William Cope
Eric Thomas
Torsten Galle
Kathryn AshbyLearning, Knowledge and Human Development MOOC’s Updates
4. The Social and Emotional Conditions of Learning: The Case of Bullying in Schools (Dorothy Espelage)
Comment: How do social and emotional conditions affect learning? (This, of course, is just as much the case for higher education, workplace learning, or informal learning in communities and personal life.)
Make an Update: Dorothy Espelage has taken just one area—bullying at school—where she hase used the methods of educational psychology to explore the social-emotional conditions of learning. Take an area of socio-behavioral learning interest or concern to you. What does the evidence tell? What are the main concepts we need to interpret the evidence?
Learning and the results of education are significantly influenced by social and emotional factors. For instance, there's a greater chance that a student who is unwell will not comprehend the material. The power of the mind is such that the more we think about something, the more likely it is to occur. Mind over matter, as we say all the time.
How students feel affects whether and how they can learn. If they’re anxious or fearful they’re not going to be able to take in information. Teachers not only can learn to create a safe environment they can learn to develop emotional intelligence. The students actually gain the skills of managing their emotions, solving conflicts, and interacting with others. And all of that can be taught and learned.
They are accepting an opportunity to try something new in front of their peers. From the point of view of many middle school students, the risk of ridicule alone is very high. The teacher, however, has created an emotionally safe environment in which that risk is so small that it seems there is really no risk at all in trying to conduct or play the rainstick while the rest of the band watches.
Students experience emotions every day. When you create an emotionally safe classroom students will feel free to tell you when they are experiencing a problem, and you will not have to be a mind detective. As you watch students who are having difficulty with a learning task, add “emotions” to your list of issues that may be blocking the student’s progress, and address the issue when you identify it.
We all feel at one time or another that we are being asked to do too much, and dealing with emotions may seem like too much. However, if you consider your ultimate goal – to have students learn, sometimes immediately dealing with a potential conflict will pave the way for learning.
Making the hallways of the entire school as safe as your classroom is a logical next step, but it may be a difficult one. In your classroom you can take the opportunity to work every day building a trusting relationship, and over time you will succeed.
Growing an emotionally safe environment throughout the school requires all school staff to embrace the goal, and then to work toward it. How teachers interact with each other is powerful modeling for students. When students see teachers collaborating and trusting each other, it sets the stage for their own interactions.
It may help to think of creating an emotionally safe environment as a preparation for learning. It’s difficult to teach when the room is physically too cold or too hot, and the same might be said about the emotional “temperature” of the class. It may be best to address it before you begin, so it does not become a recurring obstacle.
Like everything else, it takes time for students to learn how to manage their emotions and for teachers to understand how their emotions impact student learning, but once accomplished, every day’s curriculum objectives can be at the forefront.
Following up periodically and re-teaching emotional management skills is also good practice, like using checkpoints to ensure curriculum concepts are understood, valued and applied.
By taking risks, students gain confidence and the more confidence they have the more they will grow socially and academically. You can encourage students to take risks while teaching them that each risk they take, whether successful or not, can prepare them for a future success. The key is helping them learn from failures. If an effort fails and it’s simply accepted as failure, nothing is gained. If an effort fails and you use the opportunity to help the student analyze what went wrong and try again, that’s a success. It also shows others in the class that it is safe, and even valuable to take the same kind of risks.
We often think that all students must be engaged simultaneously. While the teacher was helping a few students resolve their differences the remainder of the class was involved in group or independent work. We know that social interaction is an important aspect of student learning so setting up small work groups is beneficial. The more they do it, the better they become at it, giving the teacher time to check in on each group to address whatever issue might come up. Resolving conflicts within a group is only one of them, but an important one. It appears that most of Kristin’s class was well-practiced in working within small groups, so when a conflict arose in one she could handle it with no apparent disruption for the rest of the class. This is a good example of how time spent managing student emotions can have long-term educational benefits.
