About this Research Topic

Background

From the start of the new millennium there has been a growing interest in applying and integrating wellness theory and practices within many domains of our lives – education is one such sphere. Many developed and developing nations over the last decade have devoted considerable resources towards the promotion and implementation of wellbeing programs in schools, with the pandemic further highlighting the critical nature of cultivating positive mental health. Wellbeing Education is a burgeoning area of academic interest and over the last decade there has been a focus on understanding mindfulness, positive psychology, health and physical approaches, Social and Emotional Wellbeing, trauma-informed methods, program sustainability and nature wellbeing. However, little is known about how universities are preparing current and future educators to facilitate wellbeing education in schools.

To advance, refine and develop a best method approach to Wellbeing Education in Higher Education institutions more studies using a range of methodologies are required. We need to understand how different countries are preparing students to teach and promote wellbeing and positive mental health in schools – what programs are available to meet undergraduate and graduate demand? This will involve reviews of wellbeing curriculum in Higher Education as well as Topic Managers and Lecturers describing the nature and scope of courses available in higher learning institutions. Apart from advancing our knowledge base about the nature and content of courses, we also need to listen to the voices of students undertaking Wellbeing Education – hear from teachers, psychologists, counselors and other professionals planning to work with children or who are already employed in Wellbeing Leadership roles. To date, most researchers have focused on examining how teaching wellbeing at university can enhance student resilience and prepare individuals to personally face the obstacles and challenges beyond tertiary life. This first-hand immersion in wellness enhancing practices is an important first step in being able to effectively and harmoniously share wellbeing with others. However, educators also need to learn theories, models and practices associated with promoting and implementing positive mental health programs in schools.

We are interested in hearing from educators and researchers working within the field of Wellbeing Education in Higher Education, in particular those teaching/researching the promotion and implementation of wellbeing programs in schools. This Research Topic is open to contributions using a range of research methodologies from autoethnography to randomised controlled trials. The focus of this article collection is centred around understanding how we are educating undergraduate and postgraduate students who facilitate wellbeing education in schools. The area of wellbeing encompasses a range of approaches such as: mindfulness, positive psychology, health and physical approaches, Social and Emotional Wellbeing, trauma-informed, program sustainability, nature wellbeing and we expect contributions will come from a range of disciplines.

Keywords: wellbeing education, wellbeing, mindfulness, Social Wellbeing, Emotional Wellbeing, Higher Education

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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