Jenna Gillett-Swan and Deanna Grant-Smith
University-affiliated mentors serve as liaisons between schools and pre-service teachers during practicum placements, offering academic, administrative and relational support. In…
Abstract
Purpose
University-affiliated mentors serve as liaisons between schools and pre-service teachers during practicum placements, offering academic, administrative and relational support. In the context of academic workload intensification, increasing student numbers and the need to respond to issues as they occur in time-pressured environments, the wellbeing of mentors can become compromised. Mentor wellbeing is explored, highlighting corollary impacts of threats to pre-service teacher wellbeing on those who support them.
Design/methodology/approach
A descriptive single case-study explored mentor lived experiences of wellbeing during the pre-service teacher practicum placement and mentoring process. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with mentors supervising pre-service teacher professional experience placements. Adopting a shadowed data approach, mentors shared their own experiences and reflected on the experiences of others. Data was analysed using thematic content analysis.
Findings
Mentor and pre-service teacher wellbeing experiences exhibited similar wellbeing indicators, including personal and professional stress, workload strains and ethical dilemmas. Many mentors felt invisible in terms of supports for their own self-care as the focus was on meeting practicum stakeholder and student support needs rather than their own wellbeing.
Originality/value
Changes to professional experience practices must consider potential impacts on pre-service teachers, in-school supervisors and the university-affiliated mentors as the wellbeing of each is potentially impacted the wellbeing of others in this professional experience triad. Increasing emphasis on work-integrated learning experiences across multiple disciplines invites future comparison and contrast of wellbeing experiences.
Details
Keywords
Australia is failing to meet its sustainable development commitments in areas linked to social and economic equality and decent work for all. Decent work for all, not some, by…
Abstract
Purpose
Australia is failing to meet its sustainable development commitments in areas linked to social and economic equality and decent work for all. Decent work for all, not some, by 2030 requires rethinking current approaches if Australia is to meet this aspirational target. This discursive paper aims to reinvigorate discussion about how Australia can progress its sustainable development goal (SDG) commitments to reducing inequality and creating decent work for all.
Design/methodology/approach
Applying a critical lens to current approaches to reducing workforce inequality through diversity management [diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)] in Australia, this article argues that current approaches alone will not progress Australia’s SDG commitments and proposes universal design (UD) as a human rights-based approach for realising these SDG commitments. An entry point for critical scholarship is to interrogate concepts and categories. Thus, this paper interrogates the concepts of “diversity” within the context of workplace DEI.
Findings
UD can support and uphold the SDG commitments if embedded as an underpinning paradigm within a human rights-based best-practice framework. This is in keeping with growing calls for Australia’s national policies and legislations to be grounded in human rights legislation and policy that leaves no one behind. UD is proposed as an opportunity to do just that.
Practical implications
Given Australia renewed its SDG commitments now is an ideal time to reinvigorate discussion about how best to reduce inequality and create decent work for all as there is a receptive political-economic context to enable such reform.
Social implications
This paper considers the inherent limitations of current DEI approaches for reducing inequality, raises awareness of potential harms associated with ‘othering’ and shows that current practices can unintentionally hinder progress towards decent work and equality.
Originality/value
This paper extends current thinking about UD by considering its application beyond “disability inclusion” to explicitly explore the UD paradigm as a means to realise Australia’s SDG commitments and ensure no one is left behind.