For online learning, Filipinos prioritized mental health and well-being in 2021.
This was what the data that Coursera, Inc., one of the world’s largest online learning platforms, noted as the Southeast Asian nation battles the COVID-19 pandemic for the second year.
It found out that registered Pinoy learners “recognized the shifting nature of work” from on-site to remote working and enrolled themselves in courses that “explored the human brain.”
The learning platform said that the course “The Science of Well-Being,” in partnership with Yale University, landed on the top four most popular courses for this year.
The course has more than three million enrollees as of this writing.
It said that it will engage learners in a series of challenges designed to increase their “own happiness and build more productive habits.”
“You will ultimately be prepared to successfully incorporate a specific wellness activity into your life,” part of its course description reads.
One of the courses offered by Yale, “Introduction to Psychology,” was also popular among Filipinos.
The course attempts to answer questions such as the following: “What are people most afraid of? What do our dreams mean? Are we natural-born racists? What makes us happy? What are the causes and cures of mental illness?”
It said that the course “explores topics such as perception, communication, learning, memory, decision-making, persuasion, emotions, and social behavior.”
Another course offered by Deep Teaching Solutions, “Learning How to Learn,” also ranked as one of the most popular courses among registered Pinoy learners.
“This course gives you easy access to the invaluable learning techniques used by experts in art, music, literature, math, science, sports, and many other disciplines. We’ll learn about how the brain uses two very different learning modes and how it encapsulates (‘chunks’) information,” part of its description reads.
Raghav Gupta, Coursera’s Asia Pacific managing director, said that it was “inspiring” to see learners “make strong progress on their learning goals even as challenges persisted around the world.”
“This year’s learner trends suggest that Filipino learners are recognizing the needs of the digital economy while simultaneously striving to gain control of their mental health,” he said in a release.
A data aggregator previously reported that online searches for mental health services have increased in the country during the first year of the pandemic.
In addition, the Philippines recorded a 151% increase in search for mental health-related items such as scented candles, weighted blankets, essential oils and therapy lamps, according to iPrice Group.
“It’s likely that a ‘mental health epidemic’ is succeeding the coronavirus pandemic, given the data above. The alarming increase of suicide rates and interest in mental health-related services and products are glaring indicators of Southeast Asians’ declining mental state,” it said before.
The Department of Health said that the current public health crisis can affect one’s mental health and had suggested for Filipinos to go on “brain breaks” like getting in touch with their loved ones.
