literature review on social emotional learning

< Previous

Home > ETDS > 435

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Social-emotional learning: a literature review.

Stella M. Westhoven , Stephen F. Austin State University Follow

Date of Award

Degree type, degree name.

Master of Arts - School Psychology

Human Services

First Advisor

Dr. Nina Ellis-Hervey, Thesis Director

Second Advisor

Dr. Jaimie Flowers, Committee Member

Third Advisor

Dr. Sarah Savoy, Committee Member

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Elaine Turner, Committee Member

Social-emotional learning targets the development of positive interpersonal relationships, empathy, emotional regulation, healthy identities, personal/collective goal orientation, and responsibility in the decision-making process (CASEL Organization, 2021). Schools, however, have the main objective of ensuring that academic measures are met. Linking social-emotional learning and skills to the school system’s principal goal, academic results, can facilitate the greater implementation of such programs within the school setting. This systematic literature review examined the relationship between social-emotional learning programs in schools and academic outcomes, such as grades, test scores, or grade point averages. Secondly, it explored the relationship between students’ social-emotional skills and these academic outcomes. After the predetermined inclusionary and exclusionary criteria were implemented, a total of 36 articles were determined applicable to this systematic literature review.

Repository Citation

Westhoven, Stella M., "Social-Emotional Learning: A Literature Review" (2022). Electronic Theses and Dissertations . 435. https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/435

Creative Commons License

Since June 01, 2022

Included in

Education Commons , Psychology Commons

Tell us how this article helped you.

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately, you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.

Colleges and Departments
Research Projects and Centers
Authors/Creators
ScholarsGallery

Advanced Search

Notify me via email or RSS

Authors Corner

Scholars FAQ
Submit Research
Electronic Thesis/Dissertation Submission Tutorial
Center for Digital Scholarship
R.W. Steen Library
East Texas Research Center

Home | About | FAQ | My Account | Accessibility Statement

Privacy Copyright

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Publications
Account settings
My Bibliography
Collections
Citation manager

Save citation to file

Email citation, add to collections.

Create a new collection
Add to an existing collection

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search, create a file for external citation management software, your rss feed.

Search in PubMed
Search in NLM Catalog
Add to Search

Social and emotional learning in primary schools: A review of the current state of evidence

Affiliation.

1 Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, UK.
PMID: 34921555
PMCID: PMC9540263
DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12480

Background: There is a plethora of reviews that summarize much of the evidence base in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). However, there are criticisms around variability of quality and focus of those reviews, meaning there is little strategic overview of the current state of the field. Further, there are rising concerns as to systemic gaps in the evidence base itself. An overview of reviews provides an opportunity for a comprehensive classification and corresponding critique of evidence.

Aims: The study sought to examine a-priori concerns regarding (1) variation in the rigour and quality of the meta-analytic and systematic evidence base, (2) comparatively less conclusive evidence for whole school approaches when compared to class-based curricula, and (3) an assumed universality of effect (i.e., lack of examination of any differential gains for sub-groups).

Method and results: A systematic search of the systematic and meta-analytic literature identified a total of 33 reviews examining SEL interventions. Papers were subject to a quality assessment in order to examine methodological rigour and were collated in line with the study's objectives.

Conclusions: We maintain the prevailing consensus that SEL programmes have an important role in education. However, variation in evidence quality remains high and there appear ambiguities regarding what constitutes whole school approaches. The review also highlights a novel and concerning lack of data for differentiating any subgroup effects. The review concludes with recommended novel directions for future research, including adoption of more complex trial architecture in evaluation alongside a move towards a wider plurality in methodological approach.

Keywords: prevention; schools; social and emotional learning; systematic review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no known conflict of interest to disclose.

Search and selection procedure.

Publication types

Search in MeSH

Related information

Linkout - more resources, full text sources.

Europe PubMed Central
Ovid Technologies, Inc.
PubMed Central

Citation Manager

NCBI Literature Resources

MeSH PMC Bookshelf Disclaimer

The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited.

Corpus ID: 259105363

Social-Emotional Learning: A Literature Review

Stella M. Westhoven , S. Austin
Published 2022
Psychology, Education

Tables from this paper

78 References

Social emotional learning and critical thinking disposition, cyberbullying among youth: a comprehensive review of current international research and its implications and application to policy and practice.

Highly Influential

Fostering positive adjustment behaviour: Social connectedness, achievement motivation and emotional-social learning among male and female university students

A benefit-cost analysis of a long-term intervention on social and emotional learning in compulsory school, emotional expressivity and emotion regulation: relation to academic functioning among elementary school children, peer influence on academic performance: a social network analysis of social-emotional intervention effects, use of social emotional learning skills to predict future academic success and progress toward graduation, social and emotional learning in adolescence: testing the casel model in a normative sample, the impact of social and emotional learning programs on the emotional competence and academic achievement of children in greek primary school, mindfulness in the foreign language classroom: influence on academic achievement and awareness.

12 Excerpts

Implementing Social-Emotional Learning in the Elementary Classroom

Kelsey l. kaspar.

1 Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock Community School District, Rockford, IA USA

Susan L. Massey

2 Upper Iowa University, Fayette, IA USA

Social-emotional learning has the power to change how educators deliver instruction across the country. For this article, social-emotional learning research and journal articles were reviewed for the purposes of identifying common themes among existing research. Multiple perspectives were considered in the review of literature and the findings were used to identify potential issues and create overall recommendations. The first author provides an example of an implementation case at her elementary school. The recommendations from this case are provided for school leaders to consider when implementing social-emotional learning in their elementary school buildings. A step-by-step action plan is laid out for school leaders to use as a guide for this process, based on the first author’s case, while taking possible issues into consideration.

Introduction

Social-emotional learning has evolved within the field of education over the years and is recently gaining more attention as students adapt to a changing world and, thus, a new learning environment. This type of learning focuses on students developing life skills like empathy, emotional intelligence, and goal setting (CASEL, 2020 ). Supporters of social-emotional learning (SEL) argue that these skills are equally as important as academic content (Brennan, 2015 ; Durak et al., 2011 ; Shriver & Weissberg, 2020 ). Legislators support social-emotional learning as evidenced by the passing of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This legislation allows schools to be evaluated on a non-academic outcome such as school climate and student engagement (National Conference of State Legislature, 2018 ). As the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed the way teachers delivered instruction, a common sentiment among educators was to remind each other of the importance of “Maslow before Bloom” (Raschdorf et al., 2020 ). That is, students’ social-emotional needs should be met before expecting them to absorb and retain academic information. This belief has more early childhood educators calling for knowledge of social-emotional learning instruction and the best way of doing so. A large body of current research is allowing for education to head in this direction. The research provides support for the impact that SEL can have on schools across the country.

The purpose of this article is to examine potential practices for implementing social-emotional learning into the elementary classroom. Prior research will be reviewed for information surrounding the most effective way to implement SEL. After reviewing effective strategies, recommendations and their implications will be given to allow for a successful transition into the elementary setting. These recommendations are based on the implementation process at the first author’s school. Potential roadblocks, like time management, financial considerations, and stakeholder buy-in, will be taken into account as a plan for implementation. A step-by-step plan will be outlined for assisting school leaders in the process of adding social-emotional learning to the classroom. A successful plan will convince all parties involved of the necessity of social-emotional learning, including administrators, parents, teachers, students, and community members.

Current Approaches to SEL

Current literature offers insight into the impact of social-emotional learning on student academic performance. Research includes current social-emotional learning practices and how opposing views affect the implementation of SEL. This review will also discuss necessary components for successful implementation, such as the learning environment and SEL curriculum, based on prior research findings. The review will conclude with an overview of why further investigation is needed to determine the best plan for bringing SEL to the elementary classroom.

