Laura Carruth

Director, Center for Instructional Effectiveness

Special Guest

Mark Eister

Director, Military Outreach Center

GSU and Georgia Perimeter College

Teaching Those Who’ve Served;Student Veterans in the Classroom

The information on these slides comes from a variety of sources including the Bergen Community College website, and the Green Zone training manual by Mark Eister

Veterans are a diverse group with diverse experiences and needs:

• They may experience:– A continuum of exposure that can include

• Physical and/or Emotional trauma

– Intense exposure to little or exposure

• Responses and needs will vary

Positive Benefits of Veterans on Campus• Focus

– Older students who benefit from real world experience

– Education funded by GI Bill, so may not have to balance work and school

• Leadership

– Many veterans bring leadership skills to the campus community

• Experience

– Many veterans have successfully navigated stressful situations

Combat Stressors Faced by Afghanistan and Iraq War Veterans

Afghanistan• 84% received rocket or mortar fire

• 66% were shot at

• 58% were attacked or ambushed

• 43% knew someone that was killed or seriously injured

• 39% saw dead bodies

Iraq

• 89% received rocket or mortar fire

• 95% were shot at

• 92% were attacked or ambushed

• 87% knew someone that was killed or seriously injured

• 95% saw dead bodies

Source: United States Department of Veterans Affairs, 2011

Re-establishing the “New Normal” for Some Veterans • Home issues

– Divorce rate

– Homelessness

• Isolation

– Depression

– Anxiety

• Injuries

– Traumatic Brain Injury (bombs not bullets) TBI

– Traumatic Brain Injury (TBIm) – mild brain injury

– Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

– Loss of limbs or other physical injuries

• Military:– Structured, time demands, not-flexible– Ready for action, well-equipped at a moment’s notice – Living day to day (syllabus)

• College:– Less structured, varied background knowledge, random

class schedules (each each semester is different)– As a civilian it can be hard to plan and adjust – living a

semester at a time (overwhelming) – Too much info can be overwhelming (syllabus)

Differences between military and college

Issues for Some Student-Veterans• Hierarchy – rules and structure

– College classes may be more discussion or opinion based rather than hierarchical

– Rules and hierarchy are important– may be disconcerting for some students if professor moves off of syllabus

• Ideology– Success is only outcome. Failure is not an option. – What happens with “fail” experiences in class?

• Classroom sounds/Fire alarms

Issues for Some Student-Veterans• Seating

– Prefer back of room/ near door• Groups

– Reluctant to work with other students that are non military or are less engaged

• Walking through halls– Smells, music, large groups of people

• Peers – Curious about military experience

• PTSD as a collection of symptoms that may occur after someone “witnesses, experiences, or is confronted with an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of oneself or others” (American Psychological Association [APA], 2000).

• The person’s response involves “fear, helplessness, or horror” (APA, 2000).

What is PTSD?

• Occurs in about 11% of Afghanistan War Veterans and 20% of Iraq War Veterans (United States Department of Veterans Affairs, 2012).

• Higher prevalence in Iraq War Veterans

• Suicide rate averages about 1 per day—highest rate since Sept. 11 event (Pentagon, 2012)

How Common is PTSD Among Veterans?

• Recurrent flashbacks of the event, may be accompanied by physical

symptoms (racing heartbeat, sweating)

• Uncontrollable and frightening thoughts

• Avoidance of places and things that are reminders of the event

• Hyper-vigilance (feelings of tension, being “on-guard”)

• Exaggerated startle response

• Detachment, estrangement from others

• Emotional numbness

Symptoms of PTSD

• Sleep disturbances

• Irritability, anger outbursts

• Often accompanied by depression, anxiety, or

substance abuse disorders

• Can be linked to traumatic brain injury (TBI),

symptoms may overlap

Symptoms of PTSD

• Difficulty concentrating• Information processing difficulties• Learning and memory deficits• Impairments in executive functioning

(e.g., problem solving, planning, insight/awareness)

Academic Impacts

• Extra time on timed exams/quizzes

• Consideration of extra time on individual assignments/homework

• Permission to use a tape recorder during class lectures

• Refer to tutoring resources on campus

• Considerations in attendance or make-up work policies in the event of a medical episode or doctor’s appointment

• Remind class of upcoming assignments, due dates

• Seating considerations

• Allow breaks as needed during class

• Allow student to stand in back of room—this is usual military behavior when tired

Strategies for Accommodating Veterans with PTSD in the Classroom

Best Practices• Green Zone Training • Faculty

– Respect the individual’s rights not to disclose or discuss their experiences. DO NOT IDENTIFY VETERANS.

– Be aware of own political views– Separate war from warrior– Respect need for camaraderie – Group projects may be problematic – States on syllabus

How GSU is helping veterans

• Working to establish connections between veterans and teaching faculty

• Targeted academic advising

• Priority Registration (after 1st semester)

• Counselors