New ways to commit to wellbeing at school with edtech

Kelly Hannaghan

Director, Mind Work Matters Ltd

The Education People

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Technology has been a valued learning lifeline throughout the pandemic. It provides access to up-to-date integrated data ecosystems so that school leaders can drive improvement for a school-wide approach to wellbeing in education.

Students’ wellbeing at school is increasingly conceptualised both at an individual level and as a collective school-wide commitment.

Wellbeing with technology

Our future generations are conversing with each other through technology. Therefore, a technological approach could tap into the potential for improving the emotional health of young people. It can develop their capacity with the intrinsic tools to recognise and respond to their physiological and psychological needs.

Evidence suggests that technologies may offer opportunities for inclusive education. It can help prepare learners with specific needs (relating to disability, immigrant backgrounds and socioeconomic disadvantage) to acquire the skills for them to integrate and thrive in education and society.

We value the importance of human face-to-face connections. But we also feel that a blended approach offers opportunities for students to develop self-awareness and agency and creates a virtual space for peer-to-peer support.

Evidence suggests that technologies may offer opportunities for inclusive education.

Safeguarding teacher wellbeing

Edtech can support teachers with everyday challenges and workload pressures, including assessment, marking and the capacity to meet different students’ needs. Teachers are often worn out while serving a diet of learning and wellbeing to others. Time deficit is often referred to as a cause of anxiety, stress and burnout.

Collaborative software could be the remedy, alongside effective training to capitalise on the benefits that edtech has to offer.

Promethean’s new State of Technology in Education Report showed that teachers believe they are not receiving adequate training and support to utilise edtech effectively, with 55% saying classroom tech training is lacking. If schools foster a knowledge-rich professional development programme that supports digital technology expansion, this will certainly aid teacher wellbeing.

Implementing suitable technology

Let’s examine what we have learnt from edtech over the last few years and take it forward to develop immersive cultures for wellbeing in education. Early help and incident recording platforms can safeguard young people and highlight necessary support for purposeful intervention.

Welldesigned technology can expertly manage and analyse core data and supports teachers and students to thrive. This is only valuable when it supports wellbeing in a balanced and thoughtful way. Therefore, selecting the right technology is key.