Chapter 5 of "Exploring the Relationship Between Social-Emotional Competencies and Student Outcomes in Online Learning Environments"

Author: Sarah K. Teeple

Chapter Five

Introduction

Online learning platforms are becoming an increasingly popular form of instructional delivery in K-12 schools across the United States, and enrollment in some form of online learning in the U.S. has increased by more than 60% since the early 2000s (Barbour et al., 2011; Gemin et al., 2017; U.S. Department of Education, 2010). Millions of K-12 students comprise the population of U.S. learners who are receiving instruction via digital learning systems (Schroeder, 2019). As the online education market increases in popularity and value, researchers are recommending that further studies evaluate student outcomes in online courses in order to better inform school and legislative policies and practices (Clements et al., 2015). The need for additional research has become particularly apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, the time-frame during which the present research study was implemented. Many schools across the country made an abrupt shift to hybrid or fully online learning models during the pandemic. Even fully in-person classes have seen the impacts of COVID-19 on the integration of technology in the classroom, as 1:1 devices functioned as a means to mediate the effects of physical distancing and safety protocols by maintaining rigorous instruction with routine feedback from teachers and collaboration with peers.

Many studies support the conclusion that student achievement does not vary significantly as a function of the instructional environment (traditional vs. online) alone (Brodersen & Melluso, 2017; Cho & Tobias, 2016; Richardson et al., 2014). However, much of the previous research regarding student achievement in online learning models has been concentrated in post-secondary educational institutions and has relied predominantly on self-reported data. In a meta-analysis by Broderson and Melluso (2017) of 162 K-12 studies involving the effect of online learning on academic outcomes, only 17 were considered rigorous enough in methodology to be included in the discussion of findings.

The present study, therefore, attempted to identify and describe the existence of any relationships between social-emotional skill proficiency using the Habits of Mind framework, social presence as defined by the Community of Inquiry theory, and student task achievement by addressing the following research questions:

1. To what extent do social and emotional competencies predict online social presence and student performance?

2. How do social and emotional competencies manifest in fully online learning environments?

3. How are adaptive student behaviors and attitudes reinforced and modeled through remote instruction?

In the Spring of 2021, a mixed-method design using convenience sampling was

employed to recruit student (N=17) and teacher (N=3) participants. Statistical analyses were run using JASP, and included MANOVA, ANOVA, and independent and paired t-tests. Qualitative coding of student and teacher interviews was applied using the Habits of Mind framework and inductive analysis.

Summary of Findings

Social-emotional skills represent goal-directed cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal processes and habits (Jones et al., 2017). The Habits of Mind theoretical framework has emerged within the broader context of social-emotional skills, and identifies specific attributes, or Habits, that individuals may habitually employ in the process of intelligently selecting goal-directed thoughts and behaviors (Costa et al., 2020; Kallick & Costa, 2009). Social-emotional proficiency was determined using a modified, 18-item ordinal rating scale within the Habits of Mind framework. Students who averaged a score of three or higher on each of the 18 questions were in the proficient SEL group (N=12), and students with an average per-item score of 2 or below were in the non-proficient SEL group (N=5). Paired t-tests demonstrated that while student self-reported ratings were significantly higher than teacher and parent ratings as well as the averaged triangulated ratings, the teacher and parent ratings did not differ significantly from each other nor from the averaged triangulated scores. These results support the reliability of the mean SEL scores, as well as the reliability of the teacher and parent ratings.

Quantitative analysis of student achievement as measured by performance on a summative writing task revealed that students who demonstrate SEL proficiency scored significantly higher on the performance task than their non-SEL proficient peers. Students also described in their narrative interviews ways in which all of the Habits included in the present study manifested in their successful completion of their academic work in the online classroom. Students and teachers most frequently discussed the importance of applying persistence to student work. Similarly, student narratives also often discussed how they think flexibly to persist through challenges and difficult tasks. Although few teachers or students explicitly identified some of their thoughts as metacognitive in nature, many of their responses indicated evidence of metacognition in evaluating understanding and adjusting plans and thought patterns in order to be successful. Metacognitive habits appeared to be a foundational skill for striving for accuracy. Students shared how the accuracy of their work could be improved as a function of self-reflection and self-advocacy through the use of teacher office hours.

