SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Educ.
Sec. Digital Education
Volume 10 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/feduc.2025.1655634
This article is part of the Research TopicDigital Learning Innovations: Trends Emerging Scenario, Challenges and OpportunitiesView all 26 articles
Technology-enabled Social-emotional Learning for University Educators: A Systematic Review
Provisionally accepted
- 1An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
- 2International University of La Rioja, Logroño, Spain
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Social-emotional learning (SEL) has gained increasing attention in higher education as a critical set of competencies for both educators and students. While SEL frameworks have been extensively studied in K–12 settings, less is known about the application of technology-enabled SEL interventions targeting university educators, particularly across diverse and cross-cultural contexts. This systematic review, conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, synthesized empirical evidence from five academic databases (ERIC, ScienceDirect, JSTOR, EBSCOhost, and SpringerLink). Comprehensive search strategies combined terms related to SEL, higher education, technology, and cross-cultural adaptability. Studies were screened through a multistage process, with inclusion criteria focusing on empirical research addressing SEL among university educators, integrating technology components, and involving cross-cultural or international considerations. From an initial pool of 2,296 records, 896 duplicates were removed, and 1,400 records underwent title and abstract screening. Following the exclusion of 1,135 studies, 265 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, resulting in 22 studies included in the final synthesis. Thematic analysis identified three central domains: (1) development of SEL competencies (e.g., emotional regulation, self-awareness, responsible decision-making); (2) integration of digital tools (e.g., online platforms, virtual simulations, mobile applications); and (3) adaptation to cultural diversity and educator readiness within global higher education environments. This review highlights a growing body of evidence supporting the role of technology in fostering SEL among university educators, while also identifying persistent gaps related to scalability, long-term effectiveness, and cultural responsiveness. The findings will inform the development of a cross-culturally adaptable SEL toolkit to support faculty professional development in increasingly globalized higher education systems.
Keywords: Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), higher education, Technology-enabled learning, Cross-cultural education, Digital tools in education, Professional Development, emotional regulation, SEL competencies
Received: 28 Jun 2025; Accepted: 25 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Mukhemar, Affouneh and Burgos¹. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Razan Mukhemar, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine
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