Social-Based Learning and Leadership (SBL): Theory Development and a Qualitative Case Study

Eli Vinokur, Avinoam Yomtovian, Guy Itzchakov (), Marva Shalev Marom and Liat Baron
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Eli Vinokur: Department of Non formal, Social and Community Education, Gordon Academic College of Education, Haifa 357050, Israel
Avinoam Yomtovian: Department of Non formal, Social and Community Education, Gordon Academic College of Education, Haifa 357050, Israel
Guy Itzchakov: Department of Human Services, The University of Haifa, Abba Khoushy Ave 199, Haifa 349883, Israel
Marva Shalev Marom: Department of Non formal, Social and Community Education, Gordon Academic College of Education, Haifa 357050, Israel
Liat Baron: Department of Emergency and Disaster Management, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 613900, Israel

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-22

Abstract: Social-based learning and leadership (SBL) is an innovative pedagogical approach that centers on enhancing relationships within the educational system to address 21st-century challenges. At its core, SBL aims to help teachers transform into social architects who nurture positive social processes among pupils. Emphasizing prosocial education, SBL lays the foundation for cultivating pro-environmentalism and sustainable behavior by fostering a sense of care and responsibility toward others. SBL’s prosocial education program encompasses social and emotional skills, knowledge, and dispositions to empower pupils to actively engage in and contribute to a more democratic, reciprocal, just, and sustainable society. This approach underscores the importance of education in shaping students’ mindsets and life orientations. By nurturing a sense of interconnectedness and responsibility for the well-being of others, SBL provides a promising avenue to transform education by building more sustainable educational systems, thus contributing to creating a more sustainable future. A qualitative case study, which consisted of 18 in-depth interviews and nine observations, examined the impact of an SBL-based teacher training program at an elementary school from 2020 to 2023. The results point to changes in teachers’ perceptions of their roles as social architects and, more specifically, as facilitators of social, emotional, and cognitive processes. The teachers gained recognition as meaningful adults from their students and transitioned to hold integral positions as part of a supportive and connected school community, associating with colleagues and parents. This study thus showcases patterns of socio-organizational communication that can unfold in a school influenced by the SBL approach. SBL’s emphasis on positive social relationships and empowering teachers as facilitators of holistic student development thus further reinforces its potential to transform education for a sustainable and thriving future.

Keywords: social education; educational change; soft skills; school connectedness; teachers’ wellbeing; listening (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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