Social and Emotional Competence: Perspectives of Students, Teachers, and Institutions

In recent years, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and other international initiatives have advanced the global assessment of social and emotional competence. As a result, social and emotional competence has gained increasing attention in education. Developing these competencies is an interactive, long-term, and dynamic process. It unfolds across multiple contexts and requires coordinated efforts from students, teachers, families, and institutions.Despite this growing interest, our understanding of social and emotional competence remains limited when viewed through the distinct perspectives of key stakeholders. Questions about its definition, dimensions, developmental trajectories, influencing factors, and effective strategies for cultivation are still not fully resolved. Existing research also shows gaps in terms of theoretical depth, methodological innovation, and sample representativeness.Therefore, there is a pressing need for research that integrates the perspectives of students, teachers, and institutions. Such work is essential to deepen our understanding of social and emotional competence and to inform targeted, context-specific strategies that can be implemented through collaboration among all stakeholders in education.This Research Topic aims to provide an in-depth exploration of how different stakeholders in education define, experience, and shape social and emotional competence. By examining the perspectives of students, teachers, and institutions, we seek to build a more holistic and context-sensitive understanding of what social and emotional competence means, how it develops, and how it can be promoted in educational settings. We welcome contributions from diverse disciplinary backgrounds, including but not limited to educational psychology, developmental psychology, sociology of education, and educational measurement. Both theoretical and methodological innovations are encouraged.We invite submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:Theoretical frameworks of social and emotional competence(e.g., definitions, conceptual models, competency dimensions)New methods and original data on students’ social and emotional competence(e.g., measurement approaches, developmental trajectories, longitudinal designs)Teachers’ roles in shaping social and emotional competenceIncluding teaching practices, curricula, classroom climate, teacher behaviors, and teacher characteristicsInstitutional influences on social and emotional competence(e.g., school or university policies, resources, support systems, whole-school approaches)Identification of key factors and their relative contributionsIncluding how these factors change over time and interact across individual, classroom, and institutional levelsStrategies and interventions to support social and emotional competenceFrom the perspectives of different stakeholders, with a focus on mechanisms of impact and context-specific implementationRegional, cultural, and national differencesIn the understanding, cultivation, and assessment of social and emotional competence, based on the perspectives of students, teachers, and institutionsWe also welcome other studies closely related to this Research Topic that deepen understanding of how collaboration among stakeholders in education supports the development of social and emotional competence. Topic editors: Xiaojie Cao, Yujun Xu, Yuting Shen, Baoyan Cheng Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/74581/social-and-emotional-competence-perspectives-of-students-teachers-and-institutions