I thought the social emotional approach to bullying was very interesting. Social emotional conditions affect learning because they can indicate what a student is focused on. If a student is not emotionally regulated, they will not be able to sit through a lesson or learning sequence without an outburst. Teachers can work to avoid these outbursts by teaching kids social emotional skills that can help them regulate their own emotions, and hopefully prevent outbursts. Social emotional learning helps students move higher up on Maslow's hierarchy of needs so they can focus on the skills being taught.
One socio-behavioral area of interest for me is bullying. Evidence shows that if a person is bullying face to face, then they would also probably be cyber bullying. Restorative practices and social emotional learning can help reduce bullying in schools if done consistently.
I think social emotional learning and awareness has a huge impact on academic learning. Studies have shown that a student's test scores increase if they have engaged in regular SEL. If a students is emotionally disregulated, they will not participate in academics at the same level as an emotionally regulated student would. If a student is able to identify emotions and practice working through them, then focus can be on academic learning.
How social and emotional development affect learning
A Well-implemented SEL programs positively affect students' success in school. Studies show that social-emotional skills—such as problem-solving, self-regulation, impulse control, and empathy—help improve academics, reduce negative social behaviors like bullying, and create positive classroom climates.
Dorothy Espelage's exploration of The Social and Emotional Conditions of Learning: The Case of Bullying in Schools sheds light on a critical aspect of education that often goes beyond traditional academic considerations. Her insights into the emotional and social dimensions of the learning environment, particularly in the context of bullying, are both enlightening and thought-provoking.
One key takeaway from Espelage's work is the acknowledgment of the profound impact that social and emotional conditions can have on students' overall well-being and educational outcomes. By delving into the complex issue of bullying in schools, she underscores the importance of addressing not only academic challenges but also the emotional and interpersonal dynamics that shape a student's learning experience.
Espelage's research also highlights the need for a holistic approach to education that incorporates strategies to create a positive and inclusive school climate. Understanding the emotional conditions that contribute to bullying allows educators, administrators, and policymakers to implement effective interventions and support systems, fostering a safe and nurturing environment for all students.
Moreover, Espelage's work encourages a broader conversation about the role of educators, parents, and the community in addressing social and emotional issues in schools. By promoting awareness and understanding of the factors influencing bullying, stakeholders can work collaboratively to implement preventative measures and provide resources to support those affected.
In conclusion, Dorothy Espelage's examination of the social and emotional conditions of learning, with a focus on bullying in schools, contributes significantly to the ongoing discourse on creating a comprehensive and supportive educational environment. Her research serves as a valuable resource for educators, researchers, and policymakers striving to enhance the overall well-being and success of students in schools.
Social and emotional conditions play a significant role in shaping learning experiences and outcomes. Here are some ways in which social and emotional conditions can affect learning:
Motivation and Engagement: Positive social and emotional conditions, such as a supportive and encouraging learning environment, can foster intrinsic motivation and engagement in learning. When students feel valued, respected, and emotionally supported, they are more likely to be motivated to actively participate in learning activities and invest effort in their studies.
Emotional Regulation: Emotional well-being and the ability to regulate emotions are crucial for effective learning. When students experience heightened stress, anxiety, or negative emotions, it can impair their attention, memory, and cognitive functioning. Conversely, a positive emotional state facilitates cognitive processing, memory consolidation, and problem-solving abilities.
Social Interaction and Collaboration: Learning is a social process, and social interactions with peers, teachers, and other individuals can greatly influence learning outcomes. Collaborative learning environments provide opportunities for discussion, sharing perspectives, and cooperative problem-solving, which enhance understanding and retention of information.
Self-Efficacy and Beliefs: Social and emotional conditions can impact students' beliefs about their abilities and their self-efficacy—their belief in their capacity to succeed. Positive social support, constructive feedback, and opportunities for success can enhance students' self-efficacy, leading to increased effort, persistence, and achievement.
