In this extra post, Jessie, Joanna, and Lissette share their experience working on a PTAS↗️-funded project: Compassion and Empathy in Work and Life, highlighting how it contributed to the development of a self-directed course for students and staff. Dr Jessie Paterson retired in Dec 2022, and now holds an Honorary Fellowship. Dr Joanna Alexjuk and Dr Lissette Aviles are lecturers at the School of Health in Social Science.
Throughout this post we define compassion to be attentiveness to the suffering of ourselves and others, with the wisdom and often courage to take action to relieve it while empathy involves taking in the feelings of another and is often conveyed in terms of walking in another’s shoes. Empathy to be effective must be entwined with compassionate practice.
Following on from this and recognising the need for compassion and empathy in our work and our lives, a multi-disciplinary team obtained PTAS funding to produce a course in 2021. This need came from a recognition that while empathy plays an integral interpersonal and societal role in creating emotional bridges that promote pro-social behaviour (Reiss, 2017)↗️ ‘unbalanced’ empathy can have detrimental consequences that act as a barrier to prosocial behaviour (Duarte et al., 2016↗️; Singer & Klimecki, 2014)↗️. In the context of higher education, there have been many strong calls to promoting compassionate environments among students and staff (Waddington, 2021)↗️. As educators, we are committed to equip learners with the skills that empower them to contribute to making the world and their communities a better place. This imperative is relevant today more than ever to cope with the current global challenges in which the development of kind and compassionate relationships could foster empathy, collaboration and change. Research has shown that empathy and compassion towards others and self are not only traits, but also skills, requiring training and development (Ward et al. 2018↗️; Waddington, 2016↗️).
Drawing on the experiences and expertise of colleagues across the university, a self-directed and non-credit bearing, non-fee-paying course↗️ was developed in Learn. The course content combines theoretical perspectives with experiential case study-based materials, including pre-recorded videos, associated reading and reflective practice exercises; with the course objectives: –
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- To develop theoretical and experiential case study-based (Kolb, 2015) understanding of empathy, emotional labour and compassion: their benefits, obstacles, and appropriate use
- To embed this understanding, through reflective practice, as it applies to the participant’s own interests and context
The course is split into five sections and allows participants to work through at their own pace and timing.
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- Research on the science and philosophy of empathy and compassion
- Exploring significant differences between empathy and compassion
- Evidence-based case studies of resistance to and benefits of compassion in educational and care contexts
- Defining self-compassion and evidence-based strategies for self-compassion
- Evidence-based studies of compassion in workplaces
During 2021-22 and at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the course was run as a pilot with 19 voluntary course participants, including undergraduate and postgraduate students and staff. This timing accidentally addressed the requirement of self-compassion and coping responses during temporary adversity (such as living through a pandemic). Both have been shown to lead to quicker and more positive adaptation and can help people return quickly to a sense of well-being (Demetriou et al., 2023)↗️.
To evaluate the course after its completion, all participants were invited to answer a questionnaire relating to the structure of the course (strengths and weaknesses); benefits of the course and challenges to engagement. We received complete responses from five students and staff. The anonymised feedback indicated –
“I loved the content and saved as much as I could as I want to review materials and readings at a later time… pleased to see the university had offered something like that amid everything that we were going through [pandemic].”
“The content was of a high quality…very informative, stimulating, interesting and inspirational. I appreciated a lot the variety and the richness of the materials …”
“The course prompted me to think of aspects that I failed to consider before [one example is unwise compassion]. What I explored and learned about in this course was applicable and so useful in supporting my understanding of compassion and empathy in my life and at work… the difference between empathy and compassion and understanding the differences has helped and will continue to help me in my life and my work.”