In the present study, social presence was defined according to the Community of Inquiry (COI) framework as a construct that describes student perceptions of feeling a sense of belonging in a learning community (Fiock, 2020). A revised version of the social presence dimension of the Community of Inquiry Questionnaire was administered via a 5-point Likert scale for each of nine questions. While there was no significant statistical relationship among SEL groupings between social presence score and summative writing score, descriptive statistics for each of the nine survey questions provided a more robust depiction of the ways in which students functioned and communicated in the online classroom. The results of the survey questions appear to indicate that students feel comfortable participating in online discussions and talking with their classmates synchronously via video conferencing. However, there is more variability in the extent to which students perceive synchronous video conferencing in the digital classroom as a positive means of social interaction, as shown in Figure 5.1. Only about half (53%) of the respondents expressed agreement with the sentiment that communicating online is a good way to socially interact with others. About one-third (29%) of participants were neutral in their belief that their online classroom was efficacious in the provision of social interaction, while 18% expressed disagreement.

Figure 5.1

Individual interviews helped to expand the narrative on the variability in student perceptions of online social interaction. Both students and teachers cited fun through non-academic socialization and the use of humor as ways that teachers helped to improve social connectedness online.

Students also described other ways in which their teachers helped to support their success as online learners. Students reported frequent use of small group discussions via breakout rooms, clear and consistent organization and structure, feedback, and availability as key components of their teachers’ practices that they found particularly helpful.

Recommendations

The results of the present study offer more evidence in support of the nested levels of student outcomes, as identified by Kallick and Costa (2009), pictured below in Figure 5.2. Although the relationship between Habits of Mind and student achievement cannot be described with respect to causality, the present study found a strong positive correlation between Habits of Mind proficiency and student achievement on a writing task, thus reinforcing the existing framework that has established Habits of Mind as foundational prerequisites to engaging in cognitive tasks, applying thinking skills, and, lastly, acquiring content knowledge.

Figure 5.2

It is theorized that the direct instruction and implicit reinforcement and modeling of the Habits of Mind support students’ abilities to strategically think and plan cognitive tasks, and then subsequently to apply the kinds of thinking skills that will allow students to engage with and retain content-area knowledge and skills (Kallick & Costa, 2009). The present study supports prior research calling for embedded social-emotional learning as part of the existing instructional framework (Atlan et al., 2017; Costa & Kallick, 2008; Jones et al., 2017; Kallick & Costa, 2009). In particular, the Habits of Persisting and Thinking About Your Thinking (Metacognition) were recurrent themes in teacher and student narrative responses, and appear to be fundamental attributes for other Habits of Mind.

The present study also supports the application of additional teaching strategies and practices in online learning environments in order to support student motivation, engagement, and performance. It is recommended that ample opportunities are provided for social interaction to increase perceptions of social presence and student engagement, and to decrease perceptions of social isolation (Erdoğdu & Çakıroğlu, 2021; Journell, 2013). This concept was reinforced in individual interviews, wherein students who appeared to have more positive perceptions of their online learning communities were quick to describe multiple opportunities for non-academic interaction via video conferencing breakout rooms and the functional use of humor in the classroom. In their study on the use of humor in the classroom, Erdoğdu and Çakıroğlu (2021) cite research supporting the potential for humor to facilitate a positive social-emotional learning environment. They recommend that humorous elements be designed for multiple purposes in instruction, including attention, recall, and feedback, in addition to using humor for non-academic breaks.

In a teacher interview, the application of principles of Universal Design in Learning (UDL) were utilized to improve student accessibility with content and directions using multiple methods of representation. UDL describes models of curricular design and learning systems that are accessible to learners with diverse cognitive, physical, social-emotional, and linguistic abilities (Rose & Strangman, 2007). Audio-recorded and written instructions, and video-recorded feedback and lessons are examples of ways cited in the narrative responses to incorporate UDL in digital learning platforms. In addition, structured and frequent feedback through both formal and informal assessment of student work was described by students and teachers as ways to improve personalized learning in an online learning environment from a UDL perspective. This mirrors some of the best practices recommended by Vadell (2013) for UDL in online instruction.

