Securing the Foundation: Building Teacher Capacities and Resources of Coping through University-based SEL Courses

• In Event: Adult SEL Professional Learning Lifecycle: The Motivations, Knowledge, Skills, and Efficacy to Do Something Differently

Abstract

Background. Investing in and promoting educators’ own SEL can improve student outcomes (Forber-Pratt et al., 2023), enhance instructional practices (Murray et al., 2018), and decrease burnout (Oliveira et al., 2021). However, few teacher preparation programs include opportunities for building adult SEL capacity in their curricula (Schonert-Reichl, 2017), leaving gaps in educators’ knowledge and skills related to SEL implementation. Therefore, in-service education is needed. Credit-bearing university extension courses offer an attractive pathway to promoting adult SEL at scale. In this paper, we explore changes in adult SEL capacity among PK-12 educators who completed an extension course. Specifically, we explore: (1) changes in capacity (e.g., attitudes, knowledge, skills) to implement SEL, which includes advancing equity; and (2) changes in work-related resources for coping, as a mechanism to prevent burnout and promote well-being.

Methods. Only Fall 2023 course participants who completed a pre-and-post course reflection assignment, and consented to the use of their responses for research purposes, are included in our analytic sample (N=237). They identified as mostly experienced (median=10 years), general education teachers (84%) and White (67%) or Hispanic (27%), ciswomen (88%). Measures. SEL capacities were assessed using the [SURVEY Name Redacted for Peer Review]. We explored capacities for SEL implementation, including attitudes about SEL (4 items), knowledge of SEL (5 items), skills to implement SEL (6 items), and self-efficacy to implement SEL (6 items). Resources for coping were measured as a 2-item scale.

Analysis. We used mixed effects models to assess changes in scale means for capacities and coping resources between pre-course and post-course, controlling for teacher experience, grade level taught, race, and ethnicity. Item-level analyses were also conducted– with particular attention to equity-related items– by examining the magnitude of mean difference values from pre- to post-course.

Featured Results. There was strong improvement from pre- to post-course (p<.001) on all scale scores for SEL capacities. Effect sizes (partial eta squared) were especially strong for knowledge (0.81) and skills (0.54); they were weaker for attitudes (0.03) and self-efficacy (0.08), and coping resources (0.19), likely because attitudes and efficacy started high, and the expectation that coping resources would be depleted over the study period (August - November). Looking at individual items, although equity items (e.g., considering the impact of race and racism on experiences in school) significantly and favorably changed, the magnitude was smaller than for non-equity items (e.g., modeling SEL skills).

Significance: This exploration of pre and post-course data from the university extension course reveals enhancements in teachers’ capacity, a requisite for successful SEL implementation and sustainability. Large effects on SEL knowledge and skills are notable, as well as the unexpected increase in resources for coping from August through November. Further, results signal both the success and the room to continue improving the integration of SEL and equity. Overall, results illustrate the promise of university partnerships in providing professional continuous education to bolster adult SEL in ways that may encourage student and adult well-being.

Authors

• Kamryn Morris, University of California - Berkeley

• Addison Duane, Sacramento State University

• Justin D. Caouette, University of Washington

• Ashley Metzger, University of California - Berkeley

• CalHOPE Research Committee, University of California - Berkeley

• Valerie Shapiro, University of California - Berkeley