Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education Policy, Planning, and Administration

Committee Chairperson

Mimi Staulters, Ed.D.

Committee Member

Vanessa Kahen, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Brittany Severino, Ed.D.

Abstract

The mental health needs of adolescents continue to rise, and there is consensus within the literature that universal promotion of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in schools is one way to improve student well-being (Vetter et al., 2024). Teachers play an important role in the success of new Social Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives, yet their voices appear to be missing from the literature. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to dig deeper into the landscape of SEL in secondary classrooms in Pennsylvania. Participants included 63 secondary teachers who completed a survey, with nine of those teachers participating in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. The aim of the study was to understand how teachers implement SEL in practice as well as the perceived feasibility of SEL instructional models, methods, and content. Using descriptive statistics, correlational analyses and linear regressions, the relationship between and among variables influencing the implementation of SEL were explored. Emphasis was given to the qualitative interviews, which were coded using A priori and thematic coding methods, to explain the nuances that are inherent in the implementation of reform efforts such as SEL. The findings suggest a complex and significant relationship related to variables of time, training, and the how a teacher values SEL as key implementation factors. The study concludes with a discussion that focuses on how to bridge the gap from research to practice for secondary schools and implications for future research and practice.

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