Dr Judith Hanks and co-authors report for British Council ELTRA funded project on ‘Sticky objects’ and pathways to well-being and resilience
The project is entitled ‘Sticky objects’ and pathways to well-being and resilience: teacher understandings of and practices in positive psychology in their classrooms.
The project investigated teacher perspectives on well-being in their EAP classrooms in Saudi Arabia and the UK.
Teachers tracked objects that attracted positive emotions in their daily teaching lives, using an app to keep photographs and comments over 1 month, with follow-up interviews.
Dr Judith Hanks explained that the ‘analysis revealed the importance of interpersonal relationships, pedagogy and student progress, self-care, and the environment’.
The project uniquely combined positive psychology, exploratory practice, and ‘sticky objects’ to examine theory and practice in higher education.
Implications include a need for institutions to create environments where supportive relationships can flourish, and prioritizing the importance of positive emotions in teacher CPD programmes.
