Social and Emotional Learning Skills (Annotated Bibliography)

Bailey, C. S., Martinez, O. M., & DiDomizio, E. (2023). Social and Emotional Learning and Early Literacy Skills: A Quasi-Experimental Study of RULER. Education Sciences, 13(4), 397. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13040397

This study employs RULER as an intervention method to investigate the connection between social and emotional learning and early literacy skills in elementary school students. The RULER program is evidence-based and aims to improve school emotional intelligence. Bailey et al. (2023) describes a quasi-experimental design where classrooms were randomized into treatment or control groups to receive the RULER intervention or continue to traditional teaching. The RULER program significantly enhanced their early literacy skills, highlighting that SEL can help with academic outcomes. Practical application of SEL principles in bettering educational practices is the major strength of this research as a guide to educators and policymakers. This source will serve as corroborating evidence that effective SEL programs, such as RULER, can ensure a remarkable increase in student's academic skills, particularly literacy when talking about the connection between emotional intelligence and learning.

Brow, L. K. (2023). Social and Emotional Learning Skills Following the Covid-19 Pandemic (Doctoral dissertation, Johnson & Wales University). https://www.proquest.com/docview/2806826520/D93859CAAD5C4392PQ/22?sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses

Brow’s dissertation focuses on the influence that the COVID-19 pandemic exerted on elementary students' social and emotional learning skills. In this research, the authors use the mixed-methods approach to look into SEL competencies in the post-pandemic period, where teachers and students are given surveys and interviewed. The results demonstrate that the pandemic significantly decreased SEL skills among students, particularly in emotional control and social behavior. However, Brow also identifies strategies educators employ to mitigate these effects, including adapting SEL programs to virtual formats and increasing emphasis on SEL in curriculum planning. This study highlights the ability of educators and students to respond resiliently and adapt to unforeseen circumstances. It emphasizes the role of SEL in helping students deal with the pandemic's emotional and social impacts. This source will play a crucial role in discussing the development of SEL during COVID-19 and its challenges, demonstrating why new and adaptive approaches should be implemented in such circumstances.

Glenn, D. E. A. (2022). Social Emotional Learning: Teachers’ Perceptions and Understandings regarding the Five Social Emotional Learning Competencies (Doctoral dissertation, College of Saint Elizabeth). https://www.proquest.com/docview/2645890664/D93859CAAD5C4392PQ/9?sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses

Glenn's dissertation research analyzes the viewpoints and grasp of primary school teachers regarding the five critical abilities of social and emotional learning (SEL): self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, interpersonal skills, and decision-making. Through qualitative teacher interviews, Glenn highlights the variety in classroom SEL comprehension and application techniques. The results indicate that although most teachers acknowledge the significance of SEL for student growth, there is a considerable variation in how well these skills are incorporated into daily classroom activities. This variation is due to the need for proper professional training regarding SEL, individual beliefs about the role of SEL in education, and the challenges of combining SEL with academic content. Glenn’s work emphasizes that training on SEL should be comprehensive for teachers and that it should be effectively implemented and integrated into the curriculum. This source will focus on teacher education in SEL to demonstrate that teacher perceptions and competencies directly influence the success of SEL programs in schools. It brings the need to concentrate professional development efforts in this area.

Grant, C., & Osanloo, A. (2014). Understanding, selecting, and integrating a theoretical framework in dissertation research: Creating the blueprint for your "house." Administrative issues journal, 4(2), 4. https://dc.swosu.edu/aij/vol4/iss2/4/

This source provides a comprehensive guide for selecting and applying a theoretical framework in dissertation research. Grant and Osanloo highlight the need to establish a theoretical framework to serve as a starting point for the research study—a blueprint for a house. They argue that a proper theoretical framework should inform the research design and methodology for the dissertation to have structure and depth. This source describes the process, particularly defining concepts related to the research question and the theory-practice connection between the research goals. It is a valuable instrument for educators in education, especially those researching themes such as social and emotional learning (SEL). The simplicity of the language and the organization of its contents make this source accessible to non-native English speakers and researchers from other fields, which creates ground to develop a systematic and theory-oriented research project.

Green, A. L., Ferrante, S., Boaz, T. L., Kutash, K., & Wheeldon‐Reece, B. (2021). Evaluation of the SPARK Child Mentoring Program: a social and emotional learning curriculum for elementary school students. The Journal of Primary Prevention, 42(5), 531–547. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10935-021-00642-3

This article analyzes the SPARK Child Mentoring Program, focusing on its ability to integrate social and emotional learning (SEL) into elementary school education. Green et al.’s study offers empirical evidence to show that SEL programs such as SPARK are crucial in improving students’ emotional well-being, social skills, and academic performance. With a particular SEL curriculum, this source reveals practical applications and issues in implementing SEL in schools, reflecting features of the dissertation theme on the part of SEL during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using simple language and clear examples, the authors' methodical approach to evaluating the program's impact makes the findings accessible to a broad audience, including educators, policymakers, and researchers. The relevance of this study to the dissertation topic is profound, as it offers insights into effective SEL strategies that could mitigate the educational and emotional challenges posed by global crises like COVID-19, providing a solid example of SEL's significance in elementary education.

