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Curriculum Guide
ETEC 510 - Design Project
Social Emotional Learning
Karalea Hoyano, Kim Durnford & Ryan Shields
April 12, 2015
Diane Janes

Please see our Design Project here:

http://etec510.weebly.com/

Key Frameworks:
The focus of our design project is to provide resources, assistance, and support in relation
to Social Emotional Learning at the Elementary age level. Social emotional learning (SEL) is a
process for learning life skills, including how to deal with oneself, others and relationships, and
work in an effective manner. In dealing with oneself, SEL helps in recognizing our emotions and
learning how to manage those feelings. In dealing with others, SEL helps with developing
sympathy and empathy for others, and maintaining positive relationships. SEL also focuses on
dealing with a variety of situations in a constructive and ethical manner.1 We have designed a
platform that is user friendly to Teachers, Parents, and Students. We have focused on recent
brain studies and the connection social emotional learning has to academics and student success.
We have created a resource that is interactive, insightful, and meets a variety of needs. We have
studied the range of concerns centered around Social Emotional Learning such as trauma, mental
health issues, friendship skills, bullying, feelings, stress, relaxation, and fear just to name a few.
We have chosen to focus most of our energy on student support, both in class and at home, as
well as provide students with the skills to improve areas of need.
The benefit to our webpage is that it allows our audience 24/7 access to ideas and
resources needed to ensure that support is available. We have sections that have ample resources,
ideas, and suggestions for teachers, parents, and students. Our focus is on SEL as a whole, with
key concept areas being investigated. Having a resource that covers a broad range of topics yet
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Wikipedia. 2010. Social Emotional Learning. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_emotional_learning

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still focuses on the basic needs for parents, students, and teachers was key when mapping out our
webpage. Each section has resources, links, and research supporting the issue at hand and
provides the audience with key skills, suggestions, and concepts to help deal with the SEL topic
at hand. We hope the resource will prove to be useful for all Elementary age students, their
teachers, and their families. There is an ample amount of research and studies available to
support SEL and our need to be more cognizant of it. We hope our resource will shed light on the
issues our kids our currently facing and help to remove the stigma associated with mental health
and the issues at hand.

Intentions and Positions

According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning,
SEL programming is based on the understanding that the best learning emerges in the
context of supportive relationships that make learning challenging, engaging, and
meaningful; social and emotional skills are critical to being a good student, citizen, and
worker; and many different risky behaviors (e.g., drug use, violence, bullying, and
dropout) can be prevented or reduced when multi-year, integrated efforts develop
students social and emotional skills. This is best done through effective classroom
instruction, student engagement in positive activities in and out of the classroom, and
broad parent and community involvement in program planning, implementation, and
evaluation (CASEL).
This is achieved through focus on five core competency areas:
Self-awareness: The ability to accurately recognize ones emotions and thoughts and
their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing ones strengths and
limitations and possessing a well-grounded sense of confidence and optimism.
Self-management: The ability to regulate ones emotions, thoughts, and behaviors
effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses,
motivating oneself, and setting and working toward achieving personal and academic
goals.
Social awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others
from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for
behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

Relationship skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding
relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating
clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure,
negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking and offering help when needed.
Responsible decision making: The ability to make constructive and respectful
choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of
ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realistic evaluation of
consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and others (CASEL).
In conjunction with these stated goals of the SEL movement, we hope to increase student
engagement through the use of technology. Lenz points out that websites, particularly Weebly,
can be used to successfully harness preexisting student interest in technology to improve
engagement and learning. This is in line with Lapp, Fisher, Frey, and Gonzalezs concept of
leveraging engagement with purpose. They note that there is no question about it, our students
have adopted a digital ecosystem bursting with opportunities. What we make of these
opportunities is key. Give students a pencil and paper, and they will write an essay. Provide
students access to social media, and they will give you a viral online campaign. Students are
already very interested in using technology, so it is a short step to go from their native uses of
technology to uses that are engineered to achieve learning goals. Incorporating the explicit SEL
goals with academic goals in an online forum would be an excellent way to make a great holistic
approach to education.
As Payton et al. (2000) have pointed out, some educators disagree with the holistic
approach of SEL because it takes away from the time that can be spent on purely academic
content, but findings suggest that SEL programming not only does not detract from academic
performance but actually increases students performance on standardized tests and grades.
Results show an average gain of 11-17% on academic achievement test scores (Payton et al.,
2008).

