Using appreciative inquiry to create a new vision for wellbeing: An industry–university partnership

• In Event: Realizing a new vision for wellbeing education: Driving impactful professional learning through research-practice partnerships

Abstract

Objectives: This study critically evaluates institutional-level wellbeing across an Australian school through a transformative industry–university partnership. Objectives include measuring multidimensional wellbeing, understanding institutional support, opportunities for improvement, and developing an innovative strategic wellbeing framework. The research uses collaborative methodologies to reimagine institutional wellbeing as a group practice. The study brings together school employees and researchers in a purposeful approach to future-making, creating transformative educational possibilities.

Theoretical Framework: This research adopts a critical constructivist perspective, drawing on the New Economic Foundation’s Factors of Wellbeing (Aked et al., 2009) and the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework (Education Services Australia, 2018). The theoretical framework integrates eudaimonic wellbeing theories across physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and cognitive domains. The study challenges individualistic models by combining historical and contemporary theories of wellbeing (Curren et al., 2024). It presents wellbeing education as a contextually embedded phenomenon encompassing power dynamics, institutional traditions, and lived experiences, thereby fostering a more nuanced understanding of institutional transformation from a pathology-based model to a wellbeing approach.

Methods: A codesigned convergent mixed-methods design was employed, utilizing a comprehensive survey grounded in Cooperrider et al.’s (2004) appreciative inquiry methodology. The research integrated qualitative and quantitative data to capture institutional experiences. Quantitative data were gathered using a 5-point Likert scale that measured 15 wellbeing factors across 60 items, including connectedness, engagement, perseverance, grit, optimism, happiness, somatic symptoms, depression, purpose, and anxiety levels, across various employee experiences. In contrast, qualitative insights were collected via open-ended responses. Analytical strategies incorporated descriptive statistical methods, Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis, and advanced mixed methods integration techniques.

Data Sources: Data were collected from a sample of 112 school employees. The ethics-approved survey instruments were codesigned with the institution, and the survey was conducted in an Australian school. The sample represented a range of diverse demographic characteristics for school employees, including variations in teaching experience, professional roles, and tenure. Purposeful sampling techniques supported the exploration of institutional perceptions of wellbeing, capturing nuanced perspectives of cultural change.

Results: The study demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of institutional wellbeing, highlighting school employees’ evidence-informed conceptualizations and perceptions of leadership support and impact. Findings highlighted variations in wellbeing experiences across different roles and experience levels for school employees, challenging previously published institutional studies. The results emphasized the significance of evidence-informed and adaptive leadership. Additionally, the impact of strategically aligned professional learning with the school’s vision is explored. The results reveal the interconnected nature of individual and institutional wellbeing between teachers and all school employees. School employees’ findings suggest that wellbeing is a dynamic, contextual process shaped by historical power structures, institutional cultures, and sense-making practices.

Scholarly Significance: This study addresses a gap in exploring how industry–university partnerships build a culture of wellbeing in schools by utilizing a case study that investigates learning and school leadership strategies from the perspectives of all school employees. The study proposes a transformative model for schools, demonstrating how appreciative methodologies can be used to create innovative approaches to understanding and enhancing institutional wellbeing education practices.

Author

• Mathew White, University of Adelaide