Exploring Educators’ Views on Identifying Key Wellbeing Services and Using GDPR-Protected Information in a Post-Secondary School in Malta

Abstract

Many Maltese schools offer comprehensive wellbeing provision through the combined efforts of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), counselling and guidance professionals, and classroom teachers. Nevertheless, the highly sensitive nature of wellbeing-related matters often constrains the systematic exchange of information across these professional groups. This case study investigated how key stakeholders within a Maltese post-secondary institution perceive the potential value, limitations, and ethical implications of introducing a Knowledge Management System (KMS) to enable the secure, GDPR-compliant sharing of student wellbeing information. Adopting a qualitative, inductive design, the study drew on semi-structured interviews with the national Wellbeing Officer, the Head of School, and the School Counsellor, alongside two teacher focus groups, each comprising five participants. The SECI framework, encompassing socialisation, externalisation, combination, and internalisation, proposed by Nonaka and Takeuchi, was employed to guide the theoretical orientation of the research. Thematic analysis, conducted in accordance with Braun and Clarke’s approach, yielded three overarching themes: fragmented information pathways, ethical and professional concerns surrounding confidentiality, and the need for targeted professional development. Participants consistently indicated that access to a carefully governed, GDPR-compliant KMS could strengthen early identification of student needs and promote more coordinated support practices, provided that robust safeguards for anonymity, role-based access, and clearly articulated protocols are in place. By addressing ethical knowledge-sharing within an educational context, this study contributes to wider debates on data governance in schools while responding to a notable empirical gap concerning post-secondary education in Malta. It further offers context-sensitive recommendations to inform policy development, institutional practice, and future research.