Working through the first year of the pandemic: a snapshot of Australian school leaders’ work roles and responsibilities and health and wellbeing during covid-19

Author(s):  
Ben Arnold ◽  
Mark Rahimi ◽  
Phil Riley
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne D. Worsley ◽  
Paula Harrison ◽  
Rhiannon Corcoran

Abstract Background Due to the increasing concern over student mental health and wellbeing, attention has turned to the matter of creating environments, communities, and institutions which enable students to flourish. Methods To explore the role of accommodation environments in first year student mental health and wellbeing, eight focus groups were conducted in two universities in North West England and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Three overarching themes were identified: ‘The betwixt space’; ‘Accommodations as vessels to cultivate friendships and communities’; and ‘The importance of accommodation-based pastoral staff’. As attachment to place and relationships with significant others are disrupted by the transition, this leaves young people vulnerable whilst they go through a process to re-attach to new people and a new environment, and loneliness and social isolation were keenly felt during this period. Physical attributes of place that prevent social cohesion further exacerbated feelings of loneliness. Conclusions As it is common for students to withdraw physically and psychologically when they do not form friendships within their flat, accommodation-based pastoral staff have an important role to fulfil. Although these findings demonstrate the importance of the human element within accommodation, designing places that facilitate community, a sense of we-ness, and belonging is crucial.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Kenric Ware

Description: This initiative sought to evaluate the use of personification to reinforce immunology concepts among pharmacy students.  A two-part question posed to first year pharmacy students asked if they could physically become two white blood cells (WBCs), which would they choose and why. Students received instruction in immunology prior to providing their feedback. Demographics included campus of enrollment and gender designation. Student ratings 1 to 5 reflected approval levels toward this activity’s usefulness (1: least; 5 most). Key Findings: One hundred and ten of 117 students selected two WBCs they would physically become if possible (94%). Less than two-thirds of students were female (63%) and the Columbia campus featured approximately a quarter of the students (24%). The most and least common WBCs chosen, as first selections by campus and gender, were statistically significant being neutrophils and basophils, lymphocytes and eosinophils, respectively. The median approval values of the WBC personification activity by campus and gender were similar and did not reach statistical significance, 4.5 and 5, respectively. Conclusion: Pharmacy students commended the personification activity for helping them learn the roles and responsibilities of WBCs. Unique and insightful rationales for the choices made for WBCs persisted among the students. In light of these favorable reviews, this type of activity can be adapted to other areas of pharmacy education.   Article Type: Note


Author(s):  
Rida Blaik Hourani ◽  
David Litz ◽  
Scott Parkman

This is a qualitative exploratory study that focuses on emotional intelligence attributes of public-school leaders in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates. The research questions endorsed the emotional intelligence school leaders exhibit along five dimensions: (a) self-awareness; (b) managing emotions; (c) motivation; (d) empathy; and (e) social skills. Furthermore, the study focused on how school leaders and managers utilise their emotional intelligence attributes professionally. For the purpose of this study, a qualitative research methodology was employed, which involved the use of interactive and participatory data collection in the form of semi-structured interviews with various categories of school leaders and managers. Furthermore, thematic data analysis was conducted, in order to reveal Abu Dhabi school leaders’ exhibition and utilisation of emotional intelligence attributes within their professional roles and responsibilities. While the study was limited to school leaders and managers in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, the findings implied the need for school leaders and managers to develop and nurture their professional emotional intelligence attributes, as many job-embedded constraints and challenges require the demonstration of essential emotional intelligence skills and traits. Hence, professional learning opportunities within the perspective of emotional intelligence need to be considered and developed to enable, facilitate and enhance school changes.


2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 319-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lesley Wilson ◽  
Ann Wilcock

The open question, ‘What prevents you from reaching occupational balance?’, was posed within a questionnaire aimed at exploring the meanings of occupation, health and wellbeing with a cohort of first-year occupational therapy students during their initial few weeks at university. Their written responses to the question about occupational balance were analysed and are discussed in this paper. Not surprisingly, occupational balance appeared to be achieved by only a few and more by chance than design. People, time and money factors were identified as the main impediments to achieving occupational balance, with psychological and emotional pressures being at the forefront. Interestingly, despite these barriers, the overall educational benefit of considering the occupational balance question in this way raised the students' awareness of its relationship to health and wellbeing. This increased awareness might have longer-term health benefits, both personally and professionally, which would be worthy of further research.


Author(s):  
Deborah M. Netolicky

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to build knowledge around the use of coaching to develop teachers’ professional practice in schools. It surfaces insider perspectives of teachers and school leaders in one Australian school, during the development of a model for teacher growth, which used a combination of cognitive coaching and the Danielson Framework for Teaching. Design/methodology/approach – A narrative approach to interview data were used to examine the perspectives of 14 educators – teachers and school leaders – involved in the implementation of a school-based cognitive coaching model. Findings – This study found that being a coach is an empowering and identity-shaping experience, that coaching for empowerment and capacity building benefits from a non-hierarchical relationship, and that coaching can be enhanced by the use of additional tools and approaches. Implementing a school-based cognitive coaching model, in conjunction with the Danielson Framework for Teaching, can have unexpected impacts on individuals, relationships, and organizations. As described by a participant, these butterfly effects can be non-linear, like “oil in water.” Originality/value – In examining teacher and school leader perceptions of a coaching model that trusts teachers’ capacity to grow, this paper shows what coaching and being coached can look like in context and in action. It reveals that cognitive coaching and the Danielson Framework for Teaching can be congruent tools for positive teacher and organizational growth, requiring a slow bottom-up approach to change, an organizational culture of trust, and coaching relationships free from judgment or power inequity. It additionally shows that the combination of being a coach, and also being coached, can facilitate empowerment, professional growth, and changes in belief and practice.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S M Labib ◽  
Matthew H.E.M. Browning ◽  
Alessandro Rigolon ◽  
Marco Helbich ◽  
Peter James

