With the recent release of a new international charter on health promoting universities and institutions of higher education, universities and colleges are increasingly interested in providing learning experiences that enhance and support student well-being. Despite the recognition of learning environments as a potential setting for creating and enhancing well-being, limited research has explored students' own perceptions of well-being in learning environments. This article provides a qualitative exploration of students' lived experiences of well-being in learning environments within a Canadian post-secondary context. A semi-structured focus group and interview protocol was used to explore students' own definitions and experiences of well-being in learning environments. The findings illuminate several pathways through which learning experiences contribute to student well-being, and offer insight into how courses may be designed and delivered in ways that enhance student well-being, learning and engagement. The findings also explore the interconnected nature of well-being, satisfaction and deep learning. The relevance for the design and delivery of higher education learning experiences are discussed, and the significance of the findings for university advancement decisions are considered.

No abstract

This paper makes the case that cultural competence is a key part of dietetic practice and in turn dietetic education.  With a breadth of studies on cultural competence in dietetics and health care, the human, relational component hasn’t been emphasized. To this end, this paper makes the case for a holistic view of clients, patients and all of those who fall under the care and guidance of dietitians. And further, for practitioners to work with a notion of self-reflection to develop a disposition that is attuned to culture.  Pedagogical implications and curricular applications are included as a result of this inquiry while concepts from Sikhism are offered as illustrative components to highlight this reflection on cultural competence.

The Community Cooking Workshops (CCWs) are free, bi-weekly, hands-on, cooking and nutrition education workshops for international students facilitated by the Simon Fraser University (SFU) Peer Health Educators (PHEs). The impacts of the CCWs on international student nutrition knowledge, behavior change, and social outcomes were examined. Data was collected and coded from five Spring 2016 CCWs through workshop evaluation forms (n=87, 93% response rate) and nine semi-structured interviews with international student participants. Participants reported changes in eating behavior and knowledge (all food should be consumed in moderation, with variety) and improved sense of community. Future research should assess the long-term impacts of cooking workshops in postsecondary institutions on diet quality, cooking skills, social connectedness, and international student wellbeing

No abstract