The Benefits of Social-Emotional Learning

The most popular argument for social-emotional learning is that SEL is as critical as academic instruction for students of all ages. When SEL is implemented correctly, there can be a dramatic increase in academic performance as a result. A meta-analysis of 213 studies found this to be true, concluding that social-emotional instruction has a significant impact on students’ academic scores (Durlak et al., 2011 ). However, it is important to note that SEL does not replace core instruction. Instead, when taught as a supplemental curriculum, social-emotional learning benefits children from all backgrounds and helps to enhance their overall experience at school (Shriver & Weissberg, 2020 ). When students’ social-emotional needs are prioritized, they are more likely to respond to learning within the school environment. This is especially true for students who have experienced trauma, or adverse childhood experiences, who tend to struggle with the typical needs of the school day (Parker & Hodgson, 2020 ).

Furthermore, when implemented effectively, SEL connects very well with standards-based teaching and grading. A component of standards-based grading requires students to reflect on their learning and learn from their failures and mistakes. Standards-based grading also encourages students to be aware of their learning goals and work towards them at their own pace. These practices are remarkably like lessons taught as part of social-emotional learning, where students learn the importance of growth mindset and goal setting (Brennan, 2015 ). The connection between standards-based grading and social-emotional learning could result in increased academic performance for students at the elementary level (Brennan, 2015 ).

Opposing Views of Social-Emotional Learning

While research supports the impact of SEL on academic performance, there are arguments against the implementation of SEL in U.S. public schools. Those who oppose social-emotional learning argue that SEL is manipulative and works to mold student personalities into a uniform expectation, taking away student individuality (Zhao, 2020 ). Likewise, legislation involving funding social-emotional learning is consistently turned away by some legislators who argue that more time should be spent on academic instruction than on teaching soft skills (Stringer, 2019 ). Opponents also worry that social-emotional learning may influence students’ future political views, rather than teaching them to develop their own opinions about political issues (Stringer, 2019 ).

Conversely, advocates of social-emotional learning work to convince opposers by arguing that SEL is needed for students to become successful, functional adults in society. Because social-emotional learning develops students’ ability to recognize their own emotions and empathize with others, advocates of SEL argue that students with these developed skills will be more successful later in life (Burroughs & Barkauskas, 2017 ). In fact, some even attest that social-emotional learning is needed for complete human development, particularly in the early years (Ahmed et al., 2020 ). If students are not receiving a typical social-emotional environment at home, schools can replicate the teaching of these skills with an appropriate SEL curriculum. Students who have experienced trauma or adverse childhood experiences (ACES) in their home life can have an equal chance at proper social-emotional development when SEL instruction is delivered at school (Parker & Hodgson, 2020 ). Not only could SEL enhance students’ overall health and development, social-emotional learning can also have a positive impact on school climate and atmosphere. SEL has been found to improve student engagement while at school and reduce high-risk behaviors (Meyers et al., 2015 ; Yang et al., 2018 ).

Current Social-Emotional Learning Practices in the United States

While there remain arguments on either side of the spectrum, schools across the United States are implementing SEL to determine the impact it can have on students. In the United States, legislation provides funding for schools to research and implement SEL, like the School Climate Transformation Grant. School districts were able to first apply for this grant in 2014 (U.S. Department of Education, 2014 ). From there, the passing of the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) offered more funding for schools wishing to add teacher leader positions in the field of SEL (CASEL, 2019 ). These changes allowed for schools in the United States to begin researching the impact SEL could have on their students and bring attention to meeting students’ social-emotional needs.

Available Resources

Social-emotional learning gains much of its support and new resources from civic organizations in the United States. For example, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is a leader in helping schools to perfect their skills in SEL instruction. CASEL ( 2019 ) not only offers guides for implementation, but also reviews curricula to help school districts find a best fit. CASEL ( 2019 ) also provides extensive research touting the benefits of social-emotional learning. Similarly, the National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development ( 2019 ) conducted research to provide school districts with recommendations to begin SEL implementation. Their research concluded that social-emotional learning requires the following factors: policy alignment, continuous reflection, local ownership, trained leaders, and cross-sector coalitions (National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development, 2019 ). Finally, the National Education Association (NEA) supports teachers in their concern for student wellbeing (NEA Education Policy and Practice Department, n.d.). The NEA believes that social-emotional learning is an imperative component of a child’s education.

The support from these types of organizations makes the creation of SEL resources and curricula possible. There continues to be more curricula on the market for administrators to purchase. Dusenbury and Weissberg ( 2017 ) reviewed multiple SEL curricula, including Caring School Community, PATHS, Positive Action, Resolving Conflicts Creatively, Responsive Classroom, Second Step, Social Decision Making/Problem Solving Program, and Steps to Review. These curricula focused on the five social-emotional competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making (CASEL, 2019 ). These curricula make it possible for the general education teacher to add SEL as a daily component in the classroom (Dusenbury & Weissberg, 2017 ). Before deciding on which curriculum best fits a certain school, Ferreira et al. ( 2020 ) remind administrators of the importance of ensuring that the curriculum is developmentally appropriate for the intended age. Just as academics are scaffolded throughout the year, social-emotional skills should correspond to developmentally appropriate age ranges and expectations. In addition, while cost is an important factor to consider when deciding on a curriculum, administrators may recognize that the impact of social-emotional learning can create a financial return by improving student performance, school climate, and increasing standardized test scores (Dusenbury & Weissberg, 2017 ). In this way, purchasing an SEL curriculum can be considered an important investment in a school’s success.

Necessary Components for Implementation

Once schools receive the support and resources to begin the implementation of SEL, administrators need to research best practices for implementing social-emotional learning. These examples have revealed necessary components for SEL instruction to be the most successful. To begin, teachers should be aware of their comfort level with teaching social-emotional learning. To be able to teach social skills, educators need to be socially competent themselves (Collie et al., 2012 ). If educators are not aware of their own social-emotional competencies, then the art of instructing these skills can become too stressful. In this way, schools should set their priority on supporting adults first before expecting them to teach SEL (Darling-Hammond, 2018 ). Mentally healthy teachers will be more impactful with their instruction than those who have other stressors to worry about. With that in mind, it is helpful for schools to focus on simply initiating SEL and then be willing to reflect, learn from mistakes, and listen to teachers’ thoughts and opinions about what was successful and what was challenging (Berman, 2018 ).

After teachers are prepared for teaching SEL, school leaders then may consider focusing on perfecting the learning environment. School is naturally a social place for students, and it makes sense to instruct these skills in this setting (Dominguez & LaGue, 2013 ). Three themes emerged from the literature that were described as necessary components for SEL to be most successful. These all impacted the learning environment: positive teacher-student relationships, diversity and acceptance, and student voice (Durlak et al., 2011 ; Elias, 2014 ; Farrel, 2019 ; Zalaznick, 2020 ). Students thrived in an environment where they felt supported and respected by their teachers and, therefore, were more open to SEL instruction (Elias, 2014 ). Likewise, SEL instruction that included conversations about diversity and acceptance created an ideal learning environment for all involved (Farrell, 2019 ). Students appreciated a classroom where they felt they had a voice in their learning and felt understood by their teachers (Zalaznick, 2020 ). When all factors were effectively put into place, students were more likely to improve in their academic performance.

After a proper learning environment is put into place, the instruction of SEL can begin. Prior research provides recommendations of important pieces to allow students to get the most out of the instruction. First, social-emotional learning was implemented throughout the day and taught regularly by classroom teachers (Bailey et al., 2019 ; Barnett, 2019 ). This took on multiple forms, including being integrated into another curriculum (e.g., literacy or math). On the other hand, some programs required separate times of the day devoted to SEL, such as morning and closing circle times (Berman, 2018 ; Stearns, 2016 ). These lessons focused on the direct, explicit instruction of social-emotional skills. Oftentimes, these skills were practiced through peer collaboration in both general academic work and direct SEL work (Capp et al., 2018 ). However, when instruction was given, it was most helpful to be in the form of an easy-to-follow curriculum, with step-by-step instructions for the teacher to follow. Likewise, SEL was most impactful when families and the general community were involved in the students’ learning (Greenberg et al., 2017 ; Haymovitz et al., 2018 ).

