BLOG | NISSEM

A selective strategy to advance social and emotional skills through textbooks

Read the third of Brookings' 3-part blog series on NISSEM's Global Briefs here

Re-thinking the traditional textbook for better academic and pro-social outcomes

Second of Brookings' 3-part blog series on NISSEM's Global Briefs.

Curriculum provides a learning pathway, but what do we see in the classroom?

First of Brookings' 3-part blog series on NISSEM's Global Briefs.

London launch of the NISSEM Global Briefs at UKFIET

Re-posting of the blog first published on September 11, 2019 in UKFIET Conference 2019.

Educating for the Social, the Emotional and the Sustainable

Re-posting of the World Education Blog first published by GEM Report on 6 November 2019.

PLANNING FOR A BULLY-FREE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE

'If there is no solution, it is not a problem.’ So goes the ancient Zen saying.

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Events

Jan 28, 2020

NISSEM Global Briefs introduced at 2019 Global Conference on Teacher Education for ESD at Okayama University, Japan
During the proceedings of the 2019 Global Conference on Teacher Education for Education for Sustainable Development attended by some 150 teacher educators from around the world, NISSEM co-convener Aaron Benavot gave a presentation entitled “Integrating cognitive, social/emotional and behavioral learning in the teaching of education for sustainability and global citizenship: Recent findings and insights.” He used this occasion to report key findings from the new UNESCO publication “Educational Content Up Close” to which NISSEM provided critical inputs, as well as an overview of the NISSEM Global Briefs. Watch a video of Dr. Benavot's presentation here.
Jan 12, 2020

NISSEM Global Briefs presented at University College London's Institute of Education
On 8 January 2020, Margaret Sinclair, Matthew Jukes (RTI) and Andy Smart presented NISSEM Global Briefs within a Centre for Education and International Development seminar at University College London's Institute of Education. Discussants were Juliet Millican (Institute for Development Studies, University of Sussex), Rae Snape (headteacher, Milton Road Primary School, Cambridge) and Sébastien Hine (consultant, former contributor to GEM Report 2019). NISSEM's profile in the UK continues to grow.
Dec 14, 2019

NISSEM draws attention to SEL and SDG 4.7 in textbooks at Salzburg Global Seminar
NISSEM co-convenor Margaret Sinclair spoke at a recent Salzburg Global Seminar (8-12 December) on the importance of reflecting SEL and its application to SDG 4.7 themes in textbooks and education materials, both in terms of content and embedded pedagogy.
Nov 22, 2019

Panel discussion on social-emotional learning at RTI International, Washington DC
RTI International and NISSEM hosted a lively panel discussion examining recent donor policies on SEL and the NISSEM Global Briefs. Panelists included representatives from the donor community, authors of several of the briefs and experts from current programs, each of whom discussed their experiences and lessons learned from implementing SEL in early grade reading activities, crisis and conflict areas, and low-resource settings.
Oct 02, 2019

Presentation and discussion of NISSEM Global Briefs at World Bank headquarters
Jean Bernard, Colette Chabbott, S. Garnett Russell, Margaret Sinclair, Andy Smart and James Williams presented.
Oct 08, 2019

NISSEM Global Briefs Launch at Creative Associates, October 1 2019
Creative Associates International hosted a launch of NISSEM Global Briefs at its Washington, D.C. headquarters. Speakers included Global Briefs contributors Susan Hirsch-Ayari of Creative Associates and Paul Frank of SIL LEAD alongside Jean Bernard, Colette Chabbott, Margaret Sinclair and Andy Smart from NISSEM. The full October 1 presentation can be viewed here.
Sep 05, 2019

4th International Conference on GCED: Pedagogy and Practice, Seoul, 3-4 September 2019
On 4 September 2019, NISSEM co-convener Andy Smart gave the NISSEM Global Briefs its first public outing at this event attended by over 1,000 registered guests. On the stage with Andy Smart are (left to right) Jane Nyaga, assistant director, Curriculum and Research Services Department, Secondary Education Division, Social Sciences Section of Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD); Dr. Jayanthi Gunasekera, director general of the National Institute of Education (NIE), Sri Lanka; and Nader Hadifeh, advisor to the minister of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) in Lebanon.
Sep 02, 2019

NISSEM Global Briefs UK launched at UKFIET, Oxford
The NISSEM Global Briefs: Educating for the social, the emotional and the sustainable was launched at a UKFIET seminar organised jointly by NISSEM and CELL (Conflict and Learning Laboratory, Maastricht) beginning at 1:30 pm. The new online publication features diverse perspectives from over 60 contributors addressing global and local challenges on how to integrate SEL and SDG 4.7 themes into textbooks and other education materials. Global Briefs lead editors, Andy Smart and Margaret Sinclair, introduced the online volume during the session, 'From Divisive Stereotypes to Inclusive Identitities', chaired by Atif Rizvi of Cell.
Apr 18, 2019

CIES Conference 2019, San Francisco
On April 16 of this year, NISSEM held an event called "What's Love Got to Do with It? The Role of Social and Emotional Skills in Sustaining Learning in Low-Income and Post-Conflict Contexts" at the Hyatt Regency Atrium during CIES 2019.

