The effects of social and emotional learning supported water education on the social and emotional learning skills of secondary school students

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of social emotional learning-supported water education on the social emotional learning skills of seventh-grade middle school students. For this purpose, the study was designed with an embedded mixed design, combining quantitative and qualitative research methods. The study was conducted in a middle school in the center of Aydın during the second semester of the 2024-2025 academic year. The participants consisted of 88 seventh-grade students. Within the scope of the study, a social-emotional learning (SEL) supported water education group, a water education group, and a traditional water education (control) group were formed. Quantitative data of the study were collected using the Adolescent Social-Emotional Learning Scale (ASELS; Totan, 2018). Qualitative data were obtained through individual interviews conducted with students selected from two experimental groups. Quantitative data of the study were analyzed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) in the SPSS.25 package program. Qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive analysis. The quantitative findings of the study revealed a statistically significant difference in all social-emotional learning dimensions between the students in the SEL-supported water education group, where social-emotional learning dimensions were incorporated into water education activities, and the students in the water education and traditional water education groups, in favor of the SEL-supported water education group. The qualitative findings of the study revealed that the students in the SEL-supported water education group experienced greater positive changes in their SEL skills compared to the students in the water education group. This study concluded that students' self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making skills were more effectively developed when SEL dimensions were incorporated into water education activities.