Strengthening Social and Emotional Skills in Adults

The Learning Experience at Canadian Colleges

April 13, 2022

We know that social and emotional skills (SES)—such as communication, collaboration, and leadership—are critical for life success.

Yet the bulk of programs that teach SES end after high school.

Learning Is Lifelong

We continue developing SES in adulthood—through informal experiences like employment, co-ops, volunteering, extracurriculars, and caregiving, as well as formal instruction.

These skills are important. So how are post-secondary institutions teaching them?

We are Signal49 Research’s Education and Skills team.

We want to know how the college classroom environment is fostering the development of social and emotional skills.

Our research will help us better understand:

what instructors and students think are important skills to learn (and why);
how classroom instruction can help.

COVID-19 has changed learning for everyone. Our research will study its impacts on the teaching and learning of SES—skills that inherently involve interpersonal connection.

Learn more about our team

What SES Learning Looks Like

Formal education can teach SES in different, but beneficial, ways:

Embedded
Standalone
Integrated

Embedded

Teaches skills implicitly, within subject matter content. There is no direct reference to, or assessment of, these skills.

Example

A group engineering design project.

Standalone

Teaches skills explicitly, separate from subject matter content.

Example

A course (or module within a course) that teaches and assesses communication skills, using assignments like a presentation on a topic not related to the student’s field of study.

Integrated

Teaches skills explicitly, alongside subject matter content.

Example

A student-led presentation assignment on a subject, with assessment of communication skills alongside subject-matter knowledge.

Source: Deesha Chadha, “A Curriculum Model for Transferable Skills Development.”

We looked at college courses available across Canada that aim to develop one or more SES.

We found a range of course lengths, teaching methods, and assessment techniques. Many courses focus on communication skills.

Here are some examples of standalone courses we found in our scan.

BUS 1125: Business Professionalism
Department: Open course within General Education
Target skills: Complex problem-solving, active listening, speaking, service orientation
Course length: 24 hours
Teaching methods: lectures, class discussions, group work, presentations, reflective writing, guest speakers, case studies

DSS01: 10 Soft Skills You Need
Department: Open course within Continuing Education
Target skills: Active listening, speaking, complex problem-solving, social perceptiveness
Course length: 8 hours
Teaching methods: Direct instruction, including case studies and learner-developed action plans.

014-102: Interpersonal Communication
Department: Required course within Social Work
Target skills: Active listening, speaking, social perceptiveness, negotiation
Course length: 11 hours
Teaching methods: Includes classroom seminars, guest speakers/Elders, applied learning, project work, field trips

COMM1173: Communication Strategies
Department: Required course within diploma programs
Target skills: Coordination, social perceptiveness, negotiation
Course length: 45 hours
Teaching methods: Discovery and project-based activities including reflections, case studies, and resource gathering

COMM291: Interpersonal Communications
Department: Open course within Continuing Education
Target skills: Active listening, speaking, social perceptiveness, complex problem-solving
Course length: 30 hours Teaching methods: Lectures, individual work, group work

CRES 1311: Communicating in Conflict
Department: Open course within Continuing Education
Target skills: Active listening, speaking, social perceptiveness, active learning
Course length: 24 hours
Teaching methods: Experiential exercises that ask learners to self-reflect, analyze, and apply to conflict situations.

Have a course to add to our list? Tell us.