Reimagining Social and Emotional Education in secondary schools through arts-integrated practices in the post Covid-19 era

The "Reimagining Social and Emotional Education-SEE" project was launched to address the evolving challenges faced by education systems in the 21st century. Economic instability, social inequalities, and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic had severely disrupted traditional education. These crises highlighted the need for a shift from purely academic learning to approaches that also fostered students' social and emotional development. The project aimed to address key needs: Gaps in SEE: Despite SEE being recognized as important, many countries lacked frameworks, and schools did not have adequate plans or resources. Teachers were often untrained in delivering SEE effectively. Limited use of arts in education: Arts-based learning, known to improve student engagement and emotional well-being, remained underutilized. Its potential to support SEE was largely unexplored. Impact of COVID-19 on students: The pandemic had a lasting effect on students’ mental health, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds, making the need for emotional recovery and resilience-building urgent. This project focused on integrating arts and SEE to help students recover emotionally and thrive.

The "Reimagining Social and Emotional Education (SEE)" project aimed to achieve three key goals: Equip educators: Train 75 lower secondary school educators and directors in Greece, Italy, and Hungary to apply arts-based methodologies that integrate SEE into their curricula. Enhance student skills: Support 180 adolescents, focusing on those from vulnerable backgrounds, in developing resilience and social-emotional skills to help them recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and become active citizens. Influence policy: Provide evidence-based educational policy recommendations that demonstrate the benefits of integrating arts and SEE, fostering policy changes at both national and EU levels. By achieving these objectives, the project sought to create sustainable, cross-curricular approaches that empower educators and students alike.

1. Desk Research: A comprehensive review of the current status of Social and Emotional Education (SEE) in the EU, with a focus on SEE's connection to arts education and best practices for integrating arts into curricula. 2. Online Surveys: Surveys targeting educators and school directors in Greece, Italy, and Hungary were conducted to assess training needs related to SEE and arts-integrated methodologies, gathering 85 responses. 3. Focus Groups: Focus groups with educational authorities, CSOs, and students (aged 11-15) were organized to identify challenges in national educational policy, collaboration, and socio-emotional needs of students. 4. REIMAGINED Framework Development: A whole-school Intervention Framework was developed based on needs analysis, providing structured guidance for enhancing SEE in lower secondary schools. 5. Pedagogic Methodology and Training Materials: A pedagogic methodology promoting learning-by-doing and arts-based educational practices was developed, alongside corresponding training materials. 6. National Adaptation Workshops: Workshops were held in partner countries to adapt the training materials to their specific school and policy contexts. 7. Open Training Course: The training materials were made available through an online course on the Moodle platform, completed by participants from Greece, Italy, and Hungary. 8. Artistic School Projects: Educators and partner CSOs co-designed and implemented extracurricular artistic projects at the community level, involving students in arts-integrated learning. 9. Mentoring and Pilot Testing: Continuous mentoring was provided to educators during pilot testing to ensure effective implementation of the REIMAGINED Intervention Framework. 10. Impact Assessment: An impact assessment evaluated the framework's effect on educators and students, informing evidence-based policy recommendations on SEE. 11. Dissemination and Final Conference: Info days were held in Greece, Italy, and Hungary to disseminate project results. The final EU Conference in Athens featured contributions from students and educators who participated in local artistic projects.

Whole-School Intervention Framework: A comprehensive framework was developed to integrate social and emotional skills (SEE) into lower secondary schools using arts-based practices, applied across both curricular and extracurricular activities. Pedagogic Methodology and Training Materials: A cross-curricular SEE pedagogic methodology was created, equipping 146 educators and CSO trainers with innovative, arts-based learning techniques to enhance students' social-emotional well-being. Cooperation Framework: A cooperation framework was established to guide educators in forming multidisciplinary teams and collaborating with community-based CSOs, ensuring SEE integration across school activities. Open Online SEE Training Course: An online training course was delivered via the Moodle platform, surpassing initial targets with 146 completions, providing educators and CSO trainers with resources and methodologies for effective SEE programs. Artistic School Projects: Seven artistic school projects were implemented, involving 332 students across Greece, Italy, and Hungary. These projects allowed students to apply their social and emotional skills in real-world settings, with 90 students taking leadership roles. EU Artistic School Project and Final Conference: The final EU Conference in Athens featured presentations of student artistic projects, showcasing the success of integrating arts into SEE education. Policy Recommendations: Evidence-based policy recommendations were developed, aimed at mainstreaming SEE through arts-based practices in educational systems, supporting students' emotional recovery and resilience. Impact on Educators and Students: Educators improved their confidence and ability to integrate SEE and arts into the curriculum. Students, particularly those from vulnerable backgrounds, saw significant improvements in their social and emotional skills. CSO Collaboration and Education Link: The project strengthened collaboration between schools and CSOs, promoting a holistic approach to student development by linking formal education with community-based learning activities. The project successfully achieved its objectives, delivering sustainable and innovative SEE solutions through arts-based education, impacting educators, students, communities, and policymakers across partner countries.