Mental health is a crucial aspect of a student's overall well-being. As a result, it is incredibly important for the education sector to prioritise and address mental health within their curriculum.
With the increasing demand for mental health services in schools and universities, schools and colleges are looking for ways to provide better support for their students. Fortunately, research has found that the use of machine learning technology can assist with mental health interventions.
What is Machine Learning Technology?
Machine learning technology is a type of artificial intelligence that allows systems to learn and improve from ‘experience’- or rather data input about student emotions.
This involves training a computer algorithm with data and using it to make predictions or decisions for the future.
In the context of mental health, machine learning artificial intelligence (AI) can be trained with data related to student behaviour, such as social media activity, academic performance, and engagement with mental health services. This can help to identify students who may be at risk of developing mental health problems and provide them with the necessary support.
How Machine Learning Can Assist with Student Mental Health
Identifying At-Risk Students
Machine learning can analyse data from various sources to identify students who may be at risk of developing mental health problems.
For example, AI can analyse social media activity to detect signs of depression or anxiety, as well as academic performance data to pinpoint students who may be struggling with their schoolwork, which can be a sign of underlying mental health issues.
Personalising Interventions
Machine learning can be used to develop personalised interventions for students based on their individual needs.
For example, AI technology can recommend specific mental health resources or activities based on the student's interests and preferences. This can help improve engagement with mental health services and ensure that students receive the most appropriate, bespoke support.
Improving Access to Mental Health Services
Machine learning can also be used to improve access to mental health services by streamlining the referral process.
For example, the technology can analyse data from various sources to identify students who may benefit from mental health services and automatically refer them to the appropriate support.
Other Ways Technology Can Improve Student Mental Health
Support Different Learning Styles
It’s now widely recognised that people have different learning styles and rates. In the past, traditional learning methods had just one model that all students had to learn by, allowing some students to advance while others fell behind.
Fortunately, technology facilitates the use of different learning styles, ensuring that all students have equal opportunities to learn and develop their skills in a way that works best for them. In doing so, students feel more supported and their needs are better met.
Not only does this improve their engagement in lessons, it also improves their mental health as they are less likely to feel unseen or falling behind.
Facilitate Collaboration
Technology also has the power to facilitate collaboration, giving students greater opportunity to work with others and share their ideas through different modes.
Research has found that effective collaboration supports positive mental health, as teamwork can reduce stress and keep workloads more manageable.
Educational Technology at DMS
At DMS, we know that the education sector is constantly trying to keep up with the latest trends and technology to help increase engagement and foster new skills within the classroom.
However, we also know that schools are under an immense amount of pressure with limited budgets due to stringent government cutbacks, which means finding the funding for new IT equipment is more difficult than ever.
That’s why at DMS Digital Group, we offer bespoke technology packages for the education sector that can help educational organisations to support different learning styles and facilitate collaboration, helping you to spread the budget while benefiting from the latest technology.
For more information, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team to find out how we can help your school meet digital standards.