“… I wish I had the time to engage with the course, and loved the first module bit that I did, but them it became a ‘thing’ in the back of my mind that I ‘needed to do’, and I psychologically became resistant to it because instead of viewing it as personal development, it was viewing it as another work thing. Even though I knew it was self-led, meaning I could catch up, I then stated to ‘fall behind’ and gradually it became too much”
Participants feedback informed and helped the team to consider the sustainability and accessibility of the course and resources across the university and to refine the course. The adapted course was made available to all staff and students as a self-enrol and non-fee-paying course within Learn during February 2024. The course is advertised within the Multi-faith and Belief Chaplaincy website↗️, as one of a several courses offered by The Chaplaincy team which focus on promoting wellbeing for students and staff at the university.
To know more about the course and the details on how to access it, please visit: Compassion & Empathy in work and life↗️
This paper was presented at the Learning and Teaching conference 2023. You can watch Jo’s conference presentation, ‘Compassion and Empathy in Work and Life: A short online course for University of Edinburgh participants (students and staff)↗️‘, in the video below:
PTAS Team members – Joanna Alexjuk, Lissette Aviles, Marti Balaam, Lili Clark, Liz Grant, Harriet Harris, Jessie Paterson, Pam Smith, Kitty Wheater
References:
Demetriou, L., Hatzi, V., & Demetris Hadjicharalambous. (2023). The Role of Self-Compassion in Predicting Psychological Resilience and Adaptive Responses during the Covid19 Pandemic. 11(1). https://doi.org/10.18103/mra.v11i1.3499↗️
Duarte, J., Pinto-Goveia, J., & Cruz, B. (2016) Relationships between nurses’ empathy, self-compassion and dimensions of professional quality of life: A cross-section study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, Vol. 60, 1-11 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27297364/↗️
Kolb, D.A., (2015) Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Second, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc
Reiss, H. (2017). The Science of Empathy, Journal of Patient Experience. Sage, Vol. 4(2):74-77. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2374373517699267↗️
Singer, T. and Klimecki, O.M. (2014). Empathy and Compassion, Current Biology, Volume 24(18): R875–R878. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982214007702↗️
Waddington, K. (2016). The Compassion Gap in UK Universities. International Practice Development Journal, (6) 1: 1–9. https://www.fons.org/Resources/Documents/Journal/Vol6No1/IPDJ_0601_10.pdf↗️
Waddington, K. (2021). Towards the compassionate university. From golden thread to global impact. Milton: Taylor & Francis Group. https://www.routledge.com/Towards-the-Compassionate-University-From-Golden-Thread-to-Global-Impact/Waddington/p/book/9780367341817↗️
Ward, E. et al. (2018). Cultivating compassionate care: Why does it matter and what can we do to promote it? The Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, (48) 1: 71–77. https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/sites/default/files/jrcpe_48_1_ward.pdf↗️
Jessie Paterson
Dr Jessie Paterson, former Senior Lecturer in Student Learning, R(S)SVS, now retired but holding an Honorary Fellowship. Jessie was involved in Professional Skills teaching and student support with a strong interest in academic support.
Joanna Alexjuk
Dr. E. Joanna Alexjuk is a Lecturer in Counselling, Psychotherapy and Applied Social Science (CPASS), within the School of Health in Social Science (HiSS), undertaking numerous roles including: Depute Programme Director / Academic Cohort Lead of the Health in Social Science Programme; Co-Lead CPASS Ethics, Research and Integrity Committee; Developer and Course Organiser of the student-led Introduction to Disability Studies for undergraduate students from within HISS and across college. Recently, Joanna has been the co-organiser of international and national seminars relating to leadership in nursing, as well as supporting and promoting lifelong wellbeing for student carers respectively.
Lissette Aviles
Dr Lissette Aviles is a lecturer in Nursing Studies and Ethics Lead in Nursing Studies at the School of Health in Social Science️, University of Edinburgh. Lissette leads national and international collaborations to improve healthcare education and practice in a person-centred and evidenced-based manner. She hopes that her innovative and novel teaching/learning activities at undergraduate and postgraduate levels can have a real impact on people’s lives and health outcomes. Twitter: @LissetteAvilesR