Abstract Book of the 9th International Academic Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education
Year: 2025
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A Case Study of Post-Secondary Educators’ and Students’ Perspectives on Skills and Pedagogical Approaches to Foster Greater Academic Resilience
Josephine Ebejer Grech
ABSTRACT:
This study explores the views of twelve post-secondary students and twelve educators in a post-secondary school in Malta regarding the skills necessary to manage academic stressors, particularly those stemming from workloads and deadlines. Employing a qualitative, inductive methodology, the research utilised semi-structured interviews and focus groups to identify and categorise these skills within the framework of Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping. Participants identified problem-focused strategies including time management, problem-solving, adaptability, and self-efficacy, as well as emotion-focused strategies such as emotional intelligence, cognitive reframing, a growth mindset, and mindfulness. The findings portray the importance of implementing metacognitive skills within the curriculum, thereby equipping students with practical tools to build resilience and navigate academic challenges more effectively. In addition, the study offers practical recommendations for educators and school leaders to foster supportive educational environments that nurture both resilience and wellbeing. These insights contribute to the wider discourse on student support, highlighting how this Maltese post-secondary school might better prepare learners for the rigours of higher education and the professional world. The research concludes by recommending future studies to investigate the long-term outcomes of resilience-building interventions in this post-secondary setting.
Keywords: problem-focused strategies; emotion-focused strategies; metacognition; neuroscience; neuroplasticity