Organised by Professor James Williams of George Washington University, please find the event resources here.
Jul 15, 2018

NISSEM EVENT RESOURCES FROM FEBRUARY 2018
On February 1-2 of this year, NISSEM held an event called "Advancing SDG Target 4 in Post-Conflict and Low-Resource Settings: Integrating SDG Target 4.7 Themes and SEL Skills into Textbooks and Other Education Materials" at the George Washington University.

Presenters included representatives from USAID, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, Creative Associates, George Mason University, the Global Book Alliance, the Mercy Corps, and the NISSEM core team.

A full agenda can be found here and copies of all events's Powerpoints here. For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Jul 15, 2018

NISSEM EVENT RESOURCES FROM CIES 2018 (MEXICO CITY)
On March 25th of this year, NISSEM held a pre-conference workshop called "Advancing SDG Target 4 in Post-Conflict and Low-Resource Settings: Networking to Integrate SDG Target 4.7 Themes and SEL Skills into Education Materials (NISSEM)" at CIES 2018 in Mexico City.

The workshop built on the outcomes of the February workshop at the George Washington University. Presenters included representatives from UNESCO, USAID, GPE, IRC, the World Bank, Spectacle Learning Media, the George Washington University, the University of Albany-SUNY, the UCL-Insitute of Education, and the University of Pennsylvania.

A full agenda can be found here and copies of all the event's Powerpoints here. For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Jul 16, 2018

NISSEM EVENT RESOURCES FROM APRIL 2018
On April 27th of 2018, NISSEM held an event at the Teacher's College in New York following NISSEM's involvement in the UN event titled "the Role of Global Citizenship Education in the 2030 Agenda and Beyond." The workshop built on the outcomes of CIES 2018 with the aim of fostering support for NISSEM among key stakeholders. Attendees included esteemed guests from the APCIEU.

A full agenda can be found here and copies of all the event's Powerpoints can be found here. For additional information, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Jul 16, 2018

SEL SPOTLIGHT: THE GEORG ECKERT INSTITUTE
Are you interested in how SEL relates to global citizenship education (GCE) and their application to textbook revision? A recent project by the Georg Eckert Insitute (GEI) used the UNESCO guidelines on GCE to examine the dynamic between GCE at a local and national level in addition to the Global North and South. The aim was to provide insights in the field using a post-colonial lens and examine how GCE values are depicted and modified during textbook revision and the form GCE values take in the classroom.

Among the conceptual dimensions of GCE outlined by the GEI, the socio-emotional dimension involves a a sense of shared connectedness and common values along the lines of "solidarity, empathy and respect for cultural and religious diversity" ("Textbooks Put to the Test," 2017).

For additional information please take a look at the "Textbooks Put to the Test: Global Citizenship Education in International Perspective" page available on the Georg Eckert Institute website (Click here). The page is approximately a 2 minute, 32 second read.
Jul 16, 2018

USAID/AFRICA BUREAU PROJECT “EXPANSION OF THE USAID GENDER AND INCLUSIVENESS GUIDE”
A new project was launched on June 1 aimed at producing an SEL supplement and video to accompany USAID’s A Guide for Strengthening Gender Equality and Inclusiveness in Teaching and Learning Materials (RTI International, 2015). Under the supervision of NISSEM organizing committee member Jean Bernard and with major contributions from other NISSEM members, content is currently being drafted that will provide additional guidance to writers and illustrators in Africa on how to embed SEL into textbooks and other materials in ways that support the key messages of the 2015 Guide. Following a process of review by a group of international researchers and practitioners, the guidance document and instructional video for writer’s workshops are scheduled for completion by September, 2015.
Sep 06, 2018

NISSEM UPDATE: UNESCO COMMISSIONED REPORT
Prof Aaron Benavot, of the University at Albany, SUNY, supported by NISSEM colleagues, is undertaking a research project for UNESCO, on Learning and Teaching Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and Global Citizenship Education (GCED) in the Transition from Early Childhood to Primary and Secondary Education.

The project is...being undertaken jointly with the Sustainability and Education Policy Network of the University of Saskatchewan, directed by Prof Marcia McKenzie. The aim of the study is to compare the balance of cognitive, social-emotional, and behavioural objectives in national education policies for global citizenship education (GCED) and education for sustainable development (ESD) at pre-primary primary and secondary level, in two selected countries from each of the five UNESCO Regions..The research report will feed into a global meeting on ESD and GCED to be convened by UNESCO in April 2019.
Aug 01, 2019

UNESCO Forum on Education for Sustainable Development and Global Citizenship Education, Hanoi
The Global Forum in Hanoi saw the launch of a global research report on education for sustainable development and global citizenship in 10 countries commissioned by UNESCO and prepared by NISSEM in partnership with the Sustainability and Education Policy Network (SEPN) at the University of Saskatchewan. The findings of the study were formally presented by NISSEM co-convener Aaron Benavot at the opening plenary session and futher discussed at a plenary town hall co-led by Marcia McKenzie of SEPN. The report, entitled 'ESD and GCED Up Close' is currently being finalized and will be soon be available to the general public. Watch a video featuring Aaron and Marcia reflecting on the the study here.