Roadblocks to Address

While an action plan is created, the following will be important roadblocks to consider: finding time for SEL instruction, locating money in the budget for resources and personnel, adequately preparing teachers for providing the instruction, gaining the support of stakeholders, and collecting data to reflect on its effectiveness. As the world changes, so do the students entering classrooms. Schools should recognize the need to educate the whole child, in lieu of focusing solely on academics (Durlak et al., 2011 ). The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 requires schools to be evaluated on conditions of learning, and social-emotional learning can positively affect school’s climate to improve these scores (Shriver & Weissberg, 2020 ).

First, the main concern that teachers have about social-emotional learning is finding the time to fit SEL instruction into their daily schedule (Collie et al., 2012 ). There are many demands on elementary teachers; namely, expectations for students to perform well on standardized tests. A typical elementary schedule is already full of literacy and math lessons, and the notion of adding in another component may be overwhelming for elementary educators (Collie et al., 2012 ). With that in mind, it will be important for an SEL curriculum to be easy to implement and fit seamlessly into the normal elementary routine. SEL can also be embedded into academic curriculum, through partner work, minilessons during literacy, and as part of the Common Core State Standards speaking and listening standards.

Next, some schools may have difficulty acquiring money to support the implementation of SEL. Funds will be needed for multiple components, including curriculum, personnel, and professional development (Dusenbury & Weissberg, 2017 ). School leaders should be aware of grant opportunities and government-controlled funds that would aid in the purchasing of these components. Professional development is necessary to ensure that teachers are properly prepared for providing instruction in social-emotional learning (Collie et al., 2012 ).

Finally, school leaders should recognize the importance of gaining support from important stakeholders including parents, the local community, and the students themselves. Those who oppose social-emotional learning believe that SEL takes precious time away from academics (Zhao, 2020 ). To combat those fears, school leaders need to create a plan for collecting data to prove the success of their chosen SEL program. Stakeholders will benefit from being kept informed on all levels, so that they know what to expect for outcomes from social-emotional learning.

Social-emotional learning seems to be the latest trend in education, but it does not come without controversy. Many states are beginning to see the benefits of providing SEL instruction and will likely begin to require this type of instruction in schools. However, the problem remains in creating steps to follow for a smooth implementation, while addressing issues like time, money and resources, and stakeholder buy-in. These issues need to be considered for an SEL implementation plan to succeed.

Recommendations and an Example Case

Clearly, the process of implementing social-emotional learning into the elementary classroom does not come without its challenges. However, the recommendations from the current research offer valuable insight into the best approach for beginning the process. School leaders may consider simply choosing a starting point and working from there to get off and running (Berman, 2018 ). Before jumping into the implementation, it will be important to consider the previously mentioned sub issues that are likely to affect the success of a plan. From there, a step-by-step plan, based in the literature’s findings and the first author’s experiences, can smoothly guide the development of social-emotional learning throughout an elementary school’s classroom.

Action Plan

With the existing research and the first author’s actions at her school in mind, the following action plan is presented. This action plan includes multiple elements to ensure that the implementation of social-emotional learning goes as smoothly as possible. These components include creating a social-emotional learning leadership team, offering multiple opportunities for staff to receive professional development on the topic of SEL, creating a plan that includes frequent communication with all stakeholders, developing consistency among elementary classrooms within the school building, and offering tier two and tier three interventions for students needing targeted instruction in social-emotional skills. The first author implemented a similar action plan in her school and examples from this school are given for each step. Refer to Fig. 1 to see an example of an implementation timeline.

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is 10643_2022_1324_Fig1_HTML.jpg

A Timeline for Implementing Social-Emotional Learning.

Social-Emotional Learning Leadership Team

The first step towards success when implementing social-emotional learning should include the creation of an SEL leadership team. This team should include a wide variety of staff members to include diverse perspectives. Some positions to consider are the instructional coach(es), the curriculum coordinator, a teacher new to the district, a teacher new to the profession, at least two veteran teachers, and the school guidance counselor. Monthly meetings of the SEL team are suggested to plan and fulfill actions towards adding social-emotional instruction to the elementary building. At the author’s school, these members were selected by the elementary principal to identify the weaknesses in the area of social-emotional instruction and then work towards a solution. Creating a shared vision is one of the first actions that the team will want to complete. This vision will include where they see SEL fitting into the school and the changes it will bring to the overall school environment. The shared vision should include a mission statement. An example of a mission statement is: “Under the implementation of a new social-emotional curriculum, our elementary school will offer an environment where the maximum amount of learning can take place, where students can feel safe, where teachers are appreciated, and all feel welcome.” The mission statement will be used, along with the shared vision, to introduce SEL to the elementary staff. The vision statement encompasses the beliefs of how the leadership team expects both students and educators to act underneath their new SEL plan. The following questions may be beneficial in generating discussion to create a shared vision:

What does an ideal school environment look like?
How do ideal students solve problems with one another?
How should teachers be supported in their profession?
How does social-emotional learning relate to our school mission statement?
How could social-emotional learning transform our school?

After developing a shared vision, the SEL leadership team will need to set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) goals for how to meet their vision. These goals should be broken up by priority, and the SEL team should make both short-term and long-term goals. These goals could include the development of schoolwide norms, or expectations, for students to follow no matter where they are in the school building. This consistency will be helpful in enhancing the school’s learning environment (Durlak et al., 2011 ). Also, the SEL team will want to develop a plan that ensures teacher morale stays positive (Darling-Hammond, 2018 ). For example, SEL leaders may work on celebrating staff accomplishments on a regular basis or rewarding teachers with small sentiments. Both factors will be very impactful in improving the climate of the school and the learning environment for students (Fig. (Fig.2 2 ).

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is 10643_2022_1324_Fig2_HTML.jpg

SMART goal example

When making the SMART goals, the SEL team should have a plan for collecting data to show their growth towards goals. One possible assessment tool is the social, academic, emotional, behavioral risk screener (SAEBRS) assessment offered by Fastbridge. This assessment screens students from kindergarten through 12th grade and quickly identifies students who may need a targeted intervention related to social-emotional skills (Illuminate Education, 2021 ). The data from this assessment could be one of the main determinations in SEL goal achievement.

In addition to collecting student data from an assessment like SAEBRS, the SEL leadership team will also want to have additional data collection tools. First, the leadership team will want to collect data from teachers, including their thoughts on the school climate and levels of job satisfaction (Darling-Hammond, 2018 ). A survey, anonymous suggestions, or a similar idea could be created. Teachers should feel supported in their own job before they can competently teach social-emotional lessons (Collie et al., 2012 ). This survey could identify potential issues before they hinder the SEL team’s efforts. Similarly, students could complete a school climate survey. For example, the Iowa Department of Education in the United States requires all public schools to conduct a Conditions of Learning Survey, collecting data on students’ feelings about their school (Des Moines Public Schools, 2021 ). All these pieces of data will be crucial in determining a starting point for the SEL team, and later in determining the success of the team’s efforts.

Next, the SEL team will want to choose the tools for SEL instruction. There are many available curricula in the social-emotional domain, so the pros and cons of all curricula will need to be weighed. Factors to consider when choosing a curriculum should include ease of use, cost, resources included, and research-based materials (Dusenbury & Weissberg, 2017 ). An appropriate curriculum will meet most of the school’s needs. It may be beneficial for the leadership team to choose one or two teachers to pilot a program and share their thoughts on the program before purchasing it for the entire elementary. The first author was chosen to pilot the Caring School Community curriculum from the Center for the Collaborative Classroom at her school. This program was used with her 27 fourth-grade students. Data was collected to determine its effectiveness, and the author presented her findings to her colleagues at the beginning of the 2021–2022 school year. In addition, the author trained her colleagues to use the curriculum in their own classrooms. It is helpful to have a curriculum chosen and sample materials made available as the shared vision is presented to all elementary staff members.

