Digital Civic Learning as a Community-Engaged Approach to Enhancing Early Adolescents’ Interpersonal Competencies

• In Event: It Takes a Village: Supporting Diverse Children’s Social-Emotional Well-Being Through Community-Engaged Research

Abstract

Interpersonal competencies are a set of abilities for sustaining healthy relationships and positive interactions with others. These skills are protective factors for youth to effectively cope with challenging social issues that can otherwise hamper students’ academic achievement and social development (Rabiner et al., 2016). As students worldwide become more active digital participants in cyberspace (Keeley & Little, 2017), interpersonal competencies play an increasingly critical role in protecting against cyberbullying and moral disengagement (e.g., Llorent et al., 2021; Urano et al., 2020). Classroom dialogue can provide a safe and open space where students can experience varied types of meaningful disagreements. Such conflicts can support the development of cognitive and social underpinnings for shared understandings and mutual respect, contributing to an informed and active citizenry (Dewey, 1916; Hess & Mcavoy, 2015; Michaels et al., 2008). Considering that cyberspace has emerged as a prime context for learning in schools (Choi, 2016), classroom dialogue through face-to-face (FtF) and online interactions has the potential to shape the social process and impacts of classroom dialogue in the 21st century (Glassman, 2016).

Our team spent three years collaborating with social studies teachers to iteratively develop and implement a seamless blended learning approach to civic dialogue called Digital Civic Learning (DCL). In Years 1 and 2, we engaged teachers in topic and text selection, instructional sequencing, feasibility, and usability evaluation, learning standard alignment, and incorporation of digital technology. In Year 3, we conducted a quasi-experimental study to examine the initial impact of the DCL intervention. DCL involved a four-unit curriculum and dialogue-based activities across interdependent FtF and online modalities. This approach is couched within social constructivist perspectives (Hodson & Hodson, 1998; Vygotsky, 1987) that focus on student learning and development through community oriented social interactions. Building on schools’ existing classroom technologies (e.g., Google Classroom), DCL teachers immersed students in social and historical contexts (e.g., a food dessert) to foster perspective taking and increase relevance/interest in these socio-historic situations. Students then worked in FtF and online small groups to resolve conflicts through argumentation.

Our Year-3 quasi-experimental study demonstrated the effectiveness of DCL as a community-engaged approach to improving fourth and fifth grade students’ FtF and online interpersonal competencies. Participants were 365 students (45% female) from 23 classrooms in five schools. Teachers and their students were assigned to one of the two conditions (DCL vs. business-as-usual control). Students self-reported FtF and online interpersonal competencies before and after the intervention, including social perspective-taking (Davis, 1996), social value (Michigan Study of Adolescent and Adult Life Transitions), social capital (Williams, 2006) (see Table 1 for sample items and reliability). Hierarchical linear models showed that, after controlling for pre-test scores and covariates, the DCL group outperformed the control group on online social perspective taking, social value, bonding capital and FtF bridging capital (Table 2). Findings support the use of DCL with teachers and students as a community-engaged approach to foster interpersonal competencies as students engage in meaningful social learning and expansion of their existing social networks under both FtF and cyberspace contexts.

Authors

• Tzu-Jung Lin, The Ohio State University

• Eric M. Anderman, The Ohio State University

• Michael Glassman, The Ohio State University

• Saetbyul Kim, Sungkyul University

• Haeun Park, The Ohio State University

• August Masonheimer, Purdue University

• Monica Lu, The Ohio State University

• Yue Sheng, The Ohio State University