Another overarching theme is the need for teacher training in instructional practices specific to digital learning platforms (Barbour et al. 2011). As the narrative responses in the current research study indicated, there was variability in the ways in which teachers structured their synchronous and asynchronous learning experiences. Therefore, consistency in pedagogy may facilitate more positive affective experiences and enhanced learning outcomes for students.

Suggestions for Further Research

The present study was limited by its small sample size, as well as the homogeneity of the sample and the population from which the sample was drawn. The seventeen sample participants were recruited from a single district composed of predominantly white students, with fewer than 20% of the student population qualifying for Free and Reduced Lunch. This limits the generalizability of the present results to white students from middle class homes. Future research could recruit larger and more racially and socioeconomically diverse samples using K-12 learners in order to provide a more robust depiction of the relationships between social presence, social-emotional dispositions, and student achievement and performance. While there was no significant statistical relationship between social-emotional dispositions and social presence scores, there was a moderate effect size (d=0.52). The lack of a significant p value may be a function of the limited sample size. Therefore, replicating the study with a larger, heterogeneous sample, particularly with regard to social presence, is recommended.

Social-emotional proficiency scores in this study were triangulated based on student self-reflection, teacher rating, and parent rating using a Habits of Mind ordinal scale. Paired sample t-tests revealed that students rated themselves significantly higher in Habits of Mind proficiency than teachers or parents. There was no significant difference between the ratings

given by teachers and parents. In future studies, reliability may be preserved by using only teacher or parent ratings for Habits of Mind proficiency.

The scope of the research was also limited to six out of 16 total Habits of Mind, as described by Kallick and Costa (2009), and shown in Table 5.1.

Table 5.1

The researcher selected the six Habits of Mind for the quantitative rating scale in an attempt to improve the validity of the rating scale for those Habits which appear most relevant to student performance in a writing class. Future studies have the opportunity to explore the relationship between additional Habits and other student performance tasks. As the body of quantitative research between Habits of Mind and student achievement increases, researchers can support more confident and reliable recommendations for future instructional practices through digital learning platforms.

Meanwhile, the Community of Inquiry framework, as illustrated in Figure 5.3, is predicated on the construction of a meaningful learning experience for students by way of the interdependence of social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence (Zidiropoulou & Mavroidis, 2019). Fiock (2020) defines cognitive presence as the student perception of having achieved learning outcomes through metacognitive reflection of content knowledge and skills in a given subject area, and teaching presence as the combined effect of instructional design, the instructional delivery itself, and the facilitation of discourse or interaction on the social and cognitive aspects of learning.

Figure 5.3 Community of Inquiry Framework

For the purpose of limiting the scope of the research and making the surveys manageable and accessible for elementary school students, only the social presence dimension of the Community of Inquiry Questionnaire was administered, in a revised format. However, in interview responses, students described ways in which their teachers appeared to help facilitate social and cognitive presences in their instructional practices. It is therefore recommended that future studies employ the administration of the Community of Inquiry Questionnaire in its entirety in order to assess the complex interaction of the multiple presences within COI.

In addition to assessing cognitive and teaching presences, it may also be worthwhile to examine more closely the workload of teachers in a virtual classroom setting versus those in a traditional setting. The results of this study indicated that teachers spent an extended part of their school days conducting office hours and 1:1 support, in addition to planning and constructing differentiated, UDL-based instruction. The present study did not directly address the workload of virtual teachers, but this may be an important implication for future research and training of online teachers.

Conclusion

This mixed-method, cross-sectional study was conducted with 5th grade public school virtual learners for the purpose of making recommendations for K-12 teaching and learning practices in online learning environments. The students in the present study who appeared to intuitively possess or demonstrate key social-emotional dispositions scored higher on a final summative writing performance task than their peers who were not proficient in social-emotional attributes. Therefore, student proficiency in social-emotional competencies is related to student achievement and students may benefit academically by receiving explicit instruction in SEL skills, processes, and behaviors.

