Exploring the relationship between social-emotional competencies and student performance in online learning environments

The current mixed method study sought to clarify the complex relationships that may influence student achievement in online learning environments. In the United States, the number of students who are participating in some form of virtual or remote learning is increasing for a variety of reasons. However, the body of research regarding elementary or primary school student performance in online learning environments is limited and contains some contradictory findings. The researcher therefore sought to identify the relationships between student proficiency in social-emotional competencies using the Habits of Mind theoretical framework, social presence as defined by the Community of Inquiry framework, and student achievement on a writing performance task. The results indicate that there is a positive correlation between student social-emotional proficiency and student grades on a summative performance task. Survey data and narrative responses from individual interviews with teachers and students were used to further extend the discussion on thematic aspects of teaching and learning that were perceived to influence successful student performance and a robust sense of social interaction and community. Many of the narrative responses appear to describe ways in which social-emotional skills interact to create independent and resilient learners, with persistence and metacognition being the most frequently cited skills.