Battling Inequities in Education: Examining a Socioemotional and Sociocultural Transformative Intervention for Preservice Teachers

Background and Purpose: This study examined the results of a pilot socioemotional and sociocultural transformative intervention ("InvEstEd") for preservice teachers. This intervention was developed in response to the mandate that social emotional learning be trauma-informed and grounded in cultural frameworks to create safe and supportive environments for students.

Methods: An experimental randomized controlled trial was conducted in which the intervention group participated in the "InvEstEd" online intervention (n = 29) and the attention-placebo control group (n = 37) participated in an unrelated STAR Legacy Module. Two repeated-measures analyses of variance (RANOVA) were conducted to assess whether socioemotional and sociocultural considerations changed from pretest to posttest between the intervention and control group.

Study participants were recruited via the university research pool utilizing a nonprobability convenience sampling strategy. The sample is predominately cis-gendered female (78.8%; 21.2% cisgendered male), non-Hispanic (89.4%; 10.6% Hispanic), heterosexual (89.4%; 10.6% LGB+), and White (86.4%; POC 13.6%). Most participants parent's highest level of education was a college degree (50.0%; 12.1% High School; 28.8% master's degree; 9.1% doctoral degree). Lastly, political affiliation varied across participants (30.3% Democrat; 36.4% Republican; and 12.1% Other).

Results: For the socioemotional variable, control group scores increased by 1.08 points on average from pretest to posttest. Whereas the experimental group scores increased by 3.52 points on average. The RANOVA between-subjects analysis demonstrated a significant difference between the intervention and control groups (F_{(df = 1, 64)} = 6.41 p < .05, η² = .09). The RANOVA within-subjects analysis showed a significant change participants overtime (F_{(df = 1, 64)} = 14.19, p < .001, η² = .18).

Regarding the sociocultural variable, control group scores increased 1.36 points on average from pretest to posttest. Whereas the experimental group scores increased by 2.90 points on average. The RANOVA between-subjects analysis displayed that there is no significant difference between the experimental and control groups (F_{(df = 1, 64)} = .32, p = .57, η² = .005). The RANOVA within-subjects analysis showed no significant change of a participant overtime (F_{(df = 1, 85)} = 1.89, p = .17, η² = .022).

Conclusion and Implications: Although socioemotional considerations were significantly malleable in response to InvEstEd, sociocultural considerations were not similarly impacted. As a result of these findings, more intentional efforts will need to be developed and implemented to increase preservice teachers' sociocultural considerations within the education system.

Within the last year, socioemotional and sociocultural considerations have emerged at the forefront of educational and political debates. Several conservative groups have considered social emotional learning a subversive means of indoctrinating children into critical race theory. Many states have proposed policies to ban these considerations within K-12 schools. Due to the impacts socioemotional and sociocultural considerations have on the outcomes of marginalized students, removing these considerations within schools and failing to train teachers in these areas would have devastating consequences. Therefore, training at the preservice level is vital, as shifting the mindsets of educators prior to their engagement within the Pre-K through 12 education system may be the best way to reach students.