Social emotional ability development (SEAD): An integrated model of practical emotion-based competencies

Social emotional abilities (i.e., specific skills), defined as the set of cognitive abilities, emotion-based knowledge, and behavioral competencies (i.e., skill levels) that facilitate adaptively employing prosocial processes and behaviors (i.e., “actions”), such as emotional regulation and sympathetic and empathetic response behaviors, is contemporarily modeled and measured as emotional intelligence. This conceptualization can be problematic, however, as the two concepts are not the same and traditional methods of measuring emotional intelligence can have limited practical utility. The social emotional ability development (SEAD) theoretical model introduced in this treatise represents a pragmatic and simplified approach to the development of social emotional ability and competency as abstracted from constructs of emotional intelligence, social intelligence, and sociocultural learning theory. Further, the SEAD model reaches beyond the individual as the unit of analysis to explore, conceptualize, differentiate, investigate, and define the hierarchal, bi-directional, and contextual nature of the dimensions of social emotional ability within close relationships. Implications for how the SEAD model can be used by researchers, practitioners, educators, individuals, families, and couples across a broad spectrum of domains and interventions are discussed.

A Paradigm for Global Student Interactions Through Digital Technologies in a Post-COVID Era

The widespread outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic forced almost every aspect of our lives to shift to online modalities. One outcome of the pandemic was to effectively establish digital learning as a major system for education. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the development and implementation of a web-based resource for college instruction. The foundation for this pedagogical tool is sociocultural learning theory. This instructional tool has been deployed with over 2000 students to date. Its successful employment with college students in India and the USA is outlined, and suggestions are included for its generalized use to other content and courses.

A Sociocultural Framework to Analyse M-Learning Options for Early Childhood Development (ECD) Practitioner Training

This article, a contribution to m-learning (mobile learning) research, centres on the motivation for, and development of, a suitable framework to analyse m-learning options for early childhood development (ECD) practitioners. Grounded in a sociocultural learning perspective, the framework was developed as part of a larger study into the feasibility of m-learning for ECD practitioners in the Penreach professional development programme in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Analysis of existing frameworks enabled the development of a new, modified framework to suit the Penreach context. Here we unpack the framework and explain its development. The new, modified framework aims to assist researchers, developers, and implementers by prompting consideration of five sociocultural learning features associated with m-learning in ECD, namely: device access, data affordability, authenticity, collaboration, and personalisation.

The influences of teacher aspirations and practices for children’s inclusive music education: The case of Muziki Changa

This article explores the concept of inclusion within a music education programme called Muziki Changa based in Kenya. Through the lenses of Vygotsky’s sociocultural learning theory and Wenger’s communities of practice, the article explores the aspirations and practices of one of the founders and two teachers at Muziki Changa, an informal music education programme, and their impact on children’s inclusive music education. Findings indicate that teachers’ informal learning practices within communities of practice inspire them to pursue children’s social inclusion in music education and to utilize inclusive pedagogies in teaching. The study concludes that early childhood music education through informal education initiatives is contributing significantly to increase opportunities for children’s inclusive music education in Kenya.

An Interdisciplinary Approach to the Design and Implementation of a University-oriented Internal Communications Strategy for a Bachelor of General Studies Degree Program

Leading an interdisciplinary program change is challenging. Effectively communicating those changes across a University brings additional challenges associated with organizational and cultural differences across administrative and academic units. This design-based research study used exploratory sequential mixed methods to develop a strategic internal communication plan for a new Bachelor of General Studies degree. Data included interviews with four university administrators and faculty who were involved in the development of the BGS degree program followed by a survey completed by 161 staff and faculty advisors and administrators outside of the program. Interview and survey results were interpreted using sociocultural learning, co-orientation theory, and a two-way symmetrical model of communication. Findings emphasize the importance of cultural differences across administrative and academic units: collectivism (community), professionalism (cooperation and trust), balanced power-distance (student-centered learning balanced with the expertise and authority of the faculty), pragmatism (practical results and blunt pragmatic communication style), and a results-oriented approach. The results were used to design an internal marketing plan that promotes sociocultural learning across cultural differences within the university and reciprocal exchange of information among undergraduate faculty and advisors.