Other factors that may relate to student achievement and perceptions of connectedness and engagement in online learning platforms is the purposeful use of humor and social and academic interactions in various sized groupings. Students also reported benefiting academically from teacher availability for 1:1 help, teacher organization and structure, and clear and consistent feedback systems. Teachers reported that their use of breakout rooms for collaborative work and interaction, as well as their use of Universal Design of Learning strategies for multiple means of representation, were helpful in structuring their online learning environments to best support their students. However, there was variability in student responses regarding the use of efficaciously perceived teacher practices in online classrooms particularly as it pertains to social interaction, thereby reinforcing the importance of district and legislative policies to mandate teacher training in the delivery of instruction using digital platforms.

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Appendix A

GWYNEDD MERCY UNIVERSITY

Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania

Consent Form

Adult Participants

Title of Study: Exploring the Relationship Between Social-Emotional Competencies and Student Outcomes in Online Learning Environments

Principal Investigator: Ms. Sarah Teeple

Email Address: [email protected]

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Amanda Benolken

Study Contact Telephone Number: 469-767-0175

What are some general things you should know about research studies?

You are being asked to take part in a research study. To join the study is voluntary. You may refuse to join, or you may withdraw your consent to be in the study, for any reason, at any time, without penalty.

Research studies are designed to obtain new knowledge. This new information may help people in the future. You may not receive any direct benefit from being in the research study. There also may be risks to being in research studies.

Details about this study are discussed below. It is important that you understand this information so that you can make an informed choice about being in this research study.

You will be given a copy of this consent form. You should ask the researchers named above, or staff members who may assist them, any questions you have about this study at any time.

What is the purpose of this study?

The purpose of this research study is to explore the connection that may exist between social and emotional (SEL) competencies, online social presence, and student learning outcomes in virtual learning. The purpose of this study is to provide evidence and support for certain types of teacher training for the benefit of online students. Based on the information extracted from the data, the researcher will provide recommendations for K-12 schools in developing successful virtual learning programs. You are being asked to participate in this study because you are currently teaching in a virtual setting.

How many people will take part in this study?

If you consent to participation in this study, you will be one of approximately 50 students and 10 teachers who will also participate in this research study.

How long will your part in the study last?

You will need approximately 20 minutes to complete survey questionnaires. There will be one follow up interview that is conducted virtually, and the interview will take approximately 15 minutes.

What will happen if you take part in this study?

You will be asked to complete survey questionnaires regarding student social and emotional competencies as you have observed in your classroom. You will also be asked to participate in a follow up interview to answer questions regarding the role of student habits in virtual learning. If you choose to participate in the second phase of the study, your responses will be audio recorded.

What are the possible risks or discomforts involved from being in this study?

There are minimal to no risks associated with participation in this study. If you feel anxiety regarding the questions in the survey or any follow-up interview, you may withdraw from participating at any time during the study. If you have questions or concerns or would like to speak with a counselor on the topic, please reach out to the principal investigator. There may be previously unknown risks. You should report any problems you experience during the study.

How will your privacy be protected?

Your name and other personal information will not be identified in any report or publication about this study. Although every effort will be made to keep research records private, there may be times when federal or state law requires the disclosure of such records, including personal information. This is very unlikely, but if disclosure is ever required, Gwynedd Mercy University will take steps allowable by law to protect the privacy of personal information. In some cases, your information in this research study could be reviewed by representatives of the University, research sponsors, or government agencies for purposes such as quality control or safety. I will do my best to preserve your confidentiality and securely retain all information, including notes, interview transcripts, names, and other types of identifying information unavailable to other parties. All participants will remain anonymous. All data will be stored in password-protected computers or cloud-based storage drives. The summarized findings with no identifying information may be published in an academic journal or presented at a scholarly conference. Audio recordings for any follow-up interviews or focus groups will be stored in password-protected computers and cloud-based storage drives. You may request audio recordings to be turned off at any point during an interview.

Will you or your child receive anything for being in this study?

If you choose to participate in the study, you will be entered into a raffle to receive a $15 Amazon.com gift card.

