When given properly, feedback can encourage positive stress that motivates students to action and discourages the negative stress that inhibits action. Students can reduce stress by improving their study habits, managing time wisely, learning positive self-talk, learning how to relax, and joining a student support group. A need exists to identify factors that influence the helpfulness of information in reducing stress. Because this report addresses the role of teachers and students, it is helpful first to explore the relationship between teaching and learning. The relationship between teacher and learner essentially poses problems of human relations.
Most studies identify enthusiasm as important in promoting students' learning.
The key seems to be to make college courses challenging but not threatening. Both too little and too much stress inhibit learning. Stress is difficult to define because individuals react to it very differently, and a situation that is stressful for one person may not be for another. Further, stressed individuals vary widely in the effectiveness of their coping. Some college students, when stressed by academic demands, use ineffective mechanisms for coping.