Peer-Assessment Activity for video by Mikyong Shin

Peer-Assessment Activity for video by Mikyong Shin

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJgFpcoQL7g&feature=youtu.be


Mikyong’s lesson topic was ‘Students with special educational needs and depression’. The learning objective was stated clearly at the beginning of the video (the part 0:08 in the video), for the student to be able to evaluate own symptoms of depression, life imbalance signs and impact of long-term stress. Also to be aware of impact of suicidal depression on global, national, local and personal level.

The student and mentor in the video was Leena Haakana who is a nurse and has had quite a lot of professional first-hand experience with this topic. There were supporting materials that Mikyong used to support the discussion such as a video: ‘Understanding Depression and Anxiety’ which has been referenced on the slide (the part 0:34 in the video), so I was able to find it on Youtube and watch it myself. This was followed by an inquiry teaching style method that I think suited the situation very well. Mikyong promoted analysis of the topic through questions on how to help and manage depression and anxiety. Also there was the equal relationship between the student and the teacher, it was a discussion where both of them were stating their opinions, although I can see that Mikyong has put a lot of research into the topic as she made references from many different angles; the influence of society on depression for example where Mikyong shows a graph ( the part in the video 4:32) ‘Suicide and Mortality 1970-2012 in Finland’ which demonstrates quite a difference between the suicide rates of men compared to women. Also it shows a significant periods of increased suicides particularly in 1991, during the break up of Soviet Russia, where a lot of factory workers lost jobs that were supported by the Soviet Union.

This is followed by discussion where the student Leena comments on the reasons for the significant difference between male and female suicides, she believes that the family life and children help women in their desire to carry on although there might be hardship and despair.

The following slide (the part in the video 4:36) shows the suicide rates in various countries such as Austria, Korea, OECD countries and Japan. The graph shows a very disturbing increase of suicide rates in Korea which peaked in 2009. The Japan also has marked increase compared to OECD countries. Mikyong makes the link to Emile Durkheim theory on different types of suicides (the part in the video 5:42) Perhaps there could have been more discussion on how the suicide rates in the before mentioned countries link with the Durkheim’s theory of altruistic, fatalistic and egotistic suicide types. This was also linked to the video material by Andrew Alan Nierenberg M.D. Massachusetts General Hospital, which demonstrated inadequate delayed response by USA medical care for patients with depression (the part in the video 5:52).

Mikyong summarises the lesson by inquiry discussion on Finnish education and social system and how it prepares young people for understanding about depression. Also the final question is on what should be done to reduce the suicide rates. The student’s response is focused on how to manage the symptoms of depression, by maintaining family contacts and social networks. In the mentoring comments she emphasizes the fact that the topic of the lesson was too broad. Perhaps Mikyong could have summarised the links with the global and national suicide trends with Emile Durkheim theory if she wanted to give a different perspective to the perhaps more nursing focused knowledge of the student.