Will it cost anything to be in this study?

There will be no cost for being in the study. Your participation is voluntary.

What if you have questions about this study or your rights as a participant?

You have the right to ask, and have answered, any questions you may have about this research. If you have questions or concerns, you should contact the researchers listed on the first page of this form. All research on human volunteers is reviewed by the Institutional Review Board at Gwynedd Mercy University who work to protect your rights and welfare. If you have questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the principal investigator, Sarah Teeple, at [email protected].

————————————————————————————————————————–

Participant’s Agreement:

I have read the information provided above. I have asked all the questions I have at this time. I voluntarily give permission to allow my child to participate in this research study.

______________________________

Printed Name of Research Participant

_________________________________________________

Signature of Research ParticipantDate

Appendix B

GWYNEDD MERCY UNIVERSITY

Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania

Parental Permission for a Minor Child to Participate in a Research Study Social Behavioral Form

Title of Study: Exploring the Relationship Between Social-Emotional Competencies and Student Outcomes in Online Learning Environments

Principal Investigator: Ms. Sarah Teeple

Email Address: [email protected]

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Amanda Benolken

Study Contact Telephone Number: 469-767-0175

What are some general things you should know about research studies?

You are asked to allow your child to take part in a research study. The participation in this study is voluntary. You may refuse to give permission, or you may withdraw your permission for your child to be in the study, for any reason, at any time. Even if you give your permission, your child can decide not to be in the study or to leave the study early.

Research studies in education are designed to obtain new knowledge useful for schools, teachers, and students. This new information may help educators improve the quality of services they provide in the future. Your child may not receive any direct benefit from being in the research study. There also may be certain risks to being in research studies.

Details about this study are discussed below. It is important that you understand this information so that you and your child can make an informed choice about his or her participation in this research study.

You will be given a copy of this consent form. You and your child should ask the researchers named above any questions you have about this study at any time. The principal investigator will verify your consent via the phone number provided below.

What is the purpose of this study?

The purpose of this research study is to explore the connection that may exist between social and emotional (SEL) competencies, online social presence, and student learning outcomes in virtual learning. The purpose of this study is to provide evidence and support for certain types of teacher training for the benefit of online students. Based on the information extracted from the data, the researcher will provide recommendations for K-12 schools in developing successful virtual learning programs. Your child is asked to be in the study because he or she is currently participating in virtual learning.

How many people will take part in this study?

If you and your child consent to participation in this study, your child will be one of approximately 50 students who will also participate in this research study.

How long will your child’s part in the study last?

Each participant will need approximately 20 minutes to complete a survey questionnaire. In addition, if your child chooses to participate in the follow up interview, the interview will take approximately 15 minutes via a virtual meeting with a parent or guardian present.

What will happen if your child takes part in this study?

Each student will be asked to complete a survey questionnaire independently. You and your child’s teacher will complete a similar survey questionnaire. Some students and teachers may also choose to participate in a follow up interview to answer questions regarding the role of student habits in virtual learning. If you and your child choose to participate in the second phase of the study, their responses will be audio recorded.

What are the possible risks or discomforts involved from being in this study?

There are minimal to no risks associated with participation in this study. If your child feels anxiety regarding the questions in the survey or any follow-up interview, they may withdraw from participating at any time during the study. If you have questions or concerns or would like to speak with a counselor on the topic, please reach out to the principal investigator. There may be previously unknown risks. You should report any problems you experience during the study.

How will your privacy be protected?

Your child’s name and other personal information will not be identified in any report or publication about this study. Although every effort will be made to keep research records private, there may be times when federal or state law requires the disclosure of such records, including personal information. This is very unlikely, but if disclosure is ever required, Gwynedd Mercy University will take steps allowable by law to protect the privacy of personal information. In some cases, your information in this research study could be reviewed by representatives of the University, research sponsors, or government agencies for purposes such as quality control or safety. I will do my best to preserve your confidentiality and securely retain all information, including notes, interview transcripts, names, and other types of identifying information unavailable to other parties. All participants will remain anonymous. All data will be stored in password-protected computers or cloud-based storage drives. The summarized findings with no identifying information may be published in an academic journal or presented at a scholarly conference. Audio recordings for any follow-up interviews or focus groups will be stored in password-protected computers and cloud-based storage drives. You and your child may request audio recordings to be turned off at any point during an interview.

