When Mount Royal University's Wellness Services team transitioned its online resources for course materials, assessments and grades from Blackboard to D2L, they saw an opportunity to do more than just move content. They wanted to reimagine how students engage with mental-health learning.
The result is the Mini Mental Health Primer, a new, self-paced D2L module that encourages students to take an active, strengths-based approach to their mental well-being.
"We realized that what we were sharing mostly resources and statistics about mental health was interesting, but may not have actually been meeting what students needed," explains health promotion specialist Telaina Wallace. "Most students today already understand the basics of mental health. We wanted to focus on something actionable and tangible that they can apply in their lives."
Instead of presenting facts or definitions, the new module invites students to reflect on their experiences, identify personal strengths and explore practical tools to support everyday mental wellness.
Practical, positive and personalized
The shift from an informational to an interactive format came from listening closely to students.
Mental health outreach coordinator Ashley Barrett says the team worked closely with social work and psychology students throughout development. "They reviewed the old module, shared what was useful and suggested what would genuinely help students," she says. "Their feedback encouraged us to make the module more interactive with reflection prompts, fillable PDFs and opportunities to personalize the experience."
The module is organized into four sections: an introduction, ways to think about mental health, tools to support it and how to get help. It takes roughly 30 to 60 minutes to complete, but students can return to it anytime. Once enrolled, the course remains in their D2L dashboard for as long as they are at MRU.
"We wanted it to be accessible and flexible," Wallace says. "Even if it doesn't feel relevant right now, it might later. But it'll still be there when they need it."
Designed to be approachable rather than clinical, the Mini Mental Health Primer emphasizes that mental health is something everyone should keep in mind at all times, not only if and when they're experiencing challenges.
"We wanted to move away from gloomy imagery and the idea that mental health is only about struggle," Barrett says. "It's also about positive well-being, mindfulness, and small everyday actions that make a difference."
The module covers topics such as the "window of tolerance," mindfulness and self-regulation strategies. Students can explore practices like journaling, listening to music, or spending time outdoors, then reflect on what works best for them.
"There are so many factors outside students' control that affect mental health," Wallace adds. "We wanted to acknowledge that reality, while helping students focus on what is within their control in ways that feel empowering."
Student collaboration and creative design
To make the module visually engaging, the Wellness team collaborated with Rica Abalos, a fourth-year information design student, who brought the content to life through thoughtful design and colour choices.
"This was one of the first projects I got to take on through the Wellness Centre," Abalos says. "I wanted to make the content more inviting and create something that felt engaging rather than like homework. We really wanted to move away from the idea that mental health is something to be ashamed of or talked about in secret."
Abalos designed the graphics using Mount Royal's colour palette while introducing calming blues and purples. "I avoided red tones because they can suggest danger," she explains. "I wanted the design to feel calm, open and approachable."
Her work extends beyond visuals. Abalos helped structure the layout and user experience to ensure the content flowed naturally. "I was really grateful to have creative freedom to redesign the interface and make it interactive," she says. "It was great working with Telaina and Ashley. They were so collaborative and passionate about helping students."
The final product integrates downloadable handouts, journaling prompts and reflection activities, encouraging students to engage both online and offline.
For Abalos, the project was both a professional and personal milestone. "It was such a good experience and really meaningful to contribute something to MRU before I graduate," she says. "As a student, it feels good to give back to the community in a way that supports mental health."
Now completing her final year of study, Abalos has already applied her skills beyond campus as a communications analyst in Calgary's energy sector. "This project really helped me strengthen my skills and reminded me how powerful design can be in making important topics accessible."
The Mini Mental Health Primer represents a broader evolution in how MRU supports student well-being, prioritizing initiatives that are practical, student-informed and rooted in connection.
"It's really about saying, You're already doing your best and that's enough,'" says Barrett. "The module just offers tools to build on that. There's no judgment, no pressure - just support."
While the resource is still new, the Wellness team is actively promoting it across campus through posters, digital screens and collaborations with various student services across campus.
"Our goal is to make it part of as many student experiences as possible," says Barrett. "Mental health awareness isn't just for times of crisis - it's something we all work on every day."