While COVID-19 lockdowns have slowed coronavirus transmission, such structural measures also have unintended consequences on mental and physical health. Growing evidence shows that exposure to the natural environment (e.g., blue-green spaces) can improve human health and wellbeing. In this narrative review, we synthesized the evidence about nature’s contributions to health and wellbeing during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. We found that during lockdowns, people experienced multiple types of nature, including both outdoors and indoors. Frequency of visits to outdoor natural areas (i.e., public parks) depended on lockdown severity and socio-cultural contexts. Other forms of nature exposure, such as spending time in private gardens and viewing outdoor greenery from windows, may have increased. The majority of the evidence suggests nature exposure during lockdowns was associated with less depression, anxiety, stress, and more happiness and life satisfaction. Additionally, nature exposure was correlated with less physical inactivity and fewer sleep disturbances. Evidence was mixed regarding associations between nature exposure and COVID-related health outcomes, while nature visits might be associated with greater rates of COVID-19 transmission and mortality when proper social distancing measures were not maintained. Findings on whether nature exposure during lockdowns helped ameliorate health inequities by, for example, impacting the health of lower-socioeconomic populations more than their higher-socioeconomic counterparts, were mixed. Based on these findings, we argue that nature exposure may have buffered the negative mental and behavioral impacts of lockdowns during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovery and resilience during the current and future public health crises might be improved with nature-based solutions, interventions, designs, and governance.


Author(s):  
Cammy Romanuck Murphy

Principals and assistant principals, collectively referred to as<em> school leaders</em>, play instrumental roles in ensuring the success of inclusive special education in the schools they oversee. However, school leaders continually report they lack the knowledge and skills to effectively oversee quality inclusive special education programs. There are very few training programs available to school leaders that focus on leading inclusive special education programs. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to provide school leaders with nine tips, along with 11 immediately implementable practical strategies, to improve upon the inclusive special education programs in their schools. Topics include pertinent definitions, laws, and concepts associated with inclusion; models of coteaching; transformational leadership theory and traits; roles and responsibilities of school leaders in inclusive education programs; and practical strategies to implement to improve upon current inclusive education practices. This article is designed to be used with emerging, new, and experienced school leaders.


PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12078
Author(s):  
Dannielle Post ◽  
Agnes Vitry ◽  
Katherine L. Baldock

The impacts of COVID-19 have been felt on a global scale, with associated physical distancing restrictions and economic downturn having flow-on effects for mental health and wellbeing across the community, and for university students in particular. First-year pharmaceutical and medical science students completing a common introductory population health course at an Australian university are routinely surveyed at the beginning of the semester as part of the course. Survey data inform teaching approaches based on understanding the ‘real life’ commitments and health profiles of students, and deidentified data form part of the teaching material. The 2020 student cohort was invited to complete a second follow-up survey during COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions. A total of n = 126 students completed both the initial and follow-up surveys (50.6% response rate), and n = 99 (39.8% of the total cohort) consented for their data to be included in research. There was a non-significant decrease in student employment; however, 22% of all students reported loss of work due to COVID-19. There was a statistically significant decrease in the proportion of students undertaking sufficient levels of physical activity, and a statistically significant increase in reported family stressors associated with loss of employment or an inability to gain employment between March and May 2020. Two-thirds of respondents reported increased stress as an impact of the transition to online learning. Implementation of holistic strategies, incorporating attention to additional factors influencing students’ capacity to engage in study, and which may have long-term impacts across the life of the degree program, should be considered.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara A. Cloonan ◽  
Emily C. Taylor ◽  
Michelle R. Persich ◽  
Natalie S. Dailey ◽  
William D.S. Killgore

Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the mental health and wellbeing of much of the population. Rates of depression, anxiety, loneliness, suicidal ideation, and other mental health concerns increased during the first year of the pandemic, with heightened fears of the virus, social isolation, and economic instability. Psychological resilience remains a key factor in sustaining healthy emotional functioning during the crisis and facilitating rapid recovery as we move forward to build a better post-pandemic world. Our research, and that of others, suggests that healthy sleep is one of the most powerful aspects of psychological resilience. This chapter will summarize the current literature on psychological resilience, particularly as it relates to the pandemic, and describe the important role of sleep as a key component of resilience capacity. We will discuss novel empirical data linking sleep and resilience during the pandemic. We will conclude with concrete, empirically based suggestions for modulating sleep to sustain psychological resilience during the present crisis and those that may emerge in the future.


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