International variation in perceiving goals of a youth development programme (Lions Quest)

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How do teachers benefit from training on social interaction skills? : Developing and utilising an instrument for the evaluation of teachers social and emotional learning

By using their social interaction skills, teachers create an autonomous and supportive climate in the classroom. Research, however, is scarce on how teachers can develop these skills despite being emphasised as key tools in modern learning psychology. This intervention study explored the development of teachers social and emotional learning (SEL) skills during Gordon s Teacher Effectiveness Training (TET) (2003). The effects of the TET were examined at various levels of Kirkpatrick and Kirkpatrick (2006), including the effects on participants reactions, knowledge, the application of knowledge and overall well-being. In addition, a new case-based measurement instrument, the dealing with challenging interactions (DCI), was developed. Finally, the sustainability of the studied skills was examined nine months after completing TET. The intervention group consisted of 20 primary school classroom teachers and 23 secondary school subject-matter teachers in Finland. The comparison group comprised 26 subject-matter teachers who did not participate in TET. The data were collected before and after the four-day TET. In addition, data regarding the sustainability of the studied skills were collected and analysed nine months after completing the TET. In Study I, the DCI method was developed to measure the social interaction skills of teachers. The participants are presented with seven scenarios, after which they are asked what they would say or do in that situation. The answers are content analysed. DCI appeared to be a reliable and valid tool. The multi-phase quantitative analyses in Study II showed that teachers benefitted from TET. Among those who participated in TET, both knowledge and the application of knowledge improved significantly. In the comparison group, no differences between the pre- and post-test measurements were found. Study III showed that a qualitative change took place among those teachers participating in TET. Teachers learned to apply the TET skills in their responses to situations. By giving room to pupils, teachers were also more likely to support pupils autonomy and agency. In Study IV, it was found that the participants still remembered the central skills studied during TET and were able to reflect that knowledge in their own behaviour from the perspective of the TET skills. Almost all of the participants said that they would recommend TET to their colleagues. TET intervention appeared to achieve its goals since both classroom and subject-matter teachers seemed to benefit from the training on social interaction skills. While training on teachers social interaction skills is often recommended, little evidence regarding its effectiveness exists. This study adds to both the theoretical and practical development of continuing teacher education.Vaikka Pisa-tutkimukset osoittavat suomalaisen koulun valmentavan oppilaita huippusuorituksiin, koulussamme viihdytään huonommin kuin useimmissa muissa Euroopan maissa. Monet oppilaat myös kokevat, ettei opettaja ole heistä lainkaan kiinnostunut. Opettaja kohtaa työssään luokassa ja opettajanhuoneessa monenlaisia vuorovaikutushaasteita. Päivittäin hän joutuu tekemisiin jopa satojen lasten tai nuorten kanssa. Koulussa opettaja tekee työtä aikuisyhteisön jäsenenä, johon kuuluvat rehtori, toiset opettajat ja muu kouluhenkilöstö. Lisäksi kodin ja koulun yhteistyö velvoittaa opettajaa pitämään yhteyttä myös oppilaiden vanhempiin. Opettajan kanssa vuorovaikutuksessa olevien joukko on siis määrältään suuri. Mutta myös sen laadulla on merkityksensä, sillä ei ole lainkaan yhdentekevää miten opettaja vuorovaikutuksessa toimii. Kansainvälisen WHO:n teettämän tutkimuksen mukaan yli kaksi kolmannesta oppilaista ilmoittaa, ettei opettaja ole lainkaan kiinnostuneita siitä mitä oppilaille kuuluu. Onko oppilaiden hyvinvointi unohtunut pyrittäessä kohti Suomen hyviä Pisa-tuloksia? Toimiva koulu on Thomas Gordonin kehittämä kurssi, jolla pyritään parantamaan sekä opettajan ja oppilaan mutta myös opettajan ja vanhempien sekä kouluhenkilökunnan keskinäistä vuorovaikutusta. Päämääränä on saavuttaa oppimisympäristö, jossa voidaan hyvin ja joka on oppimisille suotuisa. Kurssin pituus on 24 tuntia. Tässä tutkimuksessa opettajien tunne- ja vuorovaikutustaitojen kehittymistä tutkittiin siten, että kaksi opettajaryhmää osallistui Toimiva koulu -kurssille, minkä vaikutuksia tutkittiin palautteen, tiedon, tiedon soveltamisen ja yleisen hyvinvoinnin näkökulmasta. Kurssille osallistuneiden taitojen kehittymistä tutkittiin lisäksi seuraavana lukukautena. Samalla Toimiva koulu -kurssia tarkasteltiin modernin oppimispsykologian näkökulmasta. Tutkimuksessa kehitettiin uusi mittausmenetelmä nimeltään Haasteellisissa tilanteissa toimiminen. Lisäksi opittujen taitojen pysyvyyttä tutkittiin myöhemmin seuraavana lukukautena. Tutkimus osoitti, että opettajat hyötyvät vuorovaikutuskoulutuksesta.Sekä aineen- että luokanopettajat kehittyivät vuorovaikutustaidoissa, millä on myönteistä vaikutusta oppilaiden ja koko oppimisympäristön hyvinvointiin. Vaikka vuorovaikutustaitojen koulutusta opettajille usein suositellaan, koulutuksen hyödyistä ei juuri ole näyttöä. Tämän tutkimuksen avulla opettajien täydennyskoulutusta voidaan kehittää