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In fact,
SEL programs yielded multiple benefits . . . and were effective in both school and afterschool settings and for students with and without behavioral and emotional problems.
They were also effective across the K-8 grade range and for racially and ethnically
diverse students from urban, rural, and suburban settings. SEL programs improved
students social-emotional skills, attitudes about self and others, connection to school,
positive social behavior, and academic performance; they also reduced students conduct
problems and emotional distress (Payton et al., 2008).
The overall product of the SEL approach is clearly very valuable from the professional
educator's perspective, and Elias has shown through analysis of numerous polls of parents and
community leaders that the outcomes of effective SEL implementation define what society at
large wants schools to teach.
The program effectively "provides educators with the possibility of capturing the balance
children need" (Elias). A lot of contemporary focus in education is on producing globally minded
problem solvers with clear tendencies towards acceptance and tolerance of other perspectives
and practices. As Elias notes, "as national and world events continue to teach, there is a danger to
each of us -- locally and globally -- when children grow up with knowledge but without social
emotional skills and a strong moral compass."

Key Concepts and Contexts

With an ever-changing world filled with challenges and opportunities, what will our
students need in order to be psychologically healthy through childhood and beyond? How will
students be able to meet challenges with a positive attitude and remain resilient through the
variety of situations they may face? How do students develop these necessary skills?
What is the role of education in this type of character development? Historically,
parents were viewed as the main resource for students to build a "strong character," while

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teachers were responsible primarily for academics. While parents still maintain an integral and
irreplaceable role, education curriculums have adjusted over time to include these mental health
outcomes as well. The Ministerial Order for Student Learning published by the Alberta
government, for example, mandates that students are taught a variety of skills resulting in
citizens who are Engaged Thinkers, Ethical Citizens who demonstrate an Entrepreneurial Spirit
(Ministerial Order, 2015). Many of the traits listed under these headings are similar to the traits
identified by Martin Seligman as "grit" (Steiner-Adair, 2013). He believes self-control,
optimism, zest, curiosity, social and emotional intelligence, gratitude, joy, and resilience are the
elements of well-adjusted mental health and that they can be taught. Additionally, students from
our vulnerable populations (those affected by HIV, chronic illness, loss of parent(s), children in
need of alternative care, abused or neglected children, physically challenged, those affected by
community conflict and those in need of legal protection (Olowokere, 2014)), demonstrate an
increased need for skill building in these areas.
Research suggests that each individual comes with a natural ability in some of the
above mentioned character traits and less in others (Steiner-Adair, 2013). It is argued that these
traits can be developed and cultivated and school is one of the most effective places for this type
of learning to occur (Steiner-Adair, 2013). Olowokeres study of the effectiveness of a training
program for nurses and teachers resulted in evidence of proper training improving childrens
resilience and psychosocial health outcomes (self-esteem, social connection and depression).
Teachers and parents require training and resources in order to address the needs of
students. Students need opportunities to learn and practice these skills as they develop. Our
project looks to use research based approaches to designing resources for these 3 stakeholders.
What is the current best practice in the area? How can this learning be engaging and meaningful?

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How can anytime, anywhere access to resources increase awareness and effectiveness of trait
building?

Inter-Activities:
Our webpage has the following headings and sub-headings in order to address as many
SEL issues as we can and to ensure this webpage meets the needs of a variety of users and
families:
Parents
Talking with your child about anxiety/fears/feelings
Relaxation ideas for children and families
Helping your child face these fears/anxiety
Books
Teachers
Strategies that work for kids
Understanding feelings
Let go of stress
Breathing techniques
Resources and ideas
Positive thoughts
Books
Students
Friendships skills
Breathing techniques
Relaxation
Positive thinking
Problem Solving
Books
Each section has a write up explaining the importance of this SEL issue, how it affects
learning and brain research (when applicable) on the issue. When possible we provide links and
suggestions for books that support this strategy. There are ample books available on SEL topics,
therefore we have incorporated books into as many activities as possible. We have tried to have

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lesson plan ideas or suggestions for our audience in as many areas as possible. Overall, our
website is meant to be interactive with a variety of resources, links, games, and activities that
meet the needs of parents, students, and teachers in both practical and virtual spheres.

