The occupational health, safety, and well-being of education leaders, particularly principals, has been in decline in Australia since 2011. This decline is attributed to the increasing demands and complexity of their roles. Despite various efforts, there is limited evidence of successful interventions within the Australian education sectors. This research employs a qualitative, multiple case, case study approach to generate new insights and respond to this crisis within the Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns (CEDC), utilising the Salutogenic model of health and the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory. The research aimed to provide an informed response to optimise the cultural conditions within the CEDC to guide better management practices for the broader principal class, thereby enhancing their ability to cope with their roles. The study focuses on high-performing experienced principals within the CEDC, employing within-case thematic analysis and between-case and cross-case analysis to identify their culturally adaptive metacognitive strategies. Understanding the cultural origins and impact of these strategies is facilitated by the Salutogenic model of health and recent updates to JD-R theory, which together provide a new, and refined understanding of the culturally adaptive resources and strategies employed by principals to sustainably manage the complexity and demands of their role. The study forwards a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which high-performing experienced principals optimise their use of personal and cultural resources through the introduction of the Wise Principal Model (WPM), elucidating how principals leverage adaptive cultural resources to create resource gain spirals that enhancing their capacity to reduce work stress.

Authors:
Lucas Felstead, Central Queensland University, Australia

About the Presenter(s)
Lucas Felstead is an experienced principal within the Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns, Australia. He has dedicated the past five years towards understanding the optimal cultural conditions in which education leaders can thrive within their role

See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule

Bookmark