Emotional Safety and Well-being: Students' emotional safety and well-being are essential for optimal learning. When students feel safe, both physically and emotionally, they are more likely to take risks, ask questions, and engage in open discussions. Conversely, a lack of emotional safety, such as bullying or a hostile learning environment, can hinder learning and impede cognitive development.
Cultural and Social Identity: Students' cultural backgrounds and social identities influence their learning experiences. Acknowledging and valuing students' cultural diversity and creating inclusive learning environments fosters a sense of belonging, promotes positive self-identity, and supports academic achievement.
Social and emotional conditions play a crucial role in learning. They can significantly impact a learner's engagement, motivation, overall well-being, and ultimately their ability to acquire and retain knowledge. Here are some ways in which social and emotional conditions affect learning:
Motivation: Positive social and emotional conditions, such as a supportive and encouraging learning environment, can enhance intrinsic motivation. When students feel valued, respected, and connected to their peers and teachers, they are more likely to be motivated to engage in learning activities and strive for academic success.
Engagement: Positive social interactions and emotional well-being contribute to increased engagement in learning. When students feel safe, included, and supported, they are more likely to actively participate, ask questions, collaborate with others, and take risks in their learning.
Attention and Focus: Emotional states can influence attention and focus. Negative emotions, such as anxiety, stress, or boredom, can hinder concentration and cognitive processing. Conversely, positive emotional states, such as curiosity, interest, and enthusiasm, can enhance attention and promote deep learning.
Memory and Retrieval: Emotional experiences can affect memory formation and retrieval. Emotionally charged events or content tend to be better remembered compared to neutral information. Emotional experiences can create strong memory associations, which can impact the encoding and recall of information.
Social Learning: Learning is inherently social, and social interactions provide opportunities for collaboration, discussion, and the exchange of ideas. Through social interactions, learners can gain new perspectives, refine their understanding, and develop higher-order thinking skills.
Emotional Regulation: Emotional regulation skills are essential for learning. The ability to understand and manage one's emotions allows learners to navigate challenges, cope with setbacks, and stay focused on learning goals. Developing emotional regulation skills supports academic success and overall well-being.
Self-Efficacy: Social and emotional conditions influence learners' beliefs about their own abilities and self-efficacy. Positive social support, constructive feedback, and opportunities for success contribute to higher self-efficacy beliefs, which, in turn, enhance motivation and achievement.
. As the world starts to be more interconnected, it is pertinent to develop a new way to teach and learn.
students by many years were priced and recognized for their individual achievements. But, the new framework has shown that it is not as productive as it could be.
Because of that, there is a new form of develope classes, based on grupal thinking and collaboration. It is seen as the space and time in which students are working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product.
Even though, the implementation of this kind of works sometimes aareinterrupted because the lack of socio emotional development on students. That is the case of lack of frustration tolerance. If sometime it is difficult to cope with owns failures, how would be to cope with other ones?
Anderson and Bushman define Frustration as the emotion experienced when an obstacle prevents the achievement of or progress toward a valued goal. Because of that we need to develope the ability to pass the obstacles and keep even the difficulties, or students will be less developed or not at their level of learning
. As the world starts to be more interconnected, it is pertinent to develop a new way to teach and learn.
students by many years were priced and recognized for their individual achievements. But, the new framework has shown that it is not as productive as it could be.
Because of that, there is a new form of develope classes, based on grupal thinking and collaboration. It is seen as the space and time in which students are working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product.
Even though, the implementation of this kind of works sometimes aareinterrupted because the lack of socio emotional development on students. That is the case of lack of frustration tolerance. If sometime it is difficult to cope with owns failures, how would be to cope with other ones?
Anderson and Bushman define Frustration as the emotion experienced when an obstacle prevents the achievement of or progress toward a valued goal. Because of that we need to develope the ability to pass the obstacles and keep even the difficulties, or students will be less developed or not at their level of learning