Development and evaluation of social-emotional learning curriculum for pre-service teachers

The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate a Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum for pre-service teachers. Social-emotional learning process, which starts at birth and continues throughout life, is an integral part of human development. Social-emotional learning contributes to the development of self-awareness, responsible decision-making, and positive relationships with others. This study is an action research in which it is aimed to develop a curriculum that supports the development of social-emotional competencies of pre-service teachers based on their needs for social-emotional learning. The study was designed under three main headings: "Before Implementation", "Implementation" and "After Implementation". The study started with determining the competencies to be addressed within the scope of social-emotional learning. The opinions of the instructors on social-emotional learning and social-competencies and the needs of pre-service teachers for social-emotional competencies formed the basis of the curriculum. Within the scope of the curriculum, action plans were prepared and implemented week by week. Meetings were held with the validity and reliability committee members on the action plans. In line with the opinions, the next action plans were prepared and implemented. After the implementation, the contribution of the curriculum to the development of pre-service teachers' social-emotional competencies was tested. The results show that there is a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the pre-service teachers who participated in the social-emotional learning curriculum. The scores of the pre-service teachers increased in favor of the post-test. In addition, in the focus group interview conducted after the implementation, all of the pre-service teachers stated that the curriculum contributed to the development of their social-emotional competencies, that they discovered themselves in the process, that they could express their feelings and thoughts with self-confidence, and emphasized that social-emotional competencies are an important need in the teaching profession. As a result of the research findings, the scope of compulsory-elective courses in teacher training programs should be reviewed in the context of social-emotional competencies and the development of competencies should be focused on, and the development of social-emotional competencies should be supported through extracurricular activities such as student clubs and social responsibility projects.