Page 182 - Štremfel, Urška, ed., 2016. Student (Under)achievement: Perspectives, Approaches, Challenges. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut. Digital Library, Documenta 11.
P. 182
ademic achievement, standstill or regression; successful participation in the
classroom and in groups; setting academic goals and working towards them
(Ragozzino et al., 2003).
There are several explanations of connections between academic achieve-
ment and social and emotional learning. The first set of explanations is focused
on changes within an individual that lead to better learning and conceptual
knowledge. Students who are more self-confident about their learning com-
petencies, who make more effort and persist with more difficult tasks longer
(Aronson, 2002), who set higher learning goals for themselves, are more
self-disciplined and motivated, know how to manage stress (Duckworth and
Seligman, 2005), are more organised in terms of their work (Duckworth and
Seligman, 2005; Zins and Ellias, 2006), have developed better problem-solving
skills and the skills of taking responsible decisions, (Zins and Ellias, 2006) are
on average higher academic achievers. Neuroscientific explanations focus on
interpretations of brain functions, in particular the impact of social and emo-
tional learning on central executive functions (for instance inhibitory control,
planning), which leads to better regulation of the prefrontal cortex and there-
182 fore better academic achievement (Greenberg, 2006).
Instead of looking for connections between social and emotional learn-
ing and an individual’s higher academic achievement and changes within the
individual, some authors (Blum and Libbey, 2004; Hawkins, Smith and Cata-
lano 2004) look for connections based on characteristics of the environment.
They list environmental characteristics, which foster positive behaviour, such
as peer and adult norms that encourage high expectations and support ac-
ademic achievement; good interpersonal relationships between students
and teachers, which encourage the feeling of belonging to a certain class and
school; encouraging cooperative learning; providing a safe and organised
learning environment. The best possible combination are changes both at an
individual and school level, which lead to instant and long-term positive con-
sequences (Catalano, Berglund, Ryan, Lonczak and Hawkins, 2002).
The impact of social and emotional learning on academic achievement
can also be regulated by a reduction in anxiety and aggressive behaviour,
which are both negatively connected with academic achievement. Develop-
ing social and emotional skills results in reduced frequency of maladjusted and
aggressive behaviour. Aggressive behaviour disrupts the teaching and learn-
ing process and is related to a negative school climate which, in turn, affects
students’ academic achievement (Brown, Anfara and Roney, 2004). The neg-
ative correlation between aggressive behaviour and learning outcomes has
large empirical support (Flannery, Wazsonyi and Waldman, 2007; Huesmann,
1994; Schwartz, Gorman, Nakamoto and McKay, 2006), including the data from
the Slovenian educational system (Kozina 2013a; Vršnik Perše, Kozina and Ru-
tar Leban, 2008). Students who are aggressive eventually develop more nega-
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
classroom and in groups; setting academic goals and working towards them
(Ragozzino et al., 2003).
There are several explanations of connections between academic achieve-
ment and social and emotional learning. The first set of explanations is focused
on changes within an individual that lead to better learning and conceptual
knowledge. Students who are more self-confident about their learning com-
petencies, who make more effort and persist with more difficult tasks longer
(Aronson, 2002), who set higher learning goals for themselves, are more
self-disciplined and motivated, know how to manage stress (Duckworth and
Seligman, 2005), are more organised in terms of their work (Duckworth and
Seligman, 2005; Zins and Ellias, 2006), have developed better problem-solving
skills and the skills of taking responsible decisions, (Zins and Ellias, 2006) are
on average higher academic achievers. Neuroscientific explanations focus on
interpretations of brain functions, in particular the impact of social and emo-
tional learning on central executive functions (for instance inhibitory control,
planning), which leads to better regulation of the prefrontal cortex and there-
182 fore better academic achievement (Greenberg, 2006).
Instead of looking for connections between social and emotional learn-
ing and an individual’s higher academic achievement and changes within the
individual, some authors (Blum and Libbey, 2004; Hawkins, Smith and Cata-
lano 2004) look for connections based on characteristics of the environment.
They list environmental characteristics, which foster positive behaviour, such
as peer and adult norms that encourage high expectations and support ac-
ademic achievement; good interpersonal relationships between students
and teachers, which encourage the feeling of belonging to a certain class and
school; encouraging cooperative learning; providing a safe and organised
learning environment. The best possible combination are changes both at an
individual and school level, which lead to instant and long-term positive con-
sequences (Catalano, Berglund, Ryan, Lonczak and Hawkins, 2002).
The impact of social and emotional learning on academic achievement
can also be regulated by a reduction in anxiety and aggressive behaviour,
which are both negatively connected with academic achievement. Develop-
ing social and emotional skills results in reduced frequency of maladjusted and
aggressive behaviour. Aggressive behaviour disrupts the teaching and learn-
ing process and is related to a negative school climate which, in turn, affects
students’ academic achievement (Brown, Anfara and Roney, 2004). The neg-
ative correlation between aggressive behaviour and learning outcomes has
large empirical support (Flannery, Wazsonyi and Waldman, 2007; Huesmann,
1994; Schwartz, Gorman, Nakamoto and McKay, 2006), including the data from
the Slovenian educational system (Kozina 2013a; Vršnik Perše, Kozina and Ru-
tar Leban, 2008). Students who are aggressive eventually develop more nega-
student (under)achievement: perspectives, approaches, challenges
