Culmination of Insights and Actions: Technology and Communication Advancing K–12 Preventive Messaging through Employer Impact

As part of the Milken Institute’s Employer Action Exchange, this Culmination of Insights is part three of a four-part series. This article highlights insights into the impact on schools and employers making K–12 social investments through technology and communications. Click here to see the introduction, background, and methods for this project.

Another example of advancements in the landscape to “meet students where they are” is digital education. This modality can help fill gaps in schooling by offering curricula and modules in an accessible format, which can reach an increasing number of students compared to traditional classroom-based instruction. Despite significant investments made throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the US continues to experience a significant digital divide depending on the geography in which a student and their family live. The gap between communities that have reliable, affordable internet access and those without only further accentuates the opportunity for digital education to serve as a vehicle for socioeconomic change. The digital divide impacts education, as witnessed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when mobile “hotspots” were created in various urban and rural communities so students could access school materials digitally. Access to the digital environment remains essential for students and their families and is symptomatic of the inequality we continue to see across states and throughout the country. Inequity in access to digital educational content and resources clearly shows how whole-person health and the digital divide impact health equity.??

A continuing misinformation crisis is also occurring online, with a growing number of educators fighting disinformation and misinformation in their classrooms and online. Misinformation is defined as false or inaccurate information, while disinformation is false information deliberately intended to mislead. A philosophy exists that misinformation exposure poses an additional burden for those lacking adequate access to health resources. While teaching on one more issue may feel overwhelming, thought leaders interviewed explained and emphasized the importance of building up the next generation through media and digital literacy-centric education. These initiatives include students being able to spot potentially biased information and understand how to accurately fact-check data, among other forms of information.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) opportunities are fundamental to whole-person health education; these skills are transferrable to the workforce and in high demand by employers across industries. According to Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), employers are seeking employees who have social and emotional competencies, emphasizing communication and interpersonal skills, self-management skills, and the ability to collaborate or work in teams. SEL, typified by its acronym, has been included in recent political discourse in a range of state legislatures, increasing criticism of SEL skills and benefits in several school districts and states across the US.

SEL is defined by CASEL as: “The process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions. SEL can help address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities.”

One example of an active coalition, launched in 2022 as Leading with SEL, champions the message that SEL belongs in schools as a vital tool for students. Thought leaders agreed that consistent messaging and communication around shared values is a crucial part of the solution. Educators, school leaders, advocacy experts, and policymakers want the same result for students (i.e., for them to be healthy, happy, thriving, and prepared for their future). Still, various industries communicate differently about what this looks like in school settings. Self- and social-awareness, responsible decision-making, self-management, and relationship skills are essential for students to be healthy, happy, thriving, and prepared for their future.

“Messaging is so important. We need to figure out what messages resonate with which audiences. The messages change depending on who you are talking to and what they try to accomplish.”

Localized control of schools shapes the education system and accessibility of digital learning, impacting the standardization of education in the US. The patchwork nature results in fragmentation across subjects and accompanying evaluations of assessment data. This is particularly true in subjects requiring an evidence-based approach (including the abovementioned areas). As currently constituted, localized control of whole-person health learning also deepens imbalances between students, schools, and communities where whole-person health values are incorporated. In some settings, this can be typified as SEL or character formation, leadership, and skills-based education. However, not all students currently benefit from and have the opportunity for exposure to and learning these skills.??

Recommendations for Schools and Employers

Insight: Schools and employers can actively help close the digital divide by combining funding, technology, and resources to reach students and their families. Collectively, these efforts will ensure that all students and families have access to education and health-related solutions (e.g., educational instruction via internet connectivity).

Action:

• Support school policies that close the digital divide for students and communities, ensuring that all students (to the extent feasible) have access to the needed technology to fully participate in digital learning and curriculum.

Insight: As today’s students increasingly gravitate “online” via smartphones and other digital devices (and use the accompanying social media apps and search browsers), schools can incorporate media and digital literacy into educational “whole-person” approaches. These responses can aid in preventing dangerous rhetoric from causing physical and mental harm to students, both during and after school hours. Preventing students from being exposed to such rhetoric has long-term benefits that ultimately help them, their teachers, their families, and eventually, their employers. Employers and partners can support the development of education that teaches young people to be compassionate and of high character so that they become responsible adults and future employees.

Actions:

• Align messaging and communication by underpinning shared values to reinforce learning opportunities for social and emotional skills to bridge the gap that has resulted from polarization about SEL.
• Integrate learning opportunities in schools that promote soft skills and character-based education.
• Institute a process that measures whole-person health learning skills, which will result in a broader understanding of the importance and value of these approaches by students and the wider community.
• Actively combat misinformation surrounding whole-person health and accompanying critical thinking skills through digital literacy education that teaches young people to be safe online.

Acknowledgments?

The Milken Institute is grateful to EVERFI for supporting the Institute’s independent work on employer social impact and preventive educational insight and action design via the Employer Action Exchange.