Abstract
This chapter describes an online professional learning series (OPLS) focused on supporting educators in designing P-12 online social-emotional learning (o-SEL) environments. The authors argue there is a need for o-SEL professional learning, which can serve as an ongoing, flexible resource educators can reference as they design their online learning environments (i.e., online classrooms). To participate fully in this OPLS, P-12 educators are situated to participate in professional exercises, guided by design thinking, to identify problems and possible solutions specifically related to their individual online learning environments. Through this process, educators draw upon the content, resources, and online teaching strategies to brainstorm practical solutions to better serve their learners' needs in online learning environments. To earn credit for completing the professional learning modules, educators submit solutions for peer review and professional evaluation. Upon receipt of the feedback, they may revise and resubmit, if needed, to demonstrate their new skills and competencies.
TopBackground
In response to the increased access and rising need for online, remote, and hybrid learning environments, we, as professors in the field of education, designed an online professional learning series (OPLS) for teaching in online learning environments with support from our university. The first OPLS offered resources to pre-service and in-service educators to quickly gain new or additional skills in online teaching and learning for P-12 learners during the 2020-2021 academic year.
The OPLS consists of modules focused on areas educators reported as most challenging during the March 2020 to May 2020 timeframe when most schools were closed to in-person instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The challenges included in the modules were identified via observation of and/or conversations with teachers, administrators, and teacher candidates at our mid-sized Midwestern university. In addition to an overview of best practices in teaching online, three broad topics and areas of need in teaching online to P-12 students were identified based on educator feedback. These areas included online social-emotional learning (o-SEL); online science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education (o-STEM) education; and literacy teaching in online learning environments. The initial goal was to assist our local urban school districts (about 150 teachers) and university laboratory school educators by providing resources and additional support to deliver instruction in online spaces.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Social Justice Standards: Standards to provide anti-bias education throughout K-12 instruction in four domains: identity, diversity, justice, and action (IDJA). Based on Louise Derman-Sparks’ anti-bias education goals in early childhood, these domains focus on anti-bias, multicultural, and social justice education (Teaching Tolerance, 2018 AU50: The in-text citation "Teaching Tolerance, 2018" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ). The organization, Teaching Tolerance, is now known as Learning for Justice.
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) Framework: A framework for social-emotional learning, which includes five competencies: relationship skills, responsible decision-making, self-awareness, self-management, and social awareness (CASEL, 2021b AU48: The in-text citation "CASEL, 2021b" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Collaborative Model for Teaching in Online Social-Emotional Learning Environments: A model with six elements to support educators in developing and fostering equitable, learner-centered online environments for all individuals to have opportunities to succeed and experience social-emotional learning skills. The elements within the model include empower, engage, motivate, include, collaborate, and extend ( Geesa et al., 2022 ).
SAFE (Sequences, Active, Focused, Explicit): Social-emotional learning (SEL) instruction that is “SAFE” includes instruction that is: Sequenced (fostering competency development), Active (emphasizing active learning forms), Focused (focusing on SEL competency development), and Explicit (targeting skills, attitudes, and knowledge) (CASEL, 2021 AU49: The in-text citation "CASEL, 2021" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success: Standards which focus on K-12 college- and career readiness for every student and describe the knowledge, skills, and attitudes students need to achieve academic success, college, and career readiness, and social/emotional development. The behavior standards are grouped into three subcategories: learning strategies, self-management skills, and social skills ( ASCA, 2021a ).
Healthy Environments and Response to Trauma in Schools (HEARTS): Utilizing a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) framework to support students, staff, and schools in addressing trauma and chronic stress, this program includes approaches for prevention and intervention throughout schools ( UCSF, 2022c ). Focusing on school success, the program emphasizes school system collaboration to develop school cultures that are “trauma-informed, safe, supportive, engaging, and equitable” and climates fostering “resilience, wellness, and racial justice for everyone in the school community” ( UCSF, 2022b , para. 1).
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE): An organization that strives to improve “opportunities for all learners by delivering: practical guidance, evidence-based professional learning, virtual networks, thought-provoking events and the ISTE Standards” ( ISTE, 2022 , para. 2).
Online Learning Environment: Educational instruction and content delivered with digital tools primarily over the Internet (synchronously or asynchronously) ( Anderson, 2008 ).
Design Thinking Process: Design thinking is a set of creative principles employed to explore solutions to identified problems or to address a challenge in innovative ways ( Brown, 2009 ). There are five phases to the design thinking process: 1) Empathize, 2) Define, 3) Ideate, 4) Prototype, and 5) Test ( Stanford University, 2010 ). We refer to design thinking with three different acronyms – design thinking (DT), design thinking process (DTP) and design thinking model (DTM).
Online Social-Emotional Learning (o-SEL): Online teaching and learning that provides learners and educators SEL opportunities to develop understandings of and ways to address emotions, support oneself and others, take initiatives, build connections, foster equitable relationships, and positively engage with others ( Geesa et al., 2022 ).
Hybrid Learning: A combination of blended learning and remote learning (IDOE, 2021).