Abstract Book of the 9th International Conference on Advanced Research in Education
Year: 2025
[PDF]
Exploring Educators’ Views on Identifying Key Wellbeing Services and Using GDPR-Protected Information for Professional Development in a Post-Secondary School in Malta
Josephine Ebejer Grech
ABSTRACT:
In a Maltese post-secondary school, student wellbeing services are provided by different educators such as the Senior Leadership Team, the school counsellor, guidance teachers, and teachers. The exchange of sensitive information between them is inconsistent due to trust issues and confidentiality concerns. This study explored the perspectives of different educators on the possibility of a system aimed at facilitating the secure and GDPR-compliant sharing of wellbeing-related information for purposes of training among all educators and
better collaboration when providing services. Using a qualitative inductive approach, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the national Wellbeing Education Officer, the Head of School, and the School Counsellor, alongside two teacher focus groups. The Nonaka and Takeuchi’s SECI model was adopted as the theoretical framework. Analysis employed Braun and Clarke’s thematic process. Three main themes emerged: fragmented information flows, professional and ethical concerns, and the need for ongoing staff training. It was concluded that a structured, GDPR-compliant knowledge management system could improve collaboration and enable earlier intervention if implemented with clear procedures and safeguards for student anonymity. The study provides practical recommendations for the school leadership team, policy makers, and future research.
Keywords: School Counselling; GDPR-compliant wellbeing-related data collection; students’ trust; teacher training