Hence, many campuses around the world in response to COVID crisis have established support networks for their students as well as teletherapy groups and virtual consultations with psychologists which are a good alternative to in-person counselling. For example, in countries like Portugal and the United States, they created free phone lines for students, teachers and parents. Through those channels, personalized guidance can treat early sings of deteriorating mental health.

At UMAMI, we thought of a method that further assists students using our LMS, we have integrated an SMS and Artificial Intelligence features for them to build skills and have a sense of connection while learning and studying remotely.

Finally, it is crucial to address that these EdTech tools aiming to improve the well-being of students are in fact complementary to formal instruction, be it in-person, hybrid or online. While more concrete evidence is required to assess their potential effect, they represent a great low-cost approach that gives students the feeling of belonging to their peers or professional help during times of uncertainty. And since it is World Mental Health Day, we need to reflect on the impact of difficult events and crises on mental health, especially that of students, teachers and parents.