With the world as complex and ever-changing as it is, the mental health and wellbeing of students has moved to the forefront of educational priorities.
One newly emerging idea is the use of technology as a support tool. When leveraged effectively, technology can be a powerful resource for schools in the space of mental health, wellbeing and behaviour management, propelled by data, privacy and the power to speak up without pressure.
Does your school have room to improve in the space of wellbeing management? Or is your school using outdated methods to manage wellbeing? Read on to explore technology that empowers students to voice concerns and provides data that predicts problems before they arise…
Understanding wellbeing in schools
Wellbeing encompasses physical, mental, emotional and social aspects of an individual's life. In schools, fostering wellbeing goes beyond academic success; it involves creating a supportive environment where students (and educators!) feel safe, valued and equipped to thrive both personally and academically.
Harnessing technology for wellbeing
As relatively new topics in the spotlight, student wellbeing and mental health has been hard to navigate in recent years. Issues around privacy and school procedures have been hotly debated, with many schools walking on eggshells, unsure if they are managing these sensitive issues successfully or doing all they can to prevent them happening in the first place.
The good news is technology now offers innovative tools for assessing and monitoring wellbeing to alleviate the pressure. With the implementation of a tool like Epraise, schools can now empower their students to voice concerns about their own mental health or the wellbeing of their peers, as well as collect meaningful data that flags potential concerns.
One school empowered by wellness technology is the prestigious Prince of Wales Island International School (POWIIS) in Malaysia. According to the school's Deputy Principal, Mr Samuel Hodge, the benefits of implementing a behaviour and wellbeing management tool have been plentiful.
"Implementing Epraise at POWIIS has been the best investment we’ve made in enhancing our school's educational environment and enhancing our school language and culture," shares Mr Hodge. "Epraise has significantly boosted student engagement and motivation, fostering a culture of positive reinforcement and recognition."
Data analytics for early intervention
Leveraging data analytics, schools can analyse trends and patterns related to wellbeing indicators. By tracking data over time, educators can identify early warning signs, detect trends and intervene proactively to address emerging issues.
For example, Epraise empowers teachers and educators to report both positive and negative behaviours quickly and easily to parents and caregivers. If a student frequently received positive feedback, and this dropped off completely in replace of occasional negative feedback, the school would see this change and behaviour within Epraise. Without a piece of technology tracking the data, behavioural changes are often left unnoticed or based only on the opinion of the one educator who speaks up.
Student reporting
We've all heard complaints that new generations are losing valuable life skills like the ability to pick up a phone and make a verbal call or the ability to have difficult conversations face-to-face.
This might be true, but when it comes to mental health and wellbeing, it's important to meet students where they are and not try to force what has become unnatural to them. Our current children and teens have grown up in a digital world, and virtual communication comes much easier to them than real-world conversations.
With a tool like Epraise, students can voice concerns about their own mental health or any wellbeing issues they've noticed in peers without the need to call a meeting, find a private space to chat with a teacher, or even find the words to write an email. When reporting is simplified, it's more likely to happen. This means schools have a better chance of knowing how their students are feeling so they can reach out and intervene early.
Educational apps for mindfulness and resilience
With data and reporting in place, technology can once again be used when issues are reported. Educational apps focused on mindfulness, resilience, and emotional intelligence can be integrated into the school to promote students' all-important wellbeing skills.
These apps offer guided meditation sessions, stress-reduction techniques, cognitive-behavioural exercises and emotional regulation tools. By incorporating these apps into daily routines, schools empower individuals to develop self-awareness, coping strategies and mental resilience.
Digital safety and cyberbullying prevention
Technology can do many great things for our kids, but the wrong platforms can also do a lot of harm. A key strategy towards good mental health is ensuring our kids are digitally safe and protected from cyberbullying.
Schools can implement digital citizenship programs, online safety protocols and cyberbullying reporting mechanisms to stay a step ahead. It's also important to educate parents and caregivers on what they can do to stay aware and encourage their children to have honest conversations.
Both home and school environments should consider AI-powered tools that monitor online activities, detect potential risks and intervene to protect students from harmful content or interactions.
Supporting educators
It's easy to understand how educators can become overwhelmed by the responsibility of caring for students for 30+ hours per week.
If you hold a leadership role at your school, it's important to ensure your staff receive ongoing training and support so they feel equipped to support student wellbeing.
With the right tools to support them, they can act confidently and quickly when reporting behaviours and managing wellbeing. The more secure and streamlined your school's system is, the more likely it will be effective.
Wrapping up
Technology offers countless opportunities for schools to empower wellbeing across their communities. By leveraging wellbeing assessment tools, behaviour management platforms, data analytics, educational apps and safety measures, schools can create holistic wellbeing ecosystems that prioritise physical, mental, emotional and social health. Thanks to Epraise, student wellbeing is simplified and magnified in one easy platform.
With thoughtful implementation, collaboration and ongoing evaluation, technology can foster resilience and connection in educational environments to ensure your students are thriving!
