AbstractBackgroundThe study explores male footballers’ experiences of Mental Skills Training (MST) – usually carried out by sports psychologists, and counselling (Herzog & Hays, 2012).MethodThis research's aim begged a qualitative approach – interpretative phenomenological analysis. Semi‐structured, audio‐recorded interviews were used with seven participant‐footballers.FindingsParticipants faced a number of unique challenges throughout their career and consider support pivotal for their success in the industry. Parental and institutional support were key sources for support. Participants experienced counselling as a safe and reliable space, where the therapeutic relationship extended beyond football‐related issues. Participants explained that MST can be self‐taught, is a direct hands‐on approach, can be practised whilst injured, and a first point of contact with other services and forms of therapeutic support. Views on their expectations of MST and counselling services varied: either compatible and should be delivered by the same person, or different and should delivered separately. Participants identified others’ perceptions as possible challenges for footballers accessing MST and counselling.RecommendationsParticipants recommended further research with other athletes, with footballers from diverse countries and cultures, with other helping professionals, with leaders, with managers and sponsors of football, and with sports in general. Participants suggested counsellor‐training in sport psychology, sports psychologists and counsellors’ participation in sporting contexts, and developing working relationships with kindred professions. They also argued for awareness campaigns with the general public and with stakeholders. An amendment to the local national policy should incorporate mental and social well‐being of athletes as a priority for sporting institutions.

Examinations have a significant impact on well-being as they provide qualifications for entry into further education and employment. Research suggests that students with dyslexia experience greater...

This paper explores the experience of educators who participated in a Train the Trainer programme with the aim of supporting teachers in the implementation of the Learning Outcomes Framework (LOF). Empirical data collected through interviews and narratives from a number of LOF Trainers, are analysed through a grounded theory approach. The insights of the participants on the effectiveness of the programme led the authors to identify which factors helped to render this programme a rewarding and meaningful experience, how this programme has equipped and empowered educators with the required skills to support their peers, and how the nature of the programme has led to the development of a professional learning community. The results lead to a consideration of how teacher learning environments can be transformed in order to build educator proficiencies, enhance their leadership capacities and make them more participative in the processes which impact on their professional lives.

Abstract This intervention involves pre‐ and posttest data collection using a purpose‐designed well‐being questionnaire. The Coping with Bullying and Wellbeing Intervention (CWBWI) is an evidence‐based Australian school program. It focuses on teaching young people to cope with bullying and to develop positive peer relations. The school‐based intervention—implemented by teachers and embedded in the curriculum—adopts a systemic model to reduce bullying and promote well‐being. It is implemented as a whole‐school approach to the problem and incorporates lesson plans, a DVD, and professional development. In this chapter the authors describe the outcomes of the intervention conducted in Malta with Form 1 (Year 8) adolescents (approximately 1,500 students). The intervention resulted in a significant reduction in self‐reported victimization among “seriously bullied” students and a positive increase in their coping skills. The findings are evaluated in the light of international research in the field.

Schoolbag weight in schoolchildren is a recurrent and contentious issue within the educational and health sphere. Excessive schoolbag weight can lead to back pain in children, which increases the risk of chronic back pain in adulthood. There is limited research regarding this among the Maltese paediatric population. A cross-sectional study was undertaken across all schools in Malta among students aged 8-13 years (inclusive). Data were collected using a questionnaire detailing schoolbag characteristics, self-reported pain and demographic variables, such as age and gender. Structured interviews with participants were also carried out by physiotherapists. A total of 4005 participants were included in the study, with 20% of the total Malta schoolchildren population. Over 70% of the subjects had a schoolbag that exceeded the recommended 10% bag weight to body ratio. A total of 32% of the sample complained of back pain, with 74% of these defining it as low in intensity on the face pain scale-revised. The presence of back pain was statistically related to gender, body mass index (BMI), school and bag weight to body weight ratio. After adjusting for other factors, self-reported back pain in schoolchildren is independently linked to carrying heavy schoolbags. This link should be addressed to decrease the occurrence of back pain in this age group.

This paper presents the development process of a web-based student teachers' ePortfolio system for the Faculty of Education at the University of Malta. Literature shows that at a higher educational level, a student ePortfolio is becoming an important tool as it is being used to enhance the learning process through constant tutor and peer feedback, self-regulation and reflection. Many ePortfolio applications exist that may help university faculties to collaborate with their students. However, these existing applications concentrate on general ePortfolio content and allow limited flexibility to be tailored to specific structured ePortfolios that is actually needed by the demanding faculty. In our opinion a new tailor-made structured ePortfolio is needed specifically to replace the manual professional development portfolio system. The proposed system will be the official ePortfolio for the Faculty of Education to be used compulsory by students that are reading a bachelors degree in Education with a secondary track at the University of Malta. Therefore we proposed the full lifecycle development of a new web-based student teachers' ePortfolio which we call STeP. A sample of fifteen selected participants, which include the chairperson of the Professional Development Portfolio, an administrator, tutors and students have taken part in different stages of the software development and played an important role in its success. We show all the stages involved that led to the successful implementation of the proposed tailor-made ePortfolio system. We evaluate our system and present a qualitative outcome for its implementation.