Page 276 - Razvoj kompetenc prihodnosti v pedagoških študijskih programih

Neža Podlogar in Mojca Juriševič

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How Can Relationships in Pedagogical Practice Contribute
to a Sustainable Future in Education? A Qualitative Study of Future
Teachers’ Relational Competence
Teachers’ relational competence is crucial for establishing high-quality rela-
tionships with students and has a significant impact on their emotional and
social behaviour, learning, and academic achievement. It is positively associ-
ated with teachers’ well-being and is increasingly recognised as a foundation
of teaching quality and an important component of sustainable development
in education. The aim of this paper is to present the implementation and eval-
uation of activities designed to develop awareness of relational competence
among 11 participantsin the pedagogical-andragogical education programme
at the Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana. The study was conducted
as a qualitative intervention study within the course Psychology for Teachers.
Participants engaged in three activities aimed at raising awareness of and re-
flecting on relational competence. Resultsfrom the monitoring and evaluation
indicated that all three activities were successfully incorporated and well inte-
grated with other course content. Thematic analysis of discussions and written
work revealed that participants recognised various dimensions of relational
competence – from providing a safe environment and preventing violence to
fostering a sense of belonging, motivation, collaboration, and the develop-
ment of socio-emotional skills. The activities encouraged reflection on inter-
personal relationships as an inseparable aspect of a teacher’s professional ex-
pertise. This paper provides a basis for theoretical and professional reflection,
further planning of pedagogical practice, and research, particularly regarding
the use of authentic teaching situations and the systematic measurement of
relational competence before and after the selected interventions.
Keywords: relational competence, teacher-student relationship, social-emo-
tional learning, supportive learning environment, initial teacher education

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