who, in a panic situation, do not necessarily want to write, would rather reflect out loud. Also, as I am very interested in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL), I discovered Rootd, one of the best 2022 anxiety management apps created by a Canadian woman that is gaining popularity and meets several needs that you raise in your video like a reflective diary. Here is the website address to download it:
https://www.rootd.io/
Cheers.
Hi Nicole,
Amazing idea – MINDSQUAD looks great. As anxiety is becoming more and prevalent, and our lives have so many moving parts these days (especially with social media), simplifying everything is a key element in helping with anxiety! Having the app build a community of those supporting you and those understanding your battles and thoughts is key, and as a comment above stated, is great to supplement therapy (as therapy is amazing but is 1:1 – this is on a much larger, community-heavy scale).
Thanks, Emma! I agree that 1:1 is vital for many, but knowing you’re not alone and having a group to learn from, even if you are only reading others’ comments and not responding, can be helpful. I have no idea how to build such an app, but after this course, I am more confident in looking into how something like this can be developed!
Hi Nicole, very cool idea and I liked how you presented it as it was easy to understand and follow which was great. I think there are a lot of great possibilities around this OER and I also think a kid version would be successful as parents are always asking me as an educator which apps I recommend for sleep help, anxiety, confidence, meditation etc so I think having something like the mindsquad would be high marketable for parents as a one stop shop option that allows them to access everything they need for their child. I also think the community aspect is really important and allows you to engage with others and I think having a variety of strategies that can use or learned is a great function as well!
Hi, Asha. Thanks for your review and agreement that there would be a niche that this would meet! I agree that for younger students and parents, the app would need to be tweaked to meet the needs of the parents and engage younger children.
Hi Nicole, what a great forecasting project. Anxiety has become more and more prevalent in our society; a phenomenon increased by social media for the younger generations but that has been amplified for everyone since the covid-19 pandemic. What I like most about your project is that the app offers a multitude of services, MindSquad facilities a “one-stop-shop”. Over the last year, I have noticed an increase in anxiety in my own life and despite my effort to find a supportive app I have yet to find one that offers the variety that MindSquad offers – supporting the multitude of areas that anxiety can affect. For me, the “time management” feature of MindSquad and “organizing life into one area” would be one of its greatest assets. I enjoy the idea of “being able to simplify life by having a single mobile app that incorporates support for all aspects of anxiety”. This is a realistic forecasting project that has the ability to support people around the globe dealing with anxiety. Thank you for sharing your vision (and for the clear and concise fashion it was presented).
Thanks, Tegan! I agree with your comments about the “time management” aspects. While I am not sure the text conversation was readable in the video, that was an area my niece highlighted that would have helped her in her grade 11 and 12 years when marks became such a focus for applying to school. The pressure we put on ourselves to excel in some areas impacts us negatively in other places (having missed my share of appointments or being late to conference calls, I can speak to this first hand!).
Hello Nicole! As someone who struggles with anxiety from time to time, especially during times of increased stress brought on by a higher than normal workload such as end of semester submission deadlines and the like, I feel like this app has a multitude of applications in my own life. I really appreciate the inclusion of reminders, as I often get overwhelmed or distracted by a myriad of tasks, so having something that I would utilize for anxiety also remind me of what needs to get done in manageable bites makes sense from a user perspective. I also appreciate your note on the fact that we as prospective teachers can be part of the cause for some individuals anxiety, so having a tool on hand to help mitigate this and offer a level of support is especially important.
Thanks, Cody! When overwhelmed either from workload (school or career) or the impact that anxiety has on your ability to organize yourself, time management and the use of project management tools can be vital to remove the stress of what needs to be done next or worse, such as if you lost your To-Do list. Supporting those in our world and showing compassion can make such a difference. While I may not have thought before this course that mobile technologies can help compassion, I have a better understanding of how they can be incorporated and how we can share them with others in a way that shows we care.
Nicole – I love this idea. I think the best thing is that it’s comprehensive in tackling anxiety. Many apps that exist will focus on one feature (like sleep or relaxation) while your app focuses on different layers of anxiety, which is appropriate because there cannot be a one-size-fits-all model when it comes to mental illness. I also really love that some features are introspective and allow the user to participate on an individual level and that there are some features that support community and connection. I also recognize that an app like this would support many strategies and exercises that are offered in in-person therapy sessions. It would be a really interesting mobile support tool that accompanies therapy sessions – allowing patients to have their journey to healing in the palm of their hand and a record of their thoughts/feelings/activities to share with a professional. Thanks so much for sharing such a wonderful idea!
Thanks, Jasmine! When I interviewed those I know who have diagnosed anxiety, being overwhelmed is a constant theme. The idea of having a single location to go to that has many of the features I highlighted was a common theme. The introspection aspect, whether it is something that you journal about at the time or you make a note of to reflect on later, either on your own or with a therapist, is something that I really feel has merit that I intend to investigate further.
Hi Nicole,
MindSquad is a brilliant idea; many people who suffer from depression, especially anxiety, would find this app of great use. As someone who has suffered from mental illness, building an online community can be easier than stepping outside into the world and facing people. Many apps for people with mental illness only address one aspect of the problem: your app looks at the issue from a holistic point of view. Taking into consideration all the challenges that someone with anxiety faces, such as forgetfulness. I agree with Miguel that the journaling feature is excellent as you allow the user to self-reflect, which is all part of the healing process. Excellent presentation!!!.
Thanks, Anna! I agree that face-to-face can be daunting, yet building a community and realizing you are not alone is essential.
Hi Nicole, This was a great presentation on your app MINDSQUAD. I really liked how you combined the use of reminders to input important information that often leads to anxiety in a place that allows the app to take the load. I believe one of the best features is that there is a community of support within this app of likeminded individuals that can offer support and genuine understanding. Another feature that I really appreciate is the journalling feature, as this allows one place for self reflection in once place. This is a great concept for an interactive app that allows you to engage with others, I suppose the success would depend on the engagement of community in building and creating connections. Overall this was a great presentation and unique app idea. Great job.
Hi, Miguel! Thank you for reviewing MINDSQUAD. I agree with you that one hurdle would be the engagement piece. The ability to connect with “seasoned anxiety sufferers” or some time and are comfortable talking about their experiences. Many have turned to use blogs as an outlet for journaling. While I did not go into detail regarding the Blog and Pods section, I envisioned that MINDSQUAD members who blog or produce podcasts would have the ability to link their blogs or podcasts to the app creating a win-win for everyone.