Social Emotional Learning for Equity and Civic Teaching: Promising Practices for Higher Education Faculty Professional Development

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

Abstract

All learning is social and emotional, and all learning is mediated by relationships that sit in a sociopolitical, racialized context. (National Equity Project, n.d.)
To efficaciously address the complex challenges that come with fostering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, and Belonging (DEIJB) in higher education classrooms, it is crucial for faculty to develop awareness and skills to critically reflect on their own held biases and assumptions. This process inevitably involves emotionally laden, complex, difficult individual and collective inner work. For these learning-unlearning processes to be authentically constructive, emotional intelligence (EQ) is essential. Equity-focused social-emotional learning is a key lever for advancing DEIJB in higher education classrooms.

Objectives or purposes
This paper highlights the key value of EQ skills for DEIJB in higher education classrooms by detailing a pilot study that
• explores how participants’ conveyed points of view indicate why they believe what they do about SEL, and why/how they integrate SEL/equity in their classrooms;
• builds a set of generalizable understandings about how changes in attitudes across faculty participating in this program can influence how they integrate SEL/equity practices into their respective courses;
• draws on pilot study findings to adjust and improve the year-long SEL/equity faculty program, to more efficaciously cultivate DEIBJ;
• contributes to growing research on the role of emotional intelligence for DEIJB in higher education, specifically in terms of classroom teaching and learning.

Methods and Data Sources
This paper focuses on a pilot study of a year-long equity-focused SEL professional development program for faculty across disciplines at a university. This interdisciplinary cohort of fifteen faculty was invited to 1) explore how SEL can be leveraged for equity across disciplines, 2) to develop listening and dialogue skills for productive conversations across differences, and 3) learn how contemplative practices can foster me-to-we well-being, emotional agility, and cognitive flexibility through pedagogical and curricular practices.

For this study, we used Q Methodology, a research method uniquely formulated to capture quantitative data on subjective material (Freie, 1997; Cook, Scioli, & Brown, 1975), to explore why people believe what they do (McKewon & Thomas, 1988). This methodology is designed for small sample sizes. We assessed faculty participants’ attitude shifts regarding SEL-CE (from beginning to end of the year-long professional development program) by using the Q Methodology measurement tool: Q-Sort, a list of statements that cover a broad range of perspectives (for this study) on each of the 5 core SEL-CE competencies: 1) self-awareness, 2) self-management, 3) social awareness, 4) relationship skills, and 5) responsible decision-making.

Findings and Scholarly Significance
We will draw on the literature review and pilot study findings to begin building a set of generalizable understandings, to advance higher education faculty professional development that cultivates SEL/equity skills. In doing so, we build on, and adapt for the higher education context, CASEL’s 5 core SEL competencies with emphasis on . Supporting faculty across academic disciplines to develop social-emotional learning awareness, understanding, and skills is a vital first step in effort to also weave SEL into the fabric of higher education and advance DEIJB.

Author

• Deborah A. Donahue-Keegan, Tufts University
  Presenting Author