Activities/Assessments:
We welcome feedback in all areas, as our personal goal is to meet your needs both
personally and professionally. We have put forums and contact us forms throughout our parent,
teacher, and student links, and we hope our audience will access them often to provide us with
insight as to how we can help, what they require or what resources/areas they would like to see
more or less of.

Pre Site Questions

Post Site Questions

Reflection

Site Assessment Rubric:

The following rubric will be used to assess the quality of our website design, aesthetics,
flow, accessibility, visual appeal, and value with regards to educational application.
1
Poor
Navigability

Difficult to find
and follow site
navigation links

2
Below Average
Navigation links
visible but
somewhat
confusing
Author name and
contact
information
included; but
credentials
lacking

3
Average

4
Above Average

Navigation links
clear and readily
available

Navigation links
clear and logical;
site map included

Author name,
contact
information, and
some credential
info included

Author name,
contact
information, full
credentials
included

Well-regarded author
provides all
necessary
information; site is
linked to by others

Site contains no
attempts to sell or
persuade

Site presents multiple

viewpoints with no
bias

All sources are

properly cited
with site
bibliography

All sources properly

cited, full
bibliography, with
active links

Authority

Unclear who
authored the site

Bias

Site attempts to
persuade or sell
views

Site presents
facts, but some
bias is evident

Citations

No citations are
evident

Citations are
included on some
sources but not all

Dates

No dates evident

Site contains
creation date but
no dates for
update
information

Site contains both

creation and
dates for update
information

Content

Data quality is
questionable, and
quantity is
limited

Data quality
appears adequate,
limited quantity

Data is adequate
in quality and
quantity

Links

Few relevant
working links
included

Relevance to
various grade
levels

Site does not

include resources
for some grades
k through 12

Adequate number
of links, but many
no longer
functional
Site includes
some resources
for all grade
levels, but some
are seriously
lacking

Site is mostly
neutral; selling
pages are
segregated
All sources
include brief
citations, but site
lacks
bibliography

Site contains
dates for creation
and update
information and
some dates
relating to data
collection
Data quality is
established, and
quantity is
sufficient for
coverage

5
Excellent
Navigation logical
and clear; site map
and search engine
available

Site contains
creation, update, and
data collection dates
for all key
information
Data quality is
unquestioned, and
quantity provides
excellent coverage

Sufficient number
of links, and all
are functional

A good variety of
useful, active
links

Active links to wide

variety of excellent
sites

Site includes
resources for all
grade levels
minimally

Site provides
many resources
for all grade
levels

Site provides very

many excellent
resources for all
grade levels

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Open-Ended Interview Questions:

The following questions are intended to help determine how conducive our site is to the
applications that the students, parents, and teachers using it put it to. A random selection of users
will be asked these questions in interviews.
- How did you find the navigability of the site? Would you recommend any means of
improving the navigability of the site?
- Do you find the site to be authoritative in its subject matter? Do you feel that it is a
reliable source of information? How would you suggest that the site might improve its
sense of reliability?
- Do you feel that the site demonstrates a bias in any particular direction, and, if so, what
might that direction be? Where do you see the bias, and how do you think the site might
be improved in this respect?
-How easy would you say it is for you to find out where the site's authors have culled
their information from? Would you suggest that sources of information be displayed
differently than they currently are, and, if so, how would you suggest they be displayed?
- How easy would you say it is for you to determine when the various pages of the site
were last updated? Would you like to see improvement in this area? If so, how would you
improve the presentation of this information?
- How do you feel about the quantity and quality of the information and resources
provided on the site?
- How do you feel about the quantity and quality of the interconnections (links) between
our site and other sites?
- What is your reaction to the site's level of focus on the particular grade area that you
teach in? What, if anything, would you like to see more of?

Reflection:
Our webpage is meant to be a meaningful resource that meets the needs of a variety of
users. We hope many will find it a safe avenue to reflect, learn, and grow as they explore the
research in the field of Social Emotional Learning and utilize the resources, videos, book
suggestions, and webpages we have provided. Our design project is intended for Elementary

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aged students and families, and we hope that our "contact us" section and online forum will
create safe avenues for people to feel connected and supported. As with much technology, our
site will constantly grow, evolve, and change as time goes on. Nothing is concrete, and
everything can improve, so we look forward to the feedback our users will provide us via the
multiple available avenues. Overall, this assignment is intended to support and aid users, and we
feel we have done so through thorough research and thought keeping in mind the most up to date
facts available in regards to Social Emotional Learning.

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