Project Activities
The researchers developed and evaluated SELweb LE in three phases. The initial phase involved item development and tryouts along with field testing to determine SELweb LE's factor structure, score reliability, and convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity. In the second phase, they replicated the initial field trial with a larger sample of children and tested measurement equivalence across ethnicity, sex, and language (English and Spanish). In Phase III, they expanded the item pool and revised the number of items per subtest and again re-evaluated SELweb LE's factor structure, score reliability, and criterion-related validity.
Structured Abstract
Setting
Across three phases, this project was conducted in 124 schools in 25 school districts throughout the United States.
Sample
Participants included students in grades 4 to 6. A total of 15,097 students participated.
SELweb LE is deployed in schools via a web-based assessment delivery platform and includes direct assessments of children's social-emotional competence. Social-emotional competence subtests measure complex emotion recognition, social perspective-taking, social problem-solving, emotion regulation knowledge, and self-reported self-control.
Research design and methods
The project took place in three phases. In Phase I, the researchers developed a web delivery platform and an initial item pool for each of the assessment modules. They conducted iterative item tryouts with 15 students in each tryout to evaluate administration procedures, usability, and feasibility. In an initial field trial, they evaluated SELweb LE's factor structure, score reliability, and convergent, discriminant, and criterion-related validity in a sample of 1,011 children. In Phase II, they conducted a second field trial with a larger sample of 10,818 children and tested measurement equivalence across ethnicity, sex, and language. Based on the results of the two field trials they created additional items and alternate forms. In Phase III, they evaluated the expanded item pool and revised the number of items per subtest and determined the factor structure, score reliability, and criterion-related validity using additional validation measures in a sample of 3,268 children.
Control condition
There is no control condition for this project.
Key measures
During field trials, the key measure was SELweb LE. In addition, in some of the field trials, the researchers collected or obtained additional assessments for the purposes of developing validity evidence. In one field trial, for example, the team administered an alternate measure of social and emotional competence and teacher rating scales that assessed student social skills, problem behavior, and academic competence. In another field trial, the team collected teacher rating scale data on students' overall social and emotional competence.
Data analytic strategy
Across three independent samples, the researchers evaluated score reliability, factor structure, convergent and discriminant validity, criterion-related validity, and measurement equivalence across sex, ethnicity, and language form (English and Spanish).
Key outcomes
The main features of the assessment and outcomes of the validation study are as follows:
- SELweb LE (Late Elementary) is a valid and reliable assessment that can be used with children from diverse backgrounds in 4th to 6th grade to measure their understanding of other's thoughts and feelings, their ability to solve social problems, and their ability to engage in self-control (McKown, Russo-Ponsaran, and Karls, 2022).
People and institutions involved
IES program contact(s)
Products and publications
ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.
Journal article, monograph, or newsletter
McKown, C., Russo-Ponsaran, N., & Karls, A. (2022) Web-based assessment of social and emotional competence in the late elementary grades. Social Development, 32(1): 73-97.
McKown, C. (2019). Challenges and Opportunities in the Applied Assessment of Student Social and Emotional Learning. Educational Psychologist, 54 (3): 205–221.
Books and Book Chapters
Russo-Ponsaran, N.M., Karls, A., & McKown, C. (2022). Novel technology based SEL assessments. In J. Burrus, S.H. Rikoon & M.W. Brenneman (Eds.) Assessing Competencies for Social and Emotional Learning: Conceptualization, Development, and Applications. New York: Routledge.
McKown, C. (2022). The fidget spinner effect: Social and emotional assessment and the health evolution of the SEL field. In S.M. Jones, N. Lesaux, & S.P Barnes (Eds.). Measuring and Assessing Non-Cognitive Skills to Improve Teaching and Learning. New York: Guilford Press.
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