Krause, Amanda E., Sheaves, Alison, McShane, Connar, Miller, Dan, Connor, Jonathan, Muller, Jessica, and Ridep-Morris, Craig (2026) Professionally Psyched: Fostering university students’ professional identity and readiness through the creation of a student-centred podcast series. In: Creating Wellbeing: Youth, Arts, and Mental Health Conference. p. 31. From: 2026 CAWRI Conference: Creating wellbeing: Youth, Arts, and Mental Health, 10 April 2026, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

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Abstract

Sense of belonging between students and their university is critical to career readiness and an important driver of retention (TESQA, 2020). However, national Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching (QILT) data shows that, in general, psychology students have the lowest levels of peer engagement (44.8% positive rating) in comparison to other disciplines, which is thought to be a consequence of high levels of external study. While work-integrated learning is integral to developing student understanding of their career pathways, placement-based learning can be restrictive and inflexible for students with location barriers and time-based demands. Consequently, as a team of tertiary psychology educators, we have developed a podcast series aimed at enhancing belongingness, career pathway clarity, and student retention. Launched in 2024 (and released as Professionally Psyched on Spotify), in addition to student involvement in podcast production, we have created an advisory board of students and staff to oversee the continuation of the podcast series. In this presentation, we will share findings from our program of evaluation research. With data collection underway, our discussion will focus on quantitative pre-post survey data as well as interview and focus group data concerning how a podcast series might cultivate a more connected, confident, and professionally engaged and resilient student community. Discussion of the findings will also address creatively disseminating career-related information to undergraduates via podcasts and how to optimize student engagement and address concerns of career readiness.

Item ID:	91162
Item Type:	Conference Item (Abstract / Summary)
Keywords:	self-determination theory; basic psychological needs; Professionally Psyched podcast series, sense of belonging, career readiness, undergraduate psychology, tertiary education, scholarship of teaching and learning, scholarship of learning and teaching
Date Deposited:	23 Apr 2026 03:10
FoR Codes:	52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5205 Social and personality psychology > 520505 Social psychology @ 60% 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5201 Applied and developmental psychology > 520102 Educational psychology @ 40%
SEO Codes:	28 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 2801 Expanding knowledge > 280121 Expanding knowledge in psychology @ 80% 16 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 1601 Learner and learning > 160102 Higher education @ 20%
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