How Does SEL Support Educational Equity and Excellence? from CASEL
Imagine a school community that fully supports students’ learning and development so that all children can thrive. Most people agree that it is important for young people to have trusting relationships, a sense of purpose and belonging, and to learn and practice the skills needed to work toward their goals and contribute to their communities. That is why social and emotional learning (SEL) is important—because it can help create educational opportunities and environments that promote learning and practicing social, emotional, and academic skills, all of which are fundamental to healthy human development.
Transformative Social and Emotional Learning: In Pursuit of Educational Equity and Excellence from American Federation of Teachers
In this article, AFT shares its revised definition of SEL and focus on identity, agency, belonging, collaborative problem solving, and curiosity. AFT then describes some considerations and directions for ongoing action research with some partnering school communities. These include co-constructing equitable learning environments via project-based learning and SEL for adults. Plus, next steps in ongoing research-practice partnership efforts.
Breaking the Ice With Student-Made Videos from Edutopia
Combining the six-word memoir with a film containing six shots gives students a way to introduce themselves at the beginning of the year.
Continued Progress: Promising Evidence on Personalized Learning from RAND
Achievement findings indicate that compared to peers, students in schools using personalized learning practices are making greater progress over the course of two school years and that those students who started out behind are catching up to perform at or above national averages. The study finds that teachers at most schools were using data to understand student progress and make instructional decisions, all schools offered time for individual academic support, and the use of technology for personalization was widespread. However, some strategies, such as competency-based progression, were less common and more challenging to implement.
Crowdsourced Data Supporting Student-Centered Learning from Students at the Center
As the number of schools, districts and states committed to student-centered, personalized learning practices grows, so does the evidence base. On this page, you’ll find an evolving library of data points that describe the impacts of student-centered and competency-based approaches on student learning and other key outcomes. The findings are searchable and are sourced from research studies, external evaluations and evidence collected directly by schools, districts and states using student-centered and personalized learning approaches.
How States are Rethinking Instructional Time and Attendance Policies in the COVID-19 Era from KnowledgeWorks
States have begun to remove the barriers of seat time through legislation, guidance, or changes to state code over the past year. They are rethinking seat time using a variety of strategies ranging from providing additional waiver opportunities to individual schools and districts to rethinking the state’s very definition of hours of instruction. These examples help states begin to consider policy changes that provide schools greater flexibility to design student-centered and resilient education systems.
Knowledge in Action Efficacy Study Over Two Years from USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research
Because only scores of 3 or higher out of 5 on Advanced Placement exams can translate into college credit, schools often worry that without lectures and textbooks, teachers won’t be able to cover the breadth of the curriculum and students won’t be prepared for the high-stakes tests. This approach to instruction is a missed opportunity, write contributors Anna Rosefsky Saavedra and Amie Rapaport. They recently conducted the first-ever randomized controlled trial evaluation of project-based learning in an AP setting, compared to business-as-usual lectures, in five of the nation’s largest, predominantly urban school districts, four of which have a majority of Black and Hispanic students and three of which serve a majority of students from low-income households. The result: More AP U.S. Government and AP Environmental Science students would be eligible to earn college credit using PBL than a regular AP classroom approach.
Niemi: CASEL Is Updating the Most Widely Recognized Definition of Social-Emotional Learning. Here’s Why from Karen Niemi, CEO of CASEL
As the creators of the most widely cited SEL definitions, CASEL saw a need to clarify what’s necessary to achieve the vision of SEL for all educators, adults, and young people. They updated their definition and framework to pay close attention to how SEL affirms the identities, strengths and experiences of all children, including those who have been marginalized in our education systems.
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