Social-Based Learning and Leadership (SBL): Theory Development and a Qualitative Case Study
Abstract
Social-based learning and leadership (SBL) is an innovative pedagogical approach that
centers on enhancing relationships within the educational system to address 21st-century challenges.
At its core, SBL aims to help teachers transform into social architects who nurture positive social
processes among pupils. Emphasizing prosocial education, SBL lays the foundation for cultivating
pro-environmentalism and sustainable behavior by fostering a sense of care and responsibility toward
others. SBL’s prosocial education program encompasses social and emotional skills, knowledge,
and dispositions to empower pupils to actively engage in and contribute to a more democratic,
reciprocal, just, and sustainable society. This approach underscores the importance of education
in shaping students’ mindsets and life orientations. By nurturing a sense of interconnectedness
and responsibility for the well-being of others, SBL provides a promising avenue to transform
education by building more sustainable educational systems, thus contributing to creating a more
sustainable future. A qualitative case study, which consisted of 18 in-depth interviews and nine
observations, examined the impact of an SBL-based teacher training program at an elementary
school from 2020 to 2023. The results point to changes in teachers’ perceptions of their roles as social
architects and, more specifically, as facilitators of social, emotional, and cognitive processes. The
teachers gained recognition as meaningful adults from their students and transitioned to hold integral
positions as part of a supportive and connected school community, associating with colleagues
and parents. This study thus showcases patterns of socio-organizational communication that can
unfold in a school influenced by the SBL approach. SBL’s emphasis on positive social relationships
and empowering teachers as facilitators of holistic student development thus further reinforces its
potential to transform education for a sustainable and thriving future.
High-Quality Listening Supports Speakers’ Autonomy and Self-Esteem when Discussing Prejudice
Guy Itzchakov, Netta Weinstein
Listening
We examined how the experience of high-quality listening (attentive, empathic, and nonjudgmental) impacts speakers’ basic psychological needs and state self-esteem when discussing the difficult topic of a prejudiced attitude. Specifically, we hypothesized that when speakers discuss a prejudiced attitude with high-quality listeners, they experience higher autonomy, relatedness, and self-esteem than speakers who share their prejudiced attitudes while experiencing moderate listening. We predicted that autonomy needs satisfaction would mediate the effect of listening on speakers’ self-esteem even when relatedness, a well-documented predictor of self-esteem, is controlled for in mediation models. Two experiments that manipulated listening through in-person interactions with high-quality or moderate listeners supported these hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, with a focus on the role of experiencing high-quality listening for speakers’ state self-esteem during difficult conversations.
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Attitudes in an interpersonal context: Psychological safety as a route to attitude change
Guy Itzchakov, Kenneth G. DeMarree
Attitudes
Interpersonal contexts can be complex because they can involve two or more
people who are interdependent, each of whom is pursuing both individual
and shared goals. Interactions consist of individual and joint behaviors
that evolve dynamically over time. Interactions are likely to affect people’s
attitudes because the interpersonal context gives conversation partners a
great deal of opportunity to intentionally or unintentionally influence each
other.
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