What transforms a classroom into a socially and emotionally supportive space where learners thrive? At its heart, it's connection—the relationships that make students feel seen, supported, and valued.

Research consistently shows that students excel when they trust their teachers and feel a sense of belonging with their peers. These bonds fuel engagement, emotional growth, and academic success.

As educators, you already know the power of relationships. But in today's classrooms, technology is also shaping how we connect, teach, and learn. In fact, roughly nine in ten K-12 educators in the U.S. believe education technology positively impacts student engagement and use it in their classrooms (Zipdo, 2023). The potential for tech to enhance learning is immense—but how can it be used thoughtfully to strengthen the relationships and skills at the core of social and emotional learning (SEL)?

In the "SEL and Technology" chapter of the newly released Second Edition of the Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning, co-authors Susan Rivers and Michelle Bertoli of iThrive Games/History Co:Lab, alongside Urban Assembly's David Adams and Eaton Middle School's Letha Mellman, explore how technology, by design, "must value and center learners in all their diversity of capacities, interests, motivations, contexts, and experiences." They emphasize that social and emotional learning (SEL) technology should "center and enable meaningful relationships between learners and the adults involved in their learning, as well as with themselves, other learners, and the larger community and planet."

To fully harness the potential of SEL tech, educators must intentionally choose technology that will support relationship building in classrooms. Doing so ensures that learning environments remain human-centered and that learning remains relationally driven.

SEL TECH USE IN THE CLASSROOM: FIVE CRITICAL CONSIDERATIONS

SEL tech offers tools to foster connection, amplify engagement, and help students practice essential skills like empathy, self-regulation, and collaboration. However, realizing its promise requires intentional integration. Educators, here are a set of five questions to ask yourself when evaluating and using SEL tech that help ensure it supports a meaningful, learner-centered classroom.

1. How does it strengthen relationships?

Technology should enhance, not replace, human interaction. Tools that create opportunities for meaningful teacher-student and peer-to-peer relationships can deepen trust and foster collaboration. Tools like OKO provide a platform for students to build knowledge together, engage in creative problem-solving, and make learning a shared experience supportive of connection and care in classrooms.

2. Does it prioritize ethical data use and privacy?

Many SEL tools collect sensitive information, such as students' emotions or behavior patterns. Protecting this data is critical to maintaining trust and establishing emotional safety. Educators should assess terms of service and privacy policies to ensure that any tool they use is transparent about its data practices, protects student data and is used solely for their benefit. Common Sense Privacy Program offers helpful resources for rating and reviewing the privacy standards of ed-tech tools.

3. How does the technology offer accessibility for all learners?

Technology should bridge gaps, not widen them. SEL tools must be designed to serve students of all abilities, backgrounds, and contexts. When choosing a tool for your classroom, evaluate its inclusivity and accessibility. Use CAST's Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles as a guide to ensure the SEL tech you integrate supports diverse learning needs and fosters equity in every learning experience.

4. How does the technology support emotional readiness and safe engagement?

SEL tech should help students learn how to manage their emotions and prepare for meaningful learning by fostering calm and focus. Tools that include emotion-regulation exercises or gamified experiences can help students build self-awareness and manage stress effectively. For example, apps like Calm teach students strategies to regulate emotions, enhance focus and navigate social dynamics in collaborative learning environments.

5. How does the technology provide opportunities for practice and feedback?

Interactive tools are uniquely positioned to offer repeated practice and immediate feedback—essential for helping students actively refine their SEL skills and master SEL competencies. Apps, simulations, and games can help students develop skills like empathy, decision-making, and collaboration in dynamic, low-risk scenarios. For instance, iThrive Sim, our award-winning digital platform that hosts a library of tech-supported, role-playing simulation games, lets students role-play real-world challenges, giving them a chance to practice SEL skills in a safe and engaging environment.

RELATIONSHIPS FOSTER GROWTH

Technology is a powerful tool, but it is relationships—with and between teachers, students, and communities—that drive true growth. To be effective, SEL tech needs to support and amplify relationships that make classrooms thrive, not replace them. As Rivers, Adams, Bertoli, and Mellman highlight in the Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning, "Caring relationships are the lever, driver, and home-base of successful SEL,and technology must be designed and deployed in service of the warm and supportive connections that nurture, sustain, and motivate each learner." 

Achieving this vision for SEL tech means designing to support optimal learning conditions for all learners and "putting learners and their relationships at the center." By integrating SEL tech in ways that  prioritize human connection, educators contribute to this vision, creating classrooms where students feel valued, engaged, and ready to thrive.

Explore iThrive Games' free library of game-based and tech-supported social and emotional learning resources to enrich your classroom, and sign up for our mailing list to stay informed about our new tools and updates!

The chapter SEL and Tech can be found in Handbook of Social and Emotional Learning, Second Edition, edited by Joseph A. Durlak, Celene E. Domitrovich, and Joseph L. Mahoney, published by Guilford Press.

For researchers studying youth behavior, development, mental health, education, and social dynamics, a youth-centered approach is crucial. 

