Culturally Grounded Social-Emotional Learning for Identity Development

• In Event: Moving From Trendy to Transformative Social and Emotional Learning: A Conversation With Practitioners and Scholars

Abstract

This paper aims to provide guidance for pre-service and practicing educators, school leaders, out-of-school-time (OST) personnel, and teacher educators based on the experiences of counselors involved in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) OST program. These counselors undertook the task of designing activities that would enhance high school students' Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) competencies while nurturing their STEM identities. This innovative approach integrates STEM identity with SEL and advocates for incorporating diverse cultural and social identities to enrich context-driven Transformative Social and Emotional Learning (T-SEL) innovations.

The foundation of this chapter is rooted in SEL competencies as defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) and the concept of STEM identity, supported by research (Kim et al., 2018; Hughes et al., 2013; Dou et al., 2019) and the Ways of Being Model (WoBM) (Blyth et al., 2017). The WoBM extends traditional SEL frameworks by placing emphasis on identity and cultural values in students' Social Emotional Development (SED) (Blyth et al., 2017), which is critical for effective T-SEL (CASEL, n.d.). It includes dimensions of feeling, relating, and doing, layered with identity, awareness, and navigation skills (Blyth et al., 2017).

The paper presents findings from Author 1’s (2023) action research on her STEM-Social Emotional Learning for Facilitators (STEM-SELF) innovation within OST programs. It also includes a follow-up study examining how counselors applied their learnings to integrate SEL and STEM identity in their roles as secondary science teachers during the academic year.

Seven counselors participated in both studies, contributing through surveys, reflections, and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis utilized a reflective thematic approach (Braun & Clarke, 2022).

Key findings from the original study include:
Counselors deepened their understanding of STEM identity and enhanced their ability to foster students' identification with STEM.
The integration of SEL in STEM contexts prompted counselors to reflect on their own STEM identities.
Counselors recognized the value of SEL in supporting students' holistic development.

Follow-up study findings reveal:
Counselors encountered challenges but valued implementing SEL and STEM identity practices in science classrooms.
All counselors integrated SEL and STEM identity into their teaching, adapting practices to their unique contexts.
Despite the subtle incorporation of T-SEL in classroom discussions, counselors made strides in promoting students' identity, agency, and sense of belonging.

The STEM-SELF innovation addresses the imperative to equip counselors with skills to bolster students' STEM identity and inclusivity within STEM pathways. These findings offer insights for pre-service and in-service teachers and administrators aiming to develop their T-SEL initiatives, emphasizing:
Customizing T-SEL efforts to align with student cultural identities.
Selecting T-SEL competencies that enhance students' social-emotional and identity development while addressing systemic inequities.
Cultivating a reflective culture among educators to sustain T-SEL effectiveness, including self-reflection on social-emotional growth, cultural perspectives, and implicit biases.
Prioritizing T-SEL integration throughout the academic year.

Overall, this paper underscores the importance of integrating SEL and STEM identity development to foster inclusive and supportive learning environments. It highlights the potential of T-SEL innovations to empower students from diverse backgrounds and equip educators with tools to navigate complex educational landscapes effectively.

Authors

• Megan Bettis, University of California - Davis

• James P Bock, Arizona State University

• Amy M. Markos, Arizona State University