Teachers' Enactment of Relational Agency in SEL: A Study of the KIST School Network

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 1:45 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Place-Based Educational Ontologies: Teaching for Justice, Remedy, and Repair (Table 8)

Abstract

Transformative social-emotional learning has the potential to empower teachers and enhance their effectiveness in rural Taiwanese schools, ultimately contributing to narrowing the urban-rural achievement gap. This qualitative case study investigates how a targeted professional development program focused on transformative SEL cultivates teachers' relational agency within the KIST School Network, a collaborative initiative encompassing 11 rural schools. By analyzing in-depth interviews, classroom observations, and program documents, this study aims to shed light on rural teachers' experiences and perceptions of SEL, its influence on pedagogical approaches, the development and manifestations of relational agency, and the challenges and supports within the rural context. Findings will contribute to advancing theoretical understanding, generating practical recommendations, and advocating for policies that better support educational equity in Taiwan.

Authors

• Peiying Chen, National Taiwan Normal University

• Fu-An Chi, National Taiwan Normal University