Choosing a method that allows young people to be seen, heard, valued, and supported directly impacts the quality and authenticity of study outcomes. At iThrive Games, we know from experience that play offers a viable and valuable research method that meets young people where they are with what they know. Our award-winning iThrive Sim game engine is an example of this, creating simulation games that serve as rich conduits for exploration, experimentation, and learning. When used by psychologists, sociologists, and education researchers, iThrive Sim offers a game-based way to explore how young people confront challenges and navigate decision-making. We invite all with inquiry to connect with us to learn how they can use the platform in their research.

WHAT IS ITHRIVE SIM?

iThrive Sim is an accessible, web-based, and device-agnostic digital game engine to engage young people in any in-person setting or home with Wi-Fi. Designed for classroom use meeting in-person and virtual learning needs, it meets classroom requirements including low internet speeds, firewalls, time constraints, student absences, and child protection laws.

Named a 2022-2023 Learning Engineering Tools Competition Growth Award Winner and having won multiple industry awards, iThrive Sim offers single and multiplayer role-playing simulation games. Players step into assigned roles and encounter unique stressors as they navigate challenges and make real-time decisions that shape the unfolding narrative. Each player's experience concludes with a customizable outcome report, reflecting their in-game engagement and behaviors.

WHY ITHRIVE SIM WORKS AS AN ADOLESCENT RESEARCH METHOD

In adolescent research, finding methods that truly engage young people while delivering meaningful insights can be challenging. iThrive Sim bridges this gap with its plug-and-play technology, interactive capabilities, and thoughtful design, creating a robust environment for research. Its tech specs and unique approach to gameplay and learning make it an ideal tool for studying the complexities of adolescent development and social interactions. Here are five reasons why:

1. ENHANCED ENGAGEMENT AND MOTIVATION

Using a game-based research method like iThrive Sim increases engagement and motivation for adolescent participants by leveraging the immersive and interactive nature of games. Games provide a familiar and enjoyable environment where teens can explore scenarios, make decisions, and see the immediate consequences of their actions. This dynamic approach keeps participants interested and invested, as it feels more like play than traditional research. Additionally, the challenge and rewards encourage sustained participation and deeper involvement, leading to richer data and more authentic insights into adolescent behavior and decision-making.

2. REAL-TIME DATA COLLECTION

iThrive Sim supports data collection of in-game behaviors. Real-time interactions in the game platform allow adolescent researchers to gather time-sensitive data linked to in-game decision-making, stressors, information processing and sharing and more. Researchers can add video capture to support observational data collection of interpersonal interactions and nonverbal behaviors. Surveys administered pre, post, and during gameplay support for additional insights. 

3. SIMULATION OF REAL-WORLD SCENARIOS

iThrive Sim's role-playing games offer a unique window into adolescent behavior. Role-playing games (RPGs) are known for fostering creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving. iThrive Sim goes further, providing a powerful tool for studying complex psychological processes in a natural setting. In the safe, playful environment of iThrive Sim, researchers can simulate real-world scenarios, allowing teens to make decisions and observe the outcomes without real-world risks. This approach yields valuable insights into behaviors and decision-making processes that are challenging to study through traditional methods, making iThrive Sim a unparalleled tool for adolescent research.

4. CUSTOMIZATION AND FLEXIBILITY

iThrive Sim's dynamic features empower researchers to create tailored experiences that precisely meet their study's needs. The platform's authoring tools allow for full customization of the research environment, enabling adjustments to difficulty levels, roles, decision points, and scenarios. Through this, researchers can also focus on specific variables, making iThrive Sim a versatile tool for targeting precise questions. This flexibility is particularly valuable in adolescent research, where the ability to adapt and refine the experience ensures that the study remains relevant and impactful, providing deeper insights into complex behaviors and decision-making processes.

5. SCALABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY

With iThrive Sim, adolescent researchers can significantly broaden their reach. The platform is designed to engage a larger and more diverse population, including remote or hard-to-reach groups. Researchers can scale their studies to include participants from various regions and demographics, thereby enhancing the generalizability of their findings. iThrive Sim's user-friendly technology and adaptability to different internet conditions and hybrid settings ensure seamless scalability. This flexibility allows researchers to effectively conduct large-scale studies, reaching diverse populations and gaining richer, more comprehensive insights into adolescent behavior and development.

ENLIST ITHRIVE SIM IN YOUR ADOLESCENT RESEARCH

In adolescent research, it is crucial that young participants feel seen, heard, and valued as active contributors to science rather than just subjects. This approach not only enriches the data collected but also upholds ethical standards that prioritize the well-being and agency of young people. iThrive Sim embodies this philosophy, offering a platform where teens can engage deeply, explore real-world scenarios, and provide authentic insights in a safe and supportive environment.

By choosing a research method that resonates with the needs of young people, adolescent researchers can ensure their work is both meaningful and impactful. At iThrive Games, now part of the History Co:Lab, we work as an interdisciplinary team of game and experience designers, developmental psychologists, and learning science experts who are committed to unlocking the potential of games as tools for positive youth development. Contact us today to find out more about using iThrive Sim in your research!

LEARN MORE ON HOW TO CONDUCT RESEARCH WITH ITHRIVE SIM