Learning Portal - Well-Being: Intellectual Wellness

What is Intellectual Wellness?

It is important to explore new ideas and perspectives in order to become more mindful and better-rounded. Having an optimal level of intellectual wellness inspires exploration. Intellectual wellness also stimulates curiosity, which is important because it motivates you to try new things and develop an understanding of how you see the relationship between yourself, others, and the environment.

Activities

Here are some activities that you can try to stimulate your mind:

• Visit a museum or gallery. You can find museums and galleries near you on a variety of subjects, from science to local history. You can also virtually explore museums, art, and scenery from around the world in the virtual tours at Google Arts & Culture

• Attend a cultural event. Explore new ideas while engaging with the community.

• Participate in a hands-on activity. Many people learn by doing. Learn something new or improve your knowledge by doing and practicing.

• Read a new book. You can check out a book or download an ebook from your college library or your local public library.

• Participate in a discussion group. Many courses include discussion groups for talking about class topics. You can also join a group like a book club to discuss topics for your own enjoyment.

• Try brain training exercises. You can sign up for a daily email of brain training exercises, or download an app.

• Try a fun activity that makes you think. Play a board game. Try a puzzle (jig saw, crossword, Sudoku, etc.).

• Try a free online course. There are many websites with courses that are either partially or entirely free, such as Coursera, edX, and Codecademy.

Intro to Intellectual Wellness

Video by The Learning Portal Ontario, 2021

How to Spark Your Curiosity, Scientifically

Watch this video (Ted Talk by Nadya Mason, 2019) to learn about how to spark curiosity with hands-on experiments.

Need more help? Contact Accessibility Services 

Accessibility Supports and Disability Services promotes and coordinates a variety of accommodations on an individual case basis to make your chosen program workable for you. Supports that are available include, but may not be limited to the following:

• Academic strategy instruction: The Academic Strategist will deliver individual training in such areas as organization, comprehension, general study and coping skills, working with the students to incorporate a learning style suitable to their unique needs. The Academic Strategist will provide learning strategy appointments, direct the focus of strategies instruction, and will act as a resource in providing specific information and strategies related to their student's learning challenges. The Academic Strategist will also have a working knowledge of specific technology and software that would be benefit students with specific learning challenges.
• Alternative Formats: Alternate format editors use specialized software (usually Kurzweil 3000), to prepare a student’s textbook in an alternate format.

Kurzweil is text-to-speech software that reads out loud as well as highlights the text. This format provides students a visual and auditory reading experience for better comprehension and information retention.

• Assistive Technologies: ASDS houses several computer systems, a range of assistive technologies that can facilitate the use of computers by students with disabilities, and other services and devices that make it easier for students to complete course work as independently as possible (e.g. Kurzweil 3000 [Screen Reader and Writing Tool], Livescribe Pen [Note-Taking Tool], iPods and iPads and Jaws).
• Educational Attendant: An Educational Attendant provides learning support to students and general support to instructors and other professionals, as well as, motivate and encourage positive student interaction.
• Exam Accommodation: Test accommodations are alterations to test conditions to ensure the students with a disability have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge of the material being. ASDS provides accommodations to eliminate any disadvantage caused by the disability and does not intend test accommodations to allow students with disabilities to have an advantage over other students. Accommodations, which vary depending on the individual’s need, may include, but may not necessarily be limited to, the following: extended time (specified), alternate format, reader and/or scribe, distraction reduced, access to assistive and/or computer technology.
• Readers: During tests/exams readers will work 1:1 with a student in a test room and will read exactly what is on the page to the student.
• Scribes: During tests/exams the scribe will work 1:1 in a test room with a student. Students most likely require a scribe for long answer/essay type exams however may need to complete (fill in bubbles) on scantron forms Scribes are to write exactly what the student dictates.
• Reduced course-load: NWP considers some students with disabilities to be full-time with a reduced course load. If considered full-time with a reduced course load, the student may be eligible for the following:
  • Student Aid funding as a full-time student.
  • Ability to play on college sports teams that require full-time status.
  • Consideration for scholarships and awards that include full-time status as an eligibility criterion.
  • Access to benefits offered to full-time students such as Student Health and Dental benefits.