Implementing and Measuring Evidence-based Social and Emotional Learning & Life Skills Education interventions in Complex Environments

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

Perspective: The growing attention to the emotional lives of young people reflects an understanding of how poverty, violence and generational trauma can affect communities. It also highlights the resilience that can develop in challenging circumstances. In many places, schools play a vital role in fostering this resilience by serving as a platform for innovative and preventative interventions. Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and Life Skills Education (LSE) are the core component of such programs. SEL/LSE interventions aim to equip children, youth, and adults with the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary for five key competencies: 1) Self-Awareness -- Knowing what you feel in the moment; 2) Social Awareness – Practicing empathy to understand what others are feeling and being able to take their perspective; 3) Self-Management -- Managing one’s emotions so to persevere in the face of setbacks and frustrations; 4) Relationship Skills -- Establishing and maintaining healthy relationships, managing conflict, and seeking help when needed; and 5) Responsible Decision Making -- Making decisions based on an accurate consideration of all relevant factors and the likely consequences of alternative courses of action. SEL/LSE interventions, whether implemented in schools or informal settings, provide young people with the skills needed for success in education, employment, and life.

SEL/LSE has gained global momentum due to its long-term, positive impacts on resilience within vulnerable communities, as well as its high return on investment. SEL/LSE can mitigate risks and enhance the effectiveness educational programs, leading to positive impacts on academic achievement, school retention and attendance rates, reduced stress and anxiety, diminished negative student behavior like bullying, violence and juvenile crime, and improved health outcomes such as substance use. These competencies can be easily integrated into existing programs, leveraging available resources and adopting a skills-based, strengths-oriented approach that is applicable across various settings affected by poverty, exposure to adverse childhood experiences, and violence. While some interventions target specific at-risk populations, SEL/LSE can be tailored to the developmental stage of the individual, from young children to adults. This approach strengthens the skills required in the present while establishing a foundation to tackle future challenges. During this session, presenters will share examples of such interventions, focusing on practices supported by evidence.

Objective: The primary objective of this panel is to provide a platform for discussing evidence-based SEL/LSE programs and their measurement. Interventions are most effective when grounded in evidence and utilize data for course corrections and adaptation. SEL interventions are no exception. Systematic reviews of SEL offer clear evidence of what works within different intervention approaches. Nonetheless, there are still gaps in our knowledge. In this panel, the presenters will aim to address these gaps by discussing innovative measurement approaches and evidence-based interventions in Botswana, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Honduras.

Format: The panel will be structured as follows:
 Introduction of speakers
 Paper presentations
⁃ Castillo et al presentation of baseline data from a cross-national, experimental design of SEL in Honduras and Guatemala.
⁃ Robinson presentation of learning loss, trauma, and resilience in children, parents, and teachers in Tigray, Ethiopia
⁃ Opare-Kumi presentation of foundational learning and mental health in Botswana
⁃ Gandara presentation of situated assessment frameworks in the evaluation of life skills programs
⁃ [presentation 5]
 Discussion: Following the presentation, Anne Sellers will lead a discussion of these presentations and facilitate questions from the audience. Sellers is the Technical Director for Education at Catholic Relief Services.

Relevance to conference theme: The presentations featured in this panel align with the theme of the 68th meeting of CIES, “The Power of Protest”, particularly Sub-Theme 2 and 4. As it concerns Sub-Theme 2 (Curriculum and Protest), evidence indicates that SEL interventions can serve as transformative catalysts. These interventions bring about change at multiple levels: on an individual scale, students learn to advocate for themselves and others, while at the community level, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders glean valuable insights from children, fostering collaborative and compassionate actions that reshape patterns of conflict, exclusion, and denigration. Successful SEL interventions cultivate children who are equipped to navigate an increasingly complex world with both intellectual rigor and empathy. Regarding Sub-Theme 4 (Pedagogies and Protest), evidence suggests that participants of SEL programs acquire critical skills in democratic values such as collaboration, equity and inclusion. These prosocial skills are the foundation for social cohesion and pave the way for significant and meaningful change.

Sub Unit

• General Pool

Chair

• Daniel G Oliver, Room to Read

Individual Presentations

• Measuring social & emotional competencies and intervention acceptability in Guatemalan and Honduran schools: Findings from a quasi-experimental design - Liza Castillo, CRS; Ricardo Enrique Castro, Catholic Relief Services (CRS); Chelsea Peters; Daniel G Oliver, Room to Read

• Examining Levels of Learning Loss, Trauma, and Resilience in Children, Parents, and Teachers in Tigray, Ethiopia - Elizabeth Robinson, The Luminos Fund

• The Importance of Situated Assessment Frameworks in the Evaluation of Life Skills Programs - Fernanda Gándara, Room to Read; Daniel G Oliver, Room to Read

Discussant

• Daniel G Oliver, Room to Read