“Is there any sugar in bread?” A qualitative video analysis of student activating learning tasks in Home Economics

The Norwegian Food and Health (FH) school subject aims to develop students' ability to understand the association between diet and health. Research on FH in Norway indicates that the main focus today is on cooking and the development of practical cooking skills, leaving little emphasis on activities related to the more theoretical aspects of the curriculum. To increase students’ knowledge and skills regarding nutrition and health, we aimed to evaluate three newly developed student-activating learning tasks. Three 6th grade FH classes in Southern Norway participated. Audio and video recording of the learning tasks were used to evaluate the activities. Also, data from focus group discussions with FH teachers and students, which were conducted afterwards, was included in the analysis. By emphasising sociocultural learning and using the skills highlighted as essential in social learning and development as basis for the activities, we found the activities valuable in working with FH. The students’ learning process was stimulated while they engaged with the learning tasks by working in groups, by being active in interaction, dialogue, communication and collaboration, and by being given the opportunity to listen and argue. Language was used as a peda­gogical tool and was central in the students’ learning process. Both the students and their teachers valued the active and practical outline of the learning tasks. We propose a stronger emphasis on practical learning tasks in FH, to strengthen the students’ social learning and thus the learning in the subject, by using this as a pedagogical approach in FH classrooms. Keywords: Food and Health, Home Economics, social learning, sociocultural learning, learning tasks, video analysis «Er det sukker i brød?»: En kvalitativ videoanalyse av elevaktive læringsaktiviteter i Mat og Helse Sammendrag Mat og Helse (MH) i skolen har som mål å utvikle elevenes evne til å forstå sammen­hengen mellom kosthold og helse. Forskning på MH i Norge indikerer at hovedfokuset i dag er på matlaging og utvikling av praktiske matlagingsferdigheter, med mindre fokus på aktiviteter som retter seg mot det mer teoretiske innholdet i læreplanen. For å øke elevenes kunnskaper og ferdigheter relatert til ernæring og helse, ønsket vi å evaluere tre nyutviklede elevaktive læringsaktiviteter utviklet spesielt til MH-faget. Tre 6. klasser i Sør-Norge var med på utprøvingen av aktivitetene, og lyd- og videoopptak ble brukt til å evaluere aktivitetene. I tillegg ble data fra fokusgruppeintervjuer med MH-lærere og elever, som ble gjennomført i etterkant, inkludert i analysen. Aktivitetene viste seg å være nyttige i arbeidet med MH, ved å legge vekt på sosiokulturell læring og bruke ferdighetene som er trukket fram som essensielle i sosial læring og utvikling, som grunnlag for aktivitetene. Ved å tilrettelegge for at elevene kan jobbe i grupper og ved å oppfordre til interaksjon og dialog, kommunikasjon og samarbeid, og til å lytte og argumentere, ble deres læringsprosess stimulert i arbeidet med oppgavene. I et sosio­kulturelt perspektiv er det nærliggende å anta at dette virker positivt på elevenes lærings­prosess, siden språket er et sentralt pedagogisk verktøy. Under fokusgruppeintervjuene kom det fram at både elevene og lærerne verdsatte at aktivitetene var elevaktive og praktiske. Basert på dette foreslår vi et større fokus på praktiske læringsaktiviteter i MH for å styrke elevenes sosiale læring, og dermed læring i faget, ved bruke dette som en pedagogisk tilnærming. Nøkkelord: Mat og Helse, sosial læring, sosiokulturell læring, læringsaktiviteter, videoanalyse

Emotional configurations of politicization in social justice movements

Purpose This paper aims to trace how emotion shapes the sense that is made of politics and how politicization can remake and re-mark emotion, giving it new meaning in context. This paper brings together theories of politicization and emotional configurations in learning to interrogate the role emotion plays in the learning of social justice activists. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on sociocultural learning perspectives, the paper traces politicization processes across the youth climate movement (using video-based interaction analysis) and the animal rights movement (using ethnographic interviews and participant observation). Findings Emotional configurations significantly impacted activists’ politicization in terms of what was learned conceptually, the kinds of practices – including emotional practices – that were taken up collectively, the epistemologies that framed social justice work, and the identities that were made salient in collective action. In turn, politicization reshaped how social justice activists made sense of emotion in the course of activist practice. Social implications This study is valuable for theorizing social justice learning, so social movement facilitators and educators might design spaces where learning about gender, racialization, colonialism and/or human/more-than-human relations can thrive. By attending to emotional configurations, this study can help facilitate a design that supports and sustains learning for justice. Originality/value Emotion remains under-theorized and under-analyzed in the learning sciences, despite indications that emotion enables and constrains particular learning opportunities. This paper proposes new ways of understanding emotion and politicization as co-constitutive processes for learning scientists interested in politics and social justice.