Applying Space Psychology to Online Education

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In space, astronauts experience psychological and interpersonal stressors that they may not have experienced elsewhere. They are motivated to achieve good results in their work and their performance is constantly being evaluated by people with whom they are hardly acquainted. Another psychological challenge facing astronauts as they carry out their daily work is isolation, and all communication with the external world is dependent on technology which is both scheduled and limited in subject and choice of communicator.

Experiences of on-orbit astronauts working in space therefore resemble those of Students studying during a pandemic and online. It is proposed that communication patterns between astronauts in isolation and monitoring personnel, and the psychiatric problems reported in astronauts during on-orbit missions and post-spaceflight, have the potential to provide valuable information to Educators about how to monitor and manage Student psychological health, well-being and performance both online and during a pandemic.

Part of the Learning & Teaching Conference Series 2021.

KED Talk created by Dr Eamonn Walsh, Senior Lecturer

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