Will you or your child receive anything for being in this study?

If you and your child choose to participate in the study by completing the survey questionnaire, you will each be entered into a raffle to receive a $15 Amazon.com gift card. If your child also participates in the follow-up interview, your child will be entered into an additional raffle for another $15 Amazon.com gift card.

Will it cost anything to be in this study?

There will be no cost for being in the study. Your child’s participation is voluntary.

What if you have questions about this study or your rights as a participant?

You have the right to ask, and have answered, any questions you may have about this research. If you have questions or concerns, you should contact the researchers listed on the first page of this form. All research on human volunteers is reviewed by the Institutional Review Board at Gwynedd Mercy University who work to protect your rights and welfare. If you have questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the principal investigator, Sarah Teeple, at [email protected].

————————————————————————————————————————–

Parent’s Agreement:

I have read the information provided above. I have asked all the questions I have at this time. I voluntarily give permission to allow my child to participate in this research study.

______________________________

Printed Name of Research Participant (Child)

_________________________________________________

Signature of ParentDate

______________________________

Printed Name of Parent

______________________________

Phone number for parent to be contacted for verification

_________________________________________________

Signature of InvestigatorDate

Appendix C

GWYNEDD MERCY UNIVERSITY

Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania

Assent to Participate in a Research Study

Minor Participant (age 10-11 years)

Title of Study: Exploring the Relationship Between Social-Emotional Competencies and Student Outcomes in Online Learning Environments

Principal Investigator: Ms. Sarah Teeple

Email Address: [email protected]

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Amanda Benolken

Study Contact Telephone Number: 469-767-0175

What are some general things you should know about research studies?

You are asked to take part in a research study. Your parent or guardian needs to give permission for you to be in this study. You do not have to be in this study if you don’t want to, even if your parent has already given permission. To join the study is voluntary, which means that you may refuse to join, or that you may stop participating at any time in the study, for whatever reason, without consequence.

Research studies are designed to obtain new knowledge. This new information may help people in the future. You may not receive any direct benefit from being in the research study. There also may be risks to being in research studies.

Details about this study are discussed below. It is important that you understand this information so that you can make an informed choice about being in this research study.

You will be given a copy of this consent form. You should ask the researcher named above any questions that you have about this study at any time.

What is the purpose of this study?

The purpose of this research study is to explore the connection that may exist between social and emotional (SEL) habits, online social presence, and student learning outcomes in virtual learning. The purpose of this study is to provide evidence and support for certain types of teacher training for the benefit of online students.

How many people will take part in this study?

If you decide to be in this study, you will be one of approximately 50 students who will also participate in this research study.

How long will your part in the study last?

You will need approximately 20 minutes to complete a survey questionnaire. In addition, if you choose to participate in the follow up interview, the interview will take approximately 15 minutes via a virtual meeting.

What will happen if you take part in this study?

Each student will be asked to complete a survey questionnaire independently. Your teacher and parent or guardian will complete a similar survey questionnaire. Some students may also choose to participate in a follow up interview to answer questions regarding the role of student habits in virtual learning. If you choose to participate in the second phase of the study, your responses will be audio recorded.

What are the possible risks or discomforts involved from being in this study?

There are minimal to no risks associated with your participation in this study. If you feel anxiety regarding the questions in the survey or any follow-up interview, you may withdraw from participating at any time. If you have questions or concerns or would like to speak with a counselor on the topic, please reach out to the principal investigator. There may be previously unknown risks. You should report any problems you experience during the study.

How will your privacy be protected?