How does continuing training on social interaction skills benefit teachers?

5th ICEEPSY International Conference on Education & Educational Psychology in Kyrenia Cyprus (Oct 22-25, 2014)/ guest editors: Zafer Bekirogullari, Melis Minas.Peer reviewe

Engaging leadership training – fostering social interaction skills through e-learning and blended solutions

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The Benefits of a Social and Emotional Learning Program for Norwegian Teachers

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is promoted by offering teachers’ SEL workshops worldwide. However, little is known about their short-term and long-term outcomes. We explored how teachers benefit from Lions Quest (Mitt Valg in Norwegian) training in the short and long term in Norway. The development of teachers was investigated by exploring their perceived importance and sense of competence in teaching SEL during an almost two-year period. The development of their students’ SEL was explored as well. Imputed values from the intervention group (n = 247) and the comparison group (n = 47) were used in analysing teachers’ short and long-term outcomes. Students’ intervention group consisted of 112 students and the comparison group consisted of 53 students. Data were collected from the teachers three times and from the students two times via Likert-scale questionnaires. The results indicated that the teachers felt to be more competent in teaching SEL after their Lions Quest (Mitt Valg) teacher training. This trend appeared to be continuing in the long run. Students’ SEL among the intervention group slightly increased whereas SEL among the comparison group decreased during their teachers' training. Lions Quest (Mitt Valg) intervention appeared to improve teachers’ sense of competence to teach SEL at school. In addition, findings showed that teachers were willing to implement LQ as part of their teaching.Peer reviewe

Progress in Teachers’ Readiness to Promote Positive Youth Development among Students during the Lions Quest Teaching Workshop

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The development of the Dealing with Challenging Interaction (DCI) method to evaluate teachers’ social interaction skills

The Dealing with Challenging Interaction (DCI) method was developed to measure social interaction skills of teacher study groups. The participants were 70 teachers from three schools. The inter-rater agreement, Cohen’s kappa, varied between 0.57- 1.00. The discriminant validity was supported by a cluster analysis differentiating between the skilful and less skilful teachers. The results of the supplementary instrument were equivalent to the cluster analysis maintaining criterion oriented validity of the method developed. The DCI appeared to be a reliable and valid tool for measuring teachers’ social interaction skills.Peer reviewe

The Benefits of Teachers’ Workshops on Their Social and Emotional Intelligence in Four Countries

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Exploring the coherence of the goals achieved through a youth development programme

Conference: Future Academy Multidisciplinary Conference ICEEPSY / CPSYC / icPSIRS / BE-ci Location: Istanbul, TURKEY Date: OCT 13-17, 2015Peer reviewe