During the pandemic, the dynamics of interpersonal relationships among students, as well as between students and teachers, underwent a significant transformation due to the imposed restrictions, social distancing measures, and learning through technology. In that context, the development of socio-emotional skills was a priority in the training of students, in addition to ensuring the continuity of the educational process. Based on the collaborative learning paradigm, the proposed program sought to develop the students’ social-emotional skills during a crisis situation. In addition, it examined the role of teachers in improving student relationships and preventing negative behavior. This quasi-experimental approach, involving initial and final measurements, was implemented between October 2021 and May 2022 on a group of 30 fourth-grade students. The thorough analysis of the data, conducted after three years of collection, is justified by our decision to use it in a broader academic study. We aimed to identify practices related to students’ social-emotional education in atypical contexts that could be applied to similar situations in the future, thereby ensuring the resilience of the educational process. Building on the theories of emotional intelligence formulated by Goleman and the social learning theories of Bandura, various techniques were developed and applied to enhance the capacity for self-knowledge, mutual knowledge, and interrelationships, such as role-playing, discussion circles, and collective feedback. The main objective of the program was to support students in adapting to the new educational and social realities, while also fostering a healthy group dynamic based on empathy and peer support. The tools we used to assess group dynamics included sociograms and sociometric tests. The results of this pedagogical quasi-experiment showed an increase in the group cohesion index between the initial phase and the final phase (Cgri = 0,036, compared to Cgrf = 0,062), reflected in better collaboration in group activities and an improved school climate. The involvement of the teaching staff as a facilitator of change proved that teachers play an important role in developing the students’ socio-emotional skills and enhancing group dynamics, even under conditions of limited social interaction.
MASGRAS et al. (Tue,) studied this question.