Your name and other personal information will not be identified in any report or publication about this study. Although every effort will be made to keep research records private, there may be times when federal or state law requires the disclosure of such records, including personal information. This is very unlikely, but if disclosure is ever required, Gwynedd Mercy University will take steps allowable by law to protect the privacy of personal information. In some cases, your information in this research study could be reviewed by representatives of the University, research sponsors, or government agencies for purposes such as quality control or safety. I will do my best to preserve your confidentiality and securely retain all information, including notes, interview transcripts, names, and other types of identifying information unavailable to other parties. All participants will remain anonymous. All data will be stored in password-protected computers or cloud-based storage drives. The summarized findings with no identifying information may be published in an academic journal or presented at a scholarly conference. Audio recordings for any follow-up interviews or focus groups will be stored in password-protected computers and cloud-based storage drives. You may request audio recordings to be turned off at any point during an interview.

Will you receive anything for being in this study?

If you choose to participate in the study by completing the survey questionnaire, you will be entered into a raffle to receive a $15 Amazon.com gift card. If you choose to also participate in the follow-up interview, you will be entered into an additional raffle for another $15 Amazon.com gift card.

Will it cost anything to be in this study?

There will be no cost for being in the study. Your participation is voluntary.

What if you have questions about this study or your rights as a participant?

You have the right to ask, and have answered, any questions you may have about this research. If you have questions or concerns, you should contact the researchers listed on the first page of this form. All research on human volunteers is reviewed by the Institutional Review Board at Gwynedd Mercy University who work to protect your rights and welfare. If you have questions or concerns about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the principal investigator, Sarah Teeple, at [email protected].

————————————————————————————————————————–

Participant’s Agreement:

I have read the information provided above. I have asked all the questions I have at this time. I voluntarily agree to participate in this research study.

_________________________________________________

Signature of Research ParticipantDate

______________________________

Printed Name of Research Participant

_________________________________________________

Signature of InvestigatorDate

Appendix D

Student Questionnaire

Appendix E

Parent Questionnaire

Appendix F

Teacher Questionnaire

Appendix G

Community of Inquiry Survey Instrument: Social Presence

Affective expression

1. I feel like I belonged in the class.

2. I feel like I got to know some of my classmates.

3. Communicating online was a good way to socially interact with others.

Open communication

4. I felt comfortable talking online.

5. I felt comfortable participating in online discussions.

6. I felt comfortable interacting with my classmates.

Group cohesion

7. I felt comfortable disagreeing with my classmates in a respectful way.

8. I felt that my classmates understood my point of view.

9. I was able to work together with my classmates online.

5 point Likert-type scale

1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neutral, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly agree

Appendix H

Exploring the Rela0onship between Social-Emo0onal Competencies and Student

Outcomes in Online Learning Environments

Principal Inves2gator: Sarah Teeple

Student Interview Protocol

Thank you for volunteering to par2cipate in this research study. My goal is to understand your experience as a virtual 5th grade student in the Pennridge School District. Before we begin, do you have any ques2ons based on the informa2on you read in the consent form?

I am interested in learning more about how certain social-emo2onal skills, or Habits of Mind, have helped support you as a learner this year. (projects and reads out loud each of the six Habits of Mind shown below).

1. In what ways do you see any of these Habits helping you in your learning in an online classroom?

2. In what ways do you see any of the Habits helping you be engaged in your online learning?

3. When you are faced with a challenging task, which of these Habits do you think are most helpful?

4. In what ways does your teacher help support these Habits in your online learning?

Appendix I

Exploring the Rela0onship between Social-Emo0onal Competencies and Student

Outcomes in Online Learning Environments

Principal Inves2gator: Sarah Teeple

Teacher Interview Protocol

Thank you for volunteering to par2cipate in this research study. My goal is to understand your experience as a virtual 5th grade teacher in the Pennridge School District. Before we begin, do you have any ques2ons based on the informa2on you read in the consent form?

I am interested in learning more about how certain social-emo2onal skills, or Habits of Mind, have helped support your teaching prac2ces this year. (projects and reads out loud each of the six Habits of Mind shown below).

1. In what ways do you see any of these Habits helping your students be successful in an online classroom?

2. In what ways do you see any of the Habits helping your students be engaged in your online learning?

3. When your students are faced with a challenging task, which of these Habits do you think are most helpful?

4. In what ways does your teaching practice help support these Habits in your students’ online learning?

DMU Timestamp: January 21, 2022 19:02