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Final conclusions

Watch Donna Pendergast and Katherine Main share their final conclusions to the course, Supporting Adolescent Learners: Social and Emotional Wellbeing.
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Over the last two weeks, we’ve explored some of the key changes that are occurring during early adolescent development. We know that young people are undergoing significant physical, cognitive, and social and emotional changes, and that these changes affect and act on each other. In particular, we looked at how our understanding of refinements in the brain, known as the second sensitive period of brain development, which features synaptic pruning and chemical changes impacting on the limbic system, can begin to explain why young adolescents respond to different situations with such heightened emotions. In Week 2, we heard the different perspectives of two young adolescents and that of a teacher around what social and emotional wellbeing means to them.
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Being able to examine and discuss these different insights has helped us to reflect on ways that young people view their own wellbeing and also how having well-developed social and emotional capabilities can support them as learners. In exploring the role of social and emotional wellbeing, we can be certain that there will be an impact on young adolescents’ learning. And the mechanism for this is often associated with their engagement. This opens the door to exploring student engagement more deeply. We look forward to exploring this with you in additional learning opportunities.

Let’s celebrate our success.

We’re so pleased you’ve completed the course and hope you’re feeling inspired to take the next steps in getting involved in understanding how young adolescents’ social and emotional wellbeing can affect their engagement in learning.

Your final task

Watch the video, then taking into consideration all you’ve learnt in the course, share your responses to the following key questions in the comments:

  • How does social and emotional wellbeing impact on adolescents as learners?
  • What steps will you take now, to help adolescent learners thrive?

Farewell

We thank you for participating in the course and hope you now have a better understanding of what social and emotional wellbeing means for young adolescents.

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Supporting Adolescent Learners: Social and Emotional Wellbeing

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