Explicit Social and Emotional Learning Instruction in Higher Education: The Key to Growing Essential Skills for Undergraduate Students, Faculty, and Staff

• In Event: Social Emotional Learning for Equity, Well-Being, and Emotional Justice in Higher Education

Abstract

Theoretical Framework
Given the growing awareness of the value of social and emotional learning (SEL), higher education is beginning to integrate these skills on campus to build healthy learning environments through strengthening wellbeing, resilience, equity, belonging, and student success (Hibbs & Rostain, 2019). Though implementing SEL on college campuses can bring change and challenges, SEL skills are one key resource to support mental wellness and promote a community of belonging (Gopalan, Carmichael, & Lanza, 2022).

Objectives
The purpose of the study was to better understand if explicit SEL instruction in a classroom setting would improve undergraduate students, faculty, and staff's emotional intelligence levels. It was hypothesized this experience would improve people's overall social and emotional development. Additionally, this study was designed to provide an awareness of explicit SEL instruction in a postsecondary setting and underline the importance of it for the entire campus community.

Methods
During a one-year period, undergraduate students, faculty, and staff enrolled in an explicit SEL course were assessed to determine the existence of a positive behavioral outcome based on explicit teachings of the SEL instruction. The undergraduate 3-credit courses fulfilled a general education requirement for students, whereas the faculty and staff courses were designed as a professional development series. Within the experimental group, there were 91 respondents who identified as female (45%), 110 respondents who identified as male (54%) and 2 respondents who identified as non-binary (1%).

Results
Based on a comprehensive review of the data, an explicit class on SEL had a positive effect on college students, faculty, and staff who completed it. Upon assessing the experimental group, the initial ANOVA test yielded a significant F-statistic of 22.90 with a p-value less than 0.01. Within the experimental group, the results evidenced EQ increases as high at 28 points from pre-test to post-test. Furthermore, 136 of the 203 (67%) respondents showed an EQ score increase of at least 1 point, with an average increase among those respondents being 8 points. Of note, 49 of the 136 (24%) experimental group respondents showed a double-digit EQ score increase from pre-test to post-test. Further analysis of the experimental group returned 15 (7%) respondents who maintained their pre-test score, while 52 (26%) respondents returned a decrease in EQ score, with an average decrease of 6 points. Upon assessing the control group, the initial ANOVA test yielded a non-significant F-statistic of 1.57 with a p-value of 0.2.

Results indicate an overall EQ growth of 4 points (ANOVA results: Fstatistic was 22.90 with a p-value < 0.001) from pre-test to post-test versus the control group that showed no significant difference during the same timeframe (Fstatistic was 1.57 with a p-value of 0.210).

Scholarly Significance
Results indicate that explicit SEL instruction can benefit undergraduate students, faculty, and staff. Additionally, this study can provide an awareness of explicit SEL instruction at the postsecondary level and provide a model for other campuses to adopt or adapt.

Author

• Liza Johnson, University of Dubuque
  Presenting Author