Saturday 25 July 09:50
- 11:20
Hall: 13 - Room 10 SA
Chair and Discussant:
Agrawal Chinu
Co-Chair:
Singh Tushar
Division: Division 5: Education and School Psychology
It is well established that fostering well-rounded individuals requires the integration of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) with academic learning from early childhood. A purposeful emphasis on SEL leads to improved coping mechanisms, enhanced academic performance, and the development of crucial life skills. In this context, the National Education Policy (NEP,2020) of India emphasized experiential and project-based learning in schools. Following this, various SEL curricula entered the mainstream, receiving mixed responses from stakeholders such as teachers, students, parents, and school counsellors.
This symposium brings together five complementary perspectives that explore SEL integration across diverse educational contexts, ranging from primary schools in India and Malaysia to higher education institutions and multicultural schools in Dubai. They highlight stakeholder experiences, including insights from students, school counsellors, and school leaders, and emphasize the importance of culturally and contextually responsive program design.
Evidence from various studies that have explored the impacts of India's HEMA Foundation SEL program across various stakeholders demonstrates the benefits of project-based SEL in enhancing teamwork, creativity, and real-world application. Thes studies also report barriers such as time constraints, limited faculty and counsellor capacity, and alignment with existing curricula which present the need for future research/ policy implications to completely harness the potential of such programs in educational settings. Comparative analyses of findings from Malaysia and Dubai further underscore the need for cultural adaptation, aligning core SEL competencies with local values, traditions, and educational philosophies.
Conclusively, this symposium present evidence-based insights, practical strategies, and cross-cultural lessons to underscores the multifaceted contributions of educators, counsellors, and institutional leaders as agents of change in cultivating socially and emotionally competent learners. The symposium is an effort to equip the participants/ audience with understanding of the ways in which SEL can be effectively implemented, scaled, and adapted across diverse educational settings for ensuring both student well-being and holistic development.