Herring, H. L. (2023). A qualitative case study exploring teachers’ perceptions of social-emotional learning in an elementary school (Publication No. 30817156) [Doctoral dissertation, American College of Education]. ProQuest Dissertations. https://www.proquest.com/docview/2911074019/AE4A5C7918414F5CPQ/2?sourcetyp

Herring's dissertation comprehensively examines how teachers perceive social-emotional learning (SEL) in an elementary school environment, emphasizing the challenges associated with implementing SEL programs. Through qualitative research, specifically in-depth interviews with teachers, Herring uncovers the critical role of SEL in supporting students' holistic development, aligning closely with the dissertation topic's focus on SEL during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study's strengths lie in its detailed exploration of the practical aspects of SEL from the educators' perspective, offering valuable insights for enhancing SEL strategies in schools. Herring's clear articulation of findings and the study's methodological rigor make it an exemplary source for understanding the nuances of SEL implementation. This dissertation is particularly relevant as it provides a direct link to the proposed research by illustrating the significance of teachers' insights into SEL, which can inform strategies to address the educational and emotional challenges faced by students during global crises, offering a specific and authentic example of the importance of SEL in elementary education.

Howley, D., Dyson, B., Baek, S., Fowler, J., & Shen, Y. (2022). Opening up neat new things: exploring understandings and experiences of social and emotional learning and meaningful physical education utilizing democratic and reflective pedagogies. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(18), 11229. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191811229

This article explores incorporating social and emotional learning (SEL) into physical education, focusing on democratic and reflective teaching approaches. The authors argue for the significance of SEL in promoting holistic student development. This perspective aligns with the current educational focus on fostering emotional and social competencies alongside academic skills. By presenting case studies and empirical data, the study highlights how innovative pedagogical strategies can enhance students' engagement and SEL outcomes in physical education settings. This source is especially helpful in understanding the practical implementation of SEL in school curricula and its ability to foster a positive learning climate. It provides valuable information on how teachers can implement SEL strategies efficiently, creating a direct connection to improving students' social and emotional development. This article will provide a starting point for discussing the relevance of SEL in educational settings, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the necessity of vital SEL programs to address students' mental and emotional challenges.

Imenda, S. (2014). Is there a conceptual difference between theoretical and conceptual frameworks? Journal of Social Sciences, 38(2), 185–195. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09718923.2014.11893249

This paper delves into the distinctions between theoretical and conceptual frameworks in research, providing clarity on their respective roles in guiding studies. Imenda provides an in-depth discussion of how each framework contributes to building research methodology by highlighting the need for a clearly defined conceptual base for any study. This difference is essential for the dissertation critique and the proposed study on SEL because it emphasizes the need for a reliable theoretical foundation to delve into the complicated processes of SEL in COVID-19. By elucidating the functions and applications of these frameworks, the article aids in structuring the research process, ensuring that the investigation into SEL's impact on elementary students during the pandemic is grounded in rigorous academic principles. This source is instrumental in shaping the methodological critique of Herring's study and formulating the research approach for the proposed project on SEL, highlighting the necessity of a clear conceptual basis for examining educational phenomena.

Lawson, S., Cummings, M., & Scaggs, D. (2023). Principal Leadership for Social-Emotional Learning (Doctoral dissertation, Saint Louis University). https://www.proquest.com/docview/2827391639/D93859CAAD5C4392PQ/19?sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses

Lawson et al.'s dissertation explores the role of school principals in facilitating SEL programs, arguing that leadership is a pivotal factor in successfully implementing SEL in schools. Through qualitative research, the authors identify strategies and challenges principals face in promoting SEL, offering insights into SEL integration's administrative and leadership dimensions. This study is pertinent to the broader discussion of SEL, especially in the post-pandemic era, where leadership is vital in addressing the needs of emotional and social students. The results of this dissertation offer a more profound meaning of how school leaders can help teachers and students in SEL interventions and thus make it a valuable tool for the proposed study on the effects of SEL during the COVID-19 pandemic. This source complements the critiques of Herring's research by highlighting the importance of leadership in SEL. It informs the construction of relevant SEL programs that address the challenges posed by the pandemic.

Wright, L. B. (2022). The Effects of Innovating an Evidence-Based Dual Approach to Teaching Social-Emotional Learning on 5th Grade Student Engagement (Doctoral dissertation, Northcentral University). https://www.proquest.com/docview/2759029906/D93859CAAD5C4392PQ/26?sourcetype=Dissertations%20&%20Theses

Wright’s dissertation studies the effects of a new dual intervention strategy on SEL, focusing on student engagement in 5th grade, delivering evidence-based practices that improve both academic and social-emotional learning outcomes. The study focuses on a particular grade level and offers specific information on how SEL can promote the success of the curriculum by enhancing student engagement and well-being. The research methodology and findings provide a framework for measuring the impact of SEL programs, which is essential in the wake of recovering from the disruptions that took place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This source is essential for the proposed research on the pandemic impact on SEL because it gives a specific case of successful SEL implementation and its benefits to student engagement. Wright’s work will serve as a basis for the claim that innovative SEL strategies are crucial to addressing the issues that students and teachers face in the post-pandemic educational reality requiring comprehensive SEL programs to support student development.