Professional Development

After choosing a curriculum, the next step in SEL implementation is preparing the educators for delivering social-emotional instruction. The SEL leadership team should organize professional development opportunities for elementary staff. The professional development opportunities should occur more often during the first year to best support educators in the transition to social-emotional learning. These first sessions should include opportunities for teachers to develop their own social-emotional competencies (Darling-Hammond, 2018 ). Administrators will want to emphasize the importance of teachers taking time for self-care or activities where they take the time to refresh and elevate their mental health (Collie et al., 2012 ). These types of activities include fitness, mindfulness practices, free-reading, or any other activities that teachers enjoy doing in their free time. In addition, teachers should be able to recognize and manage their own emotions to assist students in doing the same (Darling-Hammond, 2018 ). For example, at the author’s school, the administration brought in area education agency members to train staff on social-emotional learning practices. This included the viewing and discussion of the documentary Paper Tigers (Redford & Pritzker, 2015 ).

From there, teachers can begin to practice empathy by learning about trauma-informed instruction and adverse childhood experiences (ACES). An understanding of these topics is crucial in being able to deliver social-emotional lessons and create a classroom environment where all students feel safe and comfortable (Parker & Hodgson, 2020 ). The author’s colleagues participated in a book study of Help for Billy by Heather Forbes. When students experience trauma in their young lives, the development of their brains is affected (Forbes, 2012 ). Because of this, their ability to maintain relationships in the same way as traditional students is diminished. Behavior typically becomes a problem with these types of children, and it is helpful for educators to be professionally trained in a trauma-informed approach in order to best meet their needs. Social-emotional learning can reduce high-risk behaviors when implemented correctly (Parker & Hodgson, 2020 ). Consequently, professional development should offer the opportunity for educators to learn and understand the neuroscience behind trauma and ACES.

Once educators have the foundational knowledge necessary for teaching social-emotional learning, they can begin instruction. However, the learning does not stop there, and school leaders should consider utilizing their instructional coaches to continue to improve educator’s SEL practice. Like other coaching sessions focused on academics, an instructional coach can complete a coaching cycle with his or her co-workers, analyzing social-emotional lessons. To make the most out of the first year of schoolwide SEL implementation, administrators should consider requiring all teachers to complete a coaching cycle in social-emotional learning. This coaching cycle will involve the instructional coach reviewing a lesson with the teacher beforehand, observing the lesson, and reflecting with the teacher afterwards. The coaching cycle will give teachers a chance to ensure they are delivering instruction in the best way possible for students to gain as many social-emotional skills as possible. Likewise, the instructional coach can learn from his or her colleagues to build a “toolbox” of knowledge for all elementary staff to share as they plan their SEL instruction.

Communication with Stakeholders

Creating a vision of SEL and preparing educators for instruction will serve as the building blocks for success of implementation. From there, administrators and school leaders will want to consider the involvement of educational stakeholders. This will include parents, students, all school workers, school board representatives, and community members. Community members may include local business owners, student relatives, and all those who have a stake in the funding for the school. For SEL to be most effective, communication with stakeholders should happen regularly and consistently (Raschdorf et al., 2020 ). The SEL leadership team will want to share their SEL vision with all stakeholders and present it in a way that shows them the benefits of such instruction. At the author’s school, parents were given an overview of the new social-emotional curriculum at Back-to-School night and were also able to ask any questions or raise any concerns during this time. After the implementation of SEL program, parents continued to give feedback. One of the thoughts from a parent at the author’s school is shared in Fig. 3 .

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is 10643_2022_1324_Fig3_HTML.jpg

A Parent’s perspective on SEL curriculum at RRMR elementary

In fact, when parents are involved in social-emotional instruction, the impact on student performance is that much greater (Haymovitz et al., 2018 ). In addition to including parents and school workers, SEL leaders will want to coordinate community partnerships (Greenberg et al., 2017 ). These partnerships can give students the opportunity to give back in their community, learn as an apprentice, or other various learning experiences.

After providing an overview to school stakeholders of SEL instruction, it will be helpful for the leadership team to gather data from them to gauge their feelings about the implementation process. This information will help SEL leaders pinpoint any specific areas of concern that could be addressed when communicating with stakeholders. Similarly, the SEL leadership team will want to share success stories as they begin lessons and collecting data from students. This could happen in multiple formats, including website updates or informational fliers sent to the school’s community partners. These celebrations will help the stakeholders to see the importance of teaching social-emotional skills to students in their community (Fig. (Fig.4 4 ).

An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is 10643_2022_1324_Fig4_HTML.jpg

Example learning target

Social-Emotional Learning in the Classroom

The most critical part of SEL instruction will occur in the elementary classroom. There are numerous factors that should be considered to make the lessons the most effective. These elements include focusing on positive student–teacher relationships, developing consistency among all elementary classrooms, and ensuring classrooms are culturally responsive. All teachers should include SEL in their classrooms somehow, and this SEL instruction should occur daily (Bailey et al., 2019 ). From there, teachers will want to work on fostering positive relationships with their students. Research supports the importance of students feeling respected and cared for by their teachers (Raschdorf et al., 2020 ; Yang et al., 2018 ). When these relationships are in place, student behavior will improve, and students will be more likely to respond to SEL instruction. An easy way to begin to develop these relationships is to follow the “two-minute-a-day” strategy (McKibben, 2014 ). This strategy focuses on giving students targeted, positive attention every day. This focused attention allows for the student to see their teacher as an ally, rather than an enemy. This strategy can be particularly meaningful for students who typically have behavioral issues (McKibben, 2014 ). These relationships are the foundation for creating an ideal learning environment.

Next, once SEL instruction begins, it will be essential for there to be consistency among all elementary classrooms (Durlak et al., 2011 ). There should be schoolwide discipline policies and expectations in place that are followed by all staff members. Administrators may consider doing classroom walk-throughs to check for this consistency on a regular basis. The SEL leadership team may focus on using positive language in these expectations (Whisman & Hammer, 2014 ). For example, instead of writing “Don’t run in the hallways,” the language could be changed to “Walk in the hallways.” This language can also be used in the classrooms. Teachers should consider rewarding students for positive behaviors, rather than scolding those acting out. These factors will also contribute to an ideal learning environment.

As SEL is added to the elementary classroom, there are multiple components that will be helpful in ensuring that instruction is the most impactful. First, educators will want to create explicit learning targets, like academic learning goals. These learning targets can relate back to the five SEL competencies by CASEL ( 2020 ) or the SEL competencies required by the state’s department of education. In this way, SEL instruction can relate back to the process of standards-based instruction and grading, where students take ownership of their learning, using the learning targets as their guide. These learning goals can also be used to assist students in the process of self-assessment. Just like with their academics, students will want to recognize their growth in social-emotional skills, and self-assessment is a meaningful way to do so.

In addition, social-emotional learning can be integrated into other subject areas to add components of it throughout the school day. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is by including peer collaboration into all subjects. When students work together on a variety of tasks, there are many social-emotional skills coming into play (McKown et al., 2016 ). Students are required to use their communication skills, teamwork, and conversational skills to work best with their partner. Students should not be simply assigned to a partner project for the sake of practice. Instead, students should be provided with direct, explicit instruction in how partners should work together for that task. Afterwards, reflecting on the successes and challenges of their partner work will help students to identify their strengths in social-emotional skills (McKown et al., 2016 ).

A critical component of social-emotional learning is to include parents in the practice of social skills (Haymovitz et al., 2018 ). This component should be executed by all classroom teachers teaching social skills. Teachers will need to communicate with parents the learning goals of SEL, so that the skills can be reinforced at home when applicable. For example, when teaching students about the importance of agreeing and disagreeing respectfully, prompts can be sent home to use in the home setting as well. At the author’s school, students are given a home connection activity to complete every week with an adult at home. This activity relates to the current SEL learning target. When SEL skills are put into practice both at school and at home, students will be more positively impacted (Haymovitz et al., 2018 ).

Likewise, teachers will want to respond to students’ home environments by ensuring that classrooms are culturally responsive. Social-emotional learning offers an ideal opportunity for teachers to address diversity across the globe and appreciate cultural differences. Similarly, educators should be aware of cultural differences when celebrating holidays at school. Teachers should also ensure that students are exposed to diverse literature, where all students can “see” themselves in the books that they read. Literature gives students the chance to put themselves into others’ shoes, and, therefore, practice the skill of empathy while also practicing literacy skills. When all these components are put together in the classroom, social-emotional learning will be most effective.

Multi-Tiered System of Supports for SEL

Once students are given direct instruction in social-emotional skills, they should be provided with interventions when needed (Barnett, 2019 ; Green et al., 2019 ; Greenberg et al, 2017 ). These interventions should be provided on both a tier two and tier three level to meet all students where they are at with their social-emotional development. To put these interventions into place, all elementary students should be assessed with a universal screening assessment to identify students in need. This assessment will aid in identifying the specific areas of need for students to grow. Tier two instruction can occur in a small-group setting, where students work on social-emotional skills together. Likewise, tier three instruction will occur individually, where students can focus on their own growth where needed. This instruction could take on the form of a regular one-on-one conference with the student to help them with whatever skills they may need. The conferences will give students the opportunity to share any social woes they may have and work on problem-solving strategies for alleviating them. The universal screener can be given three times a year, and the data from this screener can serve as a reflection tool. Teachers will be able to identify growth among their students in social-emotional skills, and the school will be able to determine the success of its social-emotional skills as a whole.

School leaders who wish to implement social-emotional learning will benefit from these recommendations. It will be important for leaders to keep the concerns in mind, like issues with time and money, when beginning the step-by-step plan. However, by using findings from current research, these recommendations are practical and possible for beginning the process SEL implementation.

SEL implementation is not an easy path to take. There are likely going to be issues that arise during the process, including pushback from stakeholders, scheduling conflicts, and budget shortfalls. However, if those are directly addressed in a step-by-step action plan, the process may go much smoother. When school leaders begin to implement social-emotional learning, they will want to begin with creating an SEL leadership team. This team will be in charge of creating a shared school vision, training staff members, and guiding their co-workers through the implementation process. While there are many roadblocks to consider in this action plan, the benefits of following through with it are sure to outweigh any negatives. If SEL is implemented correctly, students and teachers are more likely to experience a high quality, less stressful learning environment. Communication between the school and its stakeholders may increase, developing important relationships. All educators involved in the implementation process will be given the opportunity to grow in their instructional practice, as they dive into professional development on social-emotional learning and trauma-informed teaching. Administrators will become more aware of the importance of teacher mental health and self-care, and students will feel the results in the classroom academically. As social-emotional learning grows in popularity, the research supports these notions. School leaders should seriously consider evaluating their current practice and determining a place for social-emotional learning in their buildings. The effects of doing so may be felt for many years, as students learn to become well-rounded, emotionally intelligent adults. An administrator at the school of the first author noted these effects: As a building administrator I have noticed a decrease in small behavior issues that come through my office simply because of the common language and the fact that students are able to resolve conflicts on their own. Teaching those strategies and skills over the course of a school year with daily lessons has been so valuable for everyone.

SEL can prepare students for living in a diverse world, by teaching them to interact with all types of humanity. Teacher burnout and anxiety can decrease when approached as part of the process, and stakeholders in the community will get the chance to be involved in student development. Additionally, students across the world can benefit from direct instruction in managing emotions and working with others. The history of humanity teaches us the importance of knowing these skills, and the future of the world depends on the next generation. By empowering this generation with necessary social-emotional skills, children can confidently face their futures. For these reasons, SEL belongs as a promising future in the field of education.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Contributor Information

Kelsey L. Kaspar, Email: su.ai.21k.drofkcor@rapsakk .

Susan L. Massey, Email: ude.uiu@08syessam .

Ahmed I, Hamzah AB, Abdullah MNL. Effect of social and emotional learning approach on students’ social-emotional competence. International Journal of Instruction. 2020; 13 (4):663–676. doi: 10.29333/iji.2020.13441a. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Bailey R, Stickle L, Brion-Meisels G, Jones S. Re-imagining social-emotional learning: Findings from a strategy-based approach. Phi Delta Kappan. 2019; 100 (5):53–58. doi: 10.1177/0031721719827549. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Barnett D. Social and emotional learning within a multi-tiered system of support. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching and Learning. 2019; 12 (1):10–12. doi: 10.1108/jrit-02-2019-0035. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Berman S. What we’ve learned about implementing social-emotional learning. School Administrator. 2018; 75 :32–36. [ Google Scholar ]
Brennan, D.D. (2015) Creating a climate for achievement. Educational Leadership, 56–59
Burroughs MD, Barkauskas NJ. Educating the whole child: Social-emotional learning and ethics education. Ethics and Education. 2017; 12 (2):218–232. doi: 10.1080/17449642.2017.1287388. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
CASEL. (2020). Our work. https://casel.org/our-work/
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning. (2019). CASEL District Resources. https://drc.casel.org/
Capp G, Benbenishty R, Avi-Astor R, Pineda D. Learning together: Implementation of a peer-tutoring intervention targeting academic and social-emotional needs. Children and Schools. 2018; 40 (3):173–183. doi: 10.1093/cs/cdy009. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Collie R, Shapka J, Perry N. School climate and social-emotional learning: Predicting teacher stress, job satisfaction, and teaching efficacy. Journal of Educational Psychology. 2012; 104 (4):1189–1204. doi: 10.1037/a0029356. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Darling-Hammond L. What makes social learning so important? School Administrator. 2018; 75 :20–24. [ Google Scholar ]
Des Moines Public Schools. (2021). 2021 Conditions for learning survey items, Grades 3–5. https://data.dmschools.org/uploads/1/3/3/6/13361550/2021_3-5_survey_items.pdf
Dominguez A, LaGue K. Beyond academic standards: Social and emotional learning in the classroom. National Teacher Education Journal. 2013; 6 (1):17–21. [ Google Scholar ]
Durlak J, Weissberg R, Dymnicki A, Taylor R, Schellinger K. The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development. 2011; 82 (1):405–432. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x. [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Dusenbury, L. & Weissberg, R. (2017, April). Social-emotional learning in elementary school: Preparation for success. Pennsylvania State University.
Elias MJ. The future of character education and social-emotional learning: The need for whole school and community-linked approaches. Journal of Character Education. 2014; 10 (1):37–42. [ Google Scholar ]
Farrell, B. (2019) Research roundup: Social and emotional learning. Young Adult Library Services, 10–11.
Ferreira M, Martinone B, Talic S. Promoting sustainable social emotional learning at school through relationship-centered learning environment, teaching methods and formative assessment. Journal of Teacher Education for Sustainability. 2020; 22 (1):21–36. doi: 10.2478/jtes-2020-0003. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Forbes, H. T. (2012). Help for billy: A beyond consequences approach to helping children in the classroom . Beyond Consequences Institute.
Green J, Passarelli R, Smith-Millman MK, Wagers K, Kalomiris AE, Scott MN. A study of an adapted social-emotional learning: Small group curriculum in a school setting. Psychology in the Schools. 2019; 56 :109–125. doi: 10.1002/pits.22180. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Greenberg MT, Domitrovich CE, Weissberg RP, Durlak JA. Social and emotional learning as a public health approach to education. The Future of Children. 2017; 27 (1):13–32. doi: 10.1353/foc.2017.0001. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Haymovitz E, Houseal-Allport P, Lee RS, Svistova J. Exploring the perceived benefits and limitations of a school-based social-emotional learning program: A concept map evaluation. Children & Schools. 2018; 40 (1):45–53. doi: 10.1093/cs/cdx029/4637616. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Illuminate Education. (2021). Social, academic, emotional, behavioral risk screener. https://www.fastbridge.org/saebrs/
McKibben, S. (2014) The two-minute relationship builder. ASCD Education Update, 56 (7)
McKown C, Russo-Ponsaran N, Allen A, Johnson J, Warren-Khot H. Social-emotional factors and academic outcomes among elementary-aged children. Infant and Child Development. 2016; 25 :119–136. doi: 10.1002/icd.1926. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Meyers AB, Tobin R, Huber B, Conway D, Shelvin K. Interdisciplinary collaboration supporting social-emotional learning in rural school systems. Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation. 2015; 25 :109–128. doi: 10.1080/10474412.2014.929956. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
National Commission on Social, Emotional, and Academic Development. (2019, January). From a nation at risk to a nation at hope. http://nationathope.org/report-from-the-nation/
National Conference of State Legislature. (2018). Social and emotional learning. https://www.ncsl.org/research/education/social-emotional-learning.aspx
NEA Education Policy and Practice Department (n.d.). Backgrounder: The importance of social emotional learning for all students across all grades. https://www.nea.org/assets/docs/Social%20and%20Emotional%20Learning%20Response_Bkgdr%20v3.pdf
Parker, R. & Hodgson, D. (2020). ‘One size does not fill all’: Engaging students who have experienced trauma. Issues in Educational Research, 30 (1), 245–259. http://www.iier.org/au/iier30/parker.pdf
Raschdorf T, Nixon-May B, Searcy A. Integrating social-emotional learning into our new normal teaching elementary general music. General Music Today. 2020; 00 :1–7. doi: 10.1177/1048371320961372. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Redford, J. & Pritzker, K. (Directors). (2015) Paper tigers. [Documentary]. KPJR Films
Shriver T, Weissberg R. A response to constructive criticism of social and emotional learning. Phi Delta Kappan. 2020; 101 (7):52–57. doi: 10.1177/0031721720917543. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Stearns C. Responsive classroom? A critique of a social-emotional learning program. Critical Studies in Education. 2016; 57 (3):330–341. doi: 10.1080/17508487.2015.1076493. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Stringer, K. (2019, July 9). SEL in the House: Democrats approve millions in landmark federal funding for social-emotional learning in bill that now faces test in Senate . The 74 Million. https://www.the74million.org/sel-in-the-house-democrats-approve-millions-in-landmark-federal-funding-for-social-emotional-learning-in-bill-that-now-faces-test-in-senate/
U.S. Department of Education. (2014, October 3). School Climate Transformation Grant - Local Educational Agency Grants. https://www2.ed.gov/programs/schoolclimatelea/index.html
Whisman, A. & Hammer, P.C. (2014). The association between school discipline and performance: A case for positive discipline approaches. West Virginia Department of Education. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED569903.pdf
Yang C, Bear GG, May H. Multilevel associations between school-wide social-emotional learning approach and student engagement across elementary, middle, and high schools. School Psychology Review. 2018; 47 (3):45–61. doi: 10.17105/spr-2017-0003.v47-1. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]
Zalaznick, M. (2020) Essential SEL. District Administration, 20–22
Zhao Y. Another education war? The coming debates over social and emotional learning. Phi Delta Kappan. 2020; 101 (8):43–48. doi: 10.1177/0031721720923791. [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

Virtual Reality for Social-Emotional Learning: A Review

Conference paper
First Online: 20 October 2023
Cite this conference paper

literature review on social emotional learning

Irna Hamzah 16 ,
Ely Salwana 16 ,
Mark Billinghurst 17 ,
Nilufar Baghaei 18 ,
Mohammad Nazir Ahmad 16 ,
Fadhilah Rosdi 19 &
Azhar Arsad 20

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 14322))

Included in the following conference series:

International Visual Informatics Conference

495 Accesses

Virtual reality (VR) is an immersive technology that can simulate different environments and experiences . Social-emotional learning (SEL) is a process through which individuals develop the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to understand and manage their emotions, establish positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. SEL promotes healthy emotional regulation in adolescents. However, VR interventions for adolescent emotion regulation have received less attention. The aim of this research is to identify a VR element that includes knowledge in relation to SEL since 2017 through systematic literature reviews (SLRs). A broad review of the current literature was conducted in three databases, namely Scopus, IEEE, and WOS. Data were extracted, including age ranges, year published, and medical procedures, using a search term. The result suggests a requirement list to design a virtual reality for social-emotional learning that promotes a positive impact on emotion regulation for Malaysian adolescents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save.

Get 10 units per month
Download Article/Chapter or eBook
1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
Cancel anytime
Available as PDF
Read on any device
Instant download
Own it forever
Available as EPUB and PDF
Compact, lightweight edition
Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Student Emotions in Virtual Reality: The Concept of Psychopedagogy by Design

Social-Emotional Competence for the Greater Good: Exploring the Use of Serious Game, Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence to Elicit Prosocial Behaviors and Strengthen Cognitive Abilities of Youth, Adolescents and Educators – A Systematic Review

Designing virtual reality tools for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A systematic review

Abdullah, M., Shaikh, Z.A.: An effective virtual reality based Remedy for acrophobia. Int. J. Adva. Comp. Sci. Appli. 9 (6), 162–167 (2018). https://doi.org/10.14569/IJACSA.2018.090623

Allcoat, D., von Mühlenen, A.: Learning in virtual reality: effects on performance, emotion and engagement. Research in Learning Technology 26 (1063519), 1–13 (2018). https://doi.org/10.25304/rlt.v26.2140

Barrett, S., Weimer, F., Cosmas, J.: Virtual eye region: development of a realistic model to convey emotion. Heliyon 5 (12), e02778 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02778

Article Google Scholar

Beecham, S., Baddoo, N., Hall, T., Robinson, H., Sharp, H.: Motivation in software engineering: a systematic literature review. Inf. Softw. Technol. 50 (9–10), 860–878 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2007.09.004

Bermúdez, S., Quintero, L.V., Cameirão, M.S., Chirico, A., Triberti, S.: Towards Emotionally-Adaptive Virtual Reality for Mental Health Applications. November (2018). https://doi.org/10.1109/JBHI.2018.2878846

Cho, D., et al.: Detection of stress levels from biosignals measured in virtual reality environments using a kernel-based extreme learning machine. Sensors (Switzerland) 17 (10) (2017). https://doi.org/10.3390/s17102435

Cipresso, P., Giglioli, I.A.C., Raya, M.A., Riva, G.: The past, present, and future of virtual and augmented reality research: a network and cluster analysis of the literature. Frontiers in Psychology 9 (NOV), 1–20 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02086

Colombo, D., Fernández-álvarez, J., Palacios, A.G., Cipresso, P., Botella, C., Riva, G.: New technologies for the understanding, assessment, and intervention of emotion regulation. Frontiers in Psychology 10 (JUN) (2019). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01261

Dixon-Woods, M., Agarwal, S., Jones, D., Young, B., Sutton, A.: Synthesising qualitative and quantitative evidence: a review of possible methods. J. Health Serv. Res. Policy 10 (1), 45–53 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1258/1355819052801804

Elor, A., Song, A.: ISAM: personalizing an artificial intelligence model for emotion with pleasure-arousal-dominance in immersive virtual reality. In: Proceedings - 2020 15th IEEE International Conference on Automatic Face and Gesture Recognition, FG, pp. 572–576 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1109/FG47880.2020.00091

Featherstone, I., et al.: The experience of delirium in palliative care settings for patients, family, clinicians and volunteers: a qualitative systematic review and thematic synthesis. Palliat. Med. 35 (6), 988–1004 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1177/02692163211006313

Flores, A., Linehan, M.M., Todd, S.R., Hoffman, H.G.: The use of virtual reality to facilitate mindfulness skills training in dialectical behavioral therapy for spinal cord injury: a case study. Frontiers in Psychology 9 (APR), 1–7 (2018). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00531

Garety, P., Sason, E., Craig, T.J.K., Valmaggia, L.R.: Virtual reality in the assessment and treatment of psychosis : a systematic review of its utility, acceptability and effectiveness (2017). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291717001945

Geraets, C.N.W., et al.: Virtual reality facial emotion recognition in social environments: an eye-tracking study. Internet Interventions 25 (December 2020), 100432 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2021.100432

Gerry, L.J.: Paint with me: stimulating creativity and empathy while painting with a painter in virtual reality. IEEE Trans. Visual Comput. Graphics 23 (4), 1418–1426 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1109/TVCG.2017.2657239

Girvan, C.: What is a virtual world? definition and classification. Education Tech. Research Dev. 66 (5), 1087–1100 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-018-9577-y

Green, A.L., Ferrante, S., Boaz, T.L., Kutash, K., Wheeldon-Reece, B.: Social and emotional learning during early adolescence: effectiveness of a classroom-based SEL program for middle school students. Psychology in the Schools November 2020, 1–14 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22487

Hadley, W., Houck, C., Brown, L.K., Spitalnick, J.S., Ferrer, M., Barker, D.: Moving beyond role-play: evaluating the use of virtual reality to teach emotion regulation for the prevention of adolescent risk behavior within a randomized pilot trial. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 44 (4), 425–435 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsy092

Hartl, E., Berger, B.: Escaping reality: Examining the role of presence and escapism in user adoption of virtual reality glasses. In: Proceedings of the 25th European Conference on Information Systems, ECIS 2017, 2413–2428 (2017)

Google Scholar

Hidaka, K., Qin, H., Kobayashi, J.: Preliminary test of affective virtual reality scenes with head mount display for emotion elicitation experiment. International Conference on Control, Automation and Systems, 2017-Octob, pp. 325–329 (2017). https://doi.org/10.23919/ICCAS.2017.8204459

Hohmann, V., Paluch, R., Krueger, M., Meis, M., Grimm, G.: The virtual reality lab: realization and application of virtual sound environments. Ear Hear. 41 , 31S-38S (2020). https://doi.org/10.1097/AUD.0000000000000945

Ip, H.H.S., et al.: Enhance emotional and social adaptation skills for children with autism spectrum disorder: a virtual reality enabled approach. Comput. Educ. 117 , 1–15 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.09.010

Kitchenham, B., Pearl Brereton, O., Budgen, D., Turner, M., Bailey, J., Linkman, S.: Systematic literature reviews in software engineering - A systematic literature review. Inf. Softw. Technol. 51 (1), 7–15 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2008.09.009

Klotzsche, F., Mariola, A., Hofmann, S., Nikulin, V.V., Villringer, A., Gaebler, M.: Using EEG to decode subjective levels of emotional arousal during an immersive VR roller coaster ride. In: 25th IEEE Conference on Virtual Reality and 3D User Interfaces, VR 2018 - Proceedings, March, pp. 605–606 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1109/VR.2018.8446275

Lawlor, M.S.:. Mindfulness and Social Emotional Learning (SEL): A Conceptual Framework. 65–80 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3506-2_5

Li, Z., Cheng, X., Wang, L., He, H., Liang, B.: The application of student participation in the design of virtual reality educational products. In: Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics): Vol. 11585 LNCS. Springer International Publishing (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-23538-3_34

Liao, D., Huang, Y., Tan, Z., Yang, J., Xu, X.: Design of virtual reality scenes with variable levels of fear evocation. In: Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics): Vol. 10910 LNCS. Springer International Publishing (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-91584-5_9

Liu, R., Wang, L., Lei, J., Wang, Q., Ren, Y.: Effects of an immersive virtual reality-based classroom on students’ learning performance in science lessons. Br. J. Edu. Technol. 51 (6), 2034–2049 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.13028

Liu, X., Pan, M., Li, J.: Does sharing your emotion make you feel better? an empirical investigation on the association between sharing emotions on a virtual mood wall and the relief of patients’ negative emotions. Telemedicine and E-Health 25 (10), 987–995 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1089/tmj.2017.0327

Luo, D., Deng, X.L., Luo, Y.W., Wang, G.X.: Design and implementation of virtual examination system based on unity 3D. In: ACM International Conference Proceeding Series (2019). https://doi.org/10.1145/3358331.3358404

McCabe-Bennett, H., Provost-Walker, O., Lachman, R., Girard, T.A., Antony, M.M.: A virtual reality study of experiential avoidance, emotional experiences, and hoarding symptoms. J. Obse.-Compul. Rela. Disor. 27 , 100590 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2020.100590

Meuleman, B., Rudrauf, D.: Induction and profiling of strong multi-componential emotions in virtual reality. IEEE Trans. Affect. Comput. 12 (1), 189–202 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1109/TAFFC.2018.2864730

Murphy, K.M., Cook, A.L., Fallon, L.M.: Mixed reality simulations for social-emotional learning. Phi Delta Kappan 102 (6), 30–37 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721721998152

Nararro-Haro, M.V., et al.: The use of virtual reality to facilitate mindfulness skills training in dialectical behavioral therapy for borderline personality disorder: A case study. Frontiers in Psychology 7 (NOV), 1–9 (2016). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01573

Quesnel, D., Stepanova, E.R., Aguilar, I.A., Pennefather, P., Riecke, B.E.: Creating AWE: artistic and scientific practices in research-based design for exploring a profound immersive installation. In: 2018 IEEE Games, Entertainment, Media Conference, GEM 2018, December, pp. 200–207 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1109/GEM.2018.8516463

Rincon, J.A., Costa, A., Novais, P., Julian, V., Carrascosa, C.: Using emotions in intelligent virtual environments: The EJaCalIVE framework. Wireless Communications and Mobile Computing (2017). https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/9321463

Seabrook, E., Kelly, R., Foley, F., Theiler, S., Thomas, N., Wadley, G., Nedeljkovic, M.: Understanding how virtual reality can support mindfulness practice: mixed methods study. J. Medi. Inter. Res. 22 (3) (2020). https://doi.org/10.2196/16106

Download references

Acknowledgment

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all parties that have supported and contributed to the completion of this research project. This study is fully funded by The Ministry of Education, Malaysia under Trans-disciplinary Research Grant Scheme (TRGS) of the Ministry of Education, TRGS/1/2020/UKM/01/4/3.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Institute of Visual Informatics, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Malaysia

Irna Hamzah, Ely Salwana & Mohammad Nazir Ahmad

Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand

Mark Billinghurst

Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia

Nilufar Baghaei

Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Malaysia

Fadhilah Rosdi

Tmn Pulai Utama, V3X Malaysia Sdn Bhd. 87A, Jalan Pulai 7, 81110, Skudai Johor, Malaysia

Azhar Arsad

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Irna Hamzah .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Universiti Tenaga Nasional, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia

Halimah Badioze Zaman

University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

Peter Robinson

Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland

Alan F. Smeaton

MIT Sloan School of Management, Asia School of Business, Cambridge, MA, USA

Renato Lima De Oliveira

University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark

Bo Nørregaard Jørgensen

National Central University, Jhongli, Taiwan

Timothy K. Shih

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

Rabiah Abdul Kadir

Ummul Hanan Mohamad

Mohammad Nazir Ahmad

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

About this paper

Cite this paper.

Hamzah, I. et al. (2024). Virtual Reality for Social-Emotional Learning: A Review. In: Badioze Zaman, H., et al. Advances in Visual Informatics. IVIC 2023. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 14322. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7339-2_11

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-7339-2_11

Published : 20 October 2023

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-99-7338-5

Online ISBN : 978-981-99-7339-2

eBook Packages : Computer Science Computer Science (R0)

Share this paper

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Find a journal
Track your research

Child Care and Early Education Research Connections

A review of the literature on social and emotional learning for students ages 3-8: characteristics of effective social and emotional learning programs (part 1 of 4).

Description: Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process by which children and adults learn to understand and manage emotions, maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. This is the first in a series of four related reports about what is known about SEL programs for students ages 3-8. The report series addresses four issues raised by the Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) Mid-Atlantic's Early Childhood Education Research Alliance: characteristics of effective SEL programs (part 1), implementation strategies and state and district policies that support SEL programming (part 2), teacher and classroom strategies that contribute to social and emotional learning (part 3), and outcomes of social and emotional learning among different student populations and settings (part 4). This report identifies key components of effective SEL programs and offers guidance on selecting programs. (author abstract) Resource Type: Literature Review Author(s): O'Conner Rosemarie ; De Feyter Jessica Johnson ; Carr Alyssa ; Luo Jia Lisa ; Romm Helen Publisher(s): Regional Educational Laboratory Mid-Atlantic Funder(s): Institute of Education Sciences (U.S.)

- Related Resources

Related resources include summaries, versions, measures (instruments), or other resources in which the current document plays a part. Research products funded by the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation are related to their project records.

A review of the literature on social and emotional learning for students ages 3-8: Implementation strategies and state and district support policies (part 2 of 4)

A review of the literature on social and emotional learning for students ages 3-8: teacher and classroom strategies that contribute to social and emotional learning (part 3 of 4), a review of the literature on social and emotional learning for students ages 3-8: outcomes for different student populations and settings (part 4 of 4), - you may also like.

These resources share similarities with the current selection.

IMAGES

(PDF) Social-Emotional Learning Interventions for Students With Special
(PDF) Emotional Intelligence A Literature Review
(PDF) Social and Emotional Learning: Promoting the Development of All
Social Emotional Learning: A List of Books and Resources for Educators
(PDF) A Review of the Literature on Social and Emotional Learning for
(PDF) Social and Emotional Learning: Then and Now

VIDEO

Meet Moxie
Problem Formulation and the Literature Review Part 2
Cool Sources For Your Literature Review
Развитие эмоционального и социального интеллекта дошкольников в контексте позитивной социализации
Part 1: Explicit SEL Instruction: Demystifying Systemic Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Using Social and Emotional Competence Assessment to Support Teaching, Learning, and Student Success

COMMENTS

Social-Emotional Learning: A Literature Review
social-emotional learning and skills to the school system's principal goal, academic results, can facilitate the greater implementation of such programs within the school setting. This systematic literature review examined the relationship between social-emotional learning programs in schools and academic outcomes, such as grades, test
PDF A review of the literature on social and emotional learning for ...
Characteristics of effective social and emotional learning ...
Social-Emotional Learning: A Literature Review
Social-Emotional Learning: A Literature Review
The quality and effectiveness of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL
Introduction. Social-emotional learning (SEL) represents an educational model for improving social-emotional competences of all students and is known as a long-term education program connecting school, family, and community [].SEL aims to promote five core competencies including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making [].
PDF A review of the literature on social and emotional learning for ...
A review of the literature on social and emotional learning for ...
The Core Components of Evidence-Based Social Emotional Learning
The Core Components of Evidence-Based Social ...
Fundamental Themes in Social-Emotional Learning: A Theoretical
Social-emotional learning (SEL) is a rapidly growing field of research that has garnered significant attention in recent years. Each facet of SEL research in fields such as education, mental health, and developmental research has used specific methodologies and terms in their narrow research focus. ... This narrative review of the literature ...
Social and Emotional Learning: From Conceptualization to Practical
Social and Emotional Learning: From Conceptualization to ...
Meta‐analysis of social and emotional learning interventions delivered
The purpose of this meta-analysis was to examine the effectiveness of school counselor-led social and emotional learning (SEL) interventions, including an exploration of the moderators that could influence variations in these effect sizes.
Social Emotional Learning in Schools: The Importance of Educator
With substantial evidence illuminating its optimistic impact, social-emotional learning (SEL) is defined by "the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and ...
PDF A review of the literature on social and emotional learning for ...
Box 1. Five competencies deine social and emotional learning . The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) identiies these ive interrelated compe tencies as central to social and emotional learning: Self-awareness. Knowing what one feels, accurately assessing one's interests and strengths, and maintaining a
Social and Emotional Learning: A Principled Science of Human
This epigraph comes from the Policy Brief associated with the 2017 volume of the journal The Future of Children devoted to social and emotional learning (SEL). The sentiment it expresses is accurate today. The past 5 years have seen a veritable explosion in interest and excitement about SEL, and the field is on the map. It is on the mind of parents, educators, education leaders and ...
Social and emotional learning in primary schools: A review of the
Abstract. Background: There is a plethora of reviews that summarize much of the evidence base in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). However, there are criticisms around variability of quality and focus of those reviews, meaning there is little strategic overview of the current state of the field. Further, there are rising concerns as to ...
Social-Emotional Learning: A Literature Review
A. Davis V. S. Solberg Christine de Baca T. Gore. Education, Psychology. 2014. This study evaluated the degree to which a range of social emotional learning skills—academic self-efficacy, academic motivation, social connections, importance of school, and managing psychological…. Expand.
Social-Emotional Learning and Academic Achievement:
Social-Emotional Learning and Academic Achievement
Time for Change: Understanding Teacher Social-Emotional Learning
Student Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is a process where children "enhance their ability to integrate thinking, feeling, and behaving to achieve important tasks" (Zins et al., 2004, p. 6). Teachers are uniquely positioned in many classrooms to be significant and consistent social and emotional role models for students to closely ...
PDF A review of the literature on social and emotional learning for ...
The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has developed a useful framework for conceptualizing the full implementation cycle for schoolwide social and emotional learning that incorporates 10 steps over three phases: Readiness phase • Step 1. Principal commits to schoolwide social and emotional learning (SEL ...
Social-Emotional Learning Interventions for Students With Special
Therefore, the current systematic review had three main objectives: 1) to identify the effectiveness of social-emotional learning interventions with students with special educational needs, 2) to ...
Implementing Social-Emotional Learning in the Elementary Classroom
Social-emotional learning has the power to change how educators deliver instruction across the country. For this article, social-emotional learning research and journal articles were reviewed for the purposes of identifying common themes among existing research. ... Multiple perspectives were considered in the review of literature and the ...
Assessing Students' Social and Emotional Learning: A Review of the
Numerous interrelated terms have been used to identify what learning in the social emotional domain consists of (Halberstadt et al. 2001), and generally these terms have not been defined with consistency or clarity.For that reason, this review of the assessment of learning outcomes in the social emotional domain begins with a brief summary of how the term "social and emotional learning" is ...
Virtual Reality for Social-Emotional Learning: A Review
This study has been undertaken as a systematic literature review based on the original guidelines as proposed by Kitchenham (Kitchenham et al., 2009) and Beecham (Beecham et al., 2008).The study is guided by the research question (RQ); What are the elements to design a social-emotional learning using virtual reality to enhance emotion regulation for mental health?
A Review of the Literature on Social and Emotional Learning for
Summarizes, in a four-part review series, the benefits of social and emotional learning (SEL) in early childhood, and identifies the characteristics of SEL interventions that are effective in school contexts. The review identified effective SEL programs, strategies, and implementation practices.
A review of the literature on social and emotional learning for
Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process by which children and adults learn to understand and manage emotions, maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. This is the first in a series of four related reports about what is known about SEL programs for students ages 3-8.