Child, school climate, and social emotional learning in LMICs

Group Submission Type: Paper Session

Proposal

Research on school climate dates back over 100 years (Anderson, 1982; Thapa, Cohen, Guffey & Higgins-D’Alessandro, 2013). A range of terms have been used to describe school climate such as tone, atmosphere, feelings, ethos, occupational health, organizational health, setting, milieu, culture, and conditions of learning (Bradshaw et al., 2021; Thapa, et al., 2013). The rise of systematic, empirical study of school climate grew out of industrial/organizational research coupled with the observation that school-specific processes accounted for a great deal of variation in student achievement (Anderson, 1982; Kreft, 1993; Purkey & Smith, 1983). Ever since, research in school climate has been growing systematically, and in recent years many countries are showing a keen interest in this area. There is empirical evidence being documented on various aspects of school climate in several languages (for a summary, see Benbenisty & Astor, 2005; Cohen et al., 2009; Berkowitz et al (2017); Thapa et al (2013) in English; Debarbieux, 1996; Janosz, Georges, & Parent,1998 in French; and Del Rey, Ortega & Feria, 2009 in Spanish). However, most of these studies include high-income countries and there has been a dearth of research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

In this panel, we make an attempt to visit some selected topics relating to school climate and social emotional learning in LMICs that have growing interest among researchers around the world. In this regard, the panel reviews recent conceptual and assessment related developments in the field, particularly in the context of LMICs. However, for comparative purpose, there are cases and examples from high-income countries as well. The panel hopes to bring to light the issues, challenges, opportunities and future directions of the field. This panel is comprised of four presenters representing studies from various countries from South Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The first presentation titled “International school climate research, policy and practice trends” gives a helpful summary of what is happening in the field at a global level using data from about twenty countries and presenter's own experiences from consulting with various Ministries of education around the world. The second paper will focus on the conceptualization, measurement and practice related challenges and opportunities in LMICs. The third paper is a randomized control trial from India and investigates the impacts of an audio-video program for low-literacy families focusing on socio emotional learning. Finally, the fourth paper presents evidence on the cumulative exposure to harsh discipline at home and school on child development in the case of Ghana.

All the presenters are experts and scholars in the field. Jonathan Cohen, Ph.D., ABPP is an Adjunct Professor in Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University (1980 to 2023); Co-founder and President-Emeritus, National School Climate Center (1996-2017); and Co-president of the International Observatory for School Climate and Violence Prevention (2018 - 2023). Dr. Cohen is a practicing clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst and has worked in and with K-12 schools for over forty years as a teacher, program developer, school psychologist, researcher, consultant, psycho-educational diagnostician, and mental health provider. He has authored over 125 peer-reviewed articles, chapters and a dozen books and monographs. Dr. Cohen will chair the panel and will also make the first presentation to lay the foundation for the panel providing a snapshot of research, policy and practice in the field. Dr. Amrit Thapa and Dr. Sharon Wolf, the authors for the second paper, are Senior Lecturer and Associate Professor respectively at Penn Graduate School of Education. Both of them are experts on school climate and social emotional learning in LMICs and have been involved in teaching and conducting research on this field. The third and fourth presenters and the discussant are researchers at Penn’s Graduate School of Education.

Sub Unit

• Youth Development and Education SIG

Organizer

• Amrit Thapa, University of Pennsylvania

Chair

• Amrit Thapa, University of Pennsylvania

Individual Presentations

• Cumulative Exposure to Harsh Discipline at Home and School on Child Development: Evidence from Ghana - Hang Heather Do, Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania; Yujie Fu; Sharon Wolf

• School Climate in Low-and Middle-Income Countries: Concept, Assessment and Practice - Amrit Thapa, University of Pennsylvania; Sharon Wolf; Tanya Muralidharan Nair, University of Pennsylvania

• Impacts of an Audio-Video Program for Low-Literacy Families Targeting Socio Emotional Learning in India - Anahita Kumar, GSE, University of Pennsylvania; Sharon Wolf

Discussant

• Tanya Muralidharan